Two Robberies, a Broken Marriage, and a Murder

The first railroad to come through Bossier Parish was the Vicksburg, Shreveport, and Pacific in 1884. Communities lucky enough to be selected for railroad stations and depots were opened to new economic opportunities, stimulating the development of towns and communities. While they attracted more people, industry, and commerce, they also attracted criminals. In addition to train robbers, there were also station holdup crooks, pickpockets, con men, and bootleggers to contend with.

On Dec. 3, 1886, a bold burglary took place at the storehouse of John Franklin Lay at Bodcau Station on the VS&P Railroad. Details of the robbery and how they nabbed the thief appeared in The Bossier Banner the following week.

It was a Friday night between 11 and 1 o'clock when Lay, Levi F. Head, and two or three others were asleep in the store, a common practice in those days. They closed the store at 10 p.m. and went upstairs to retire. They were awakened by a "heavy sound from below like some object had been hurled against the front door or wall." They jumped out of bed and quickly got dressed, struck a light, and went down to the storeroom, where they found that someone had busted the front door open with a large stick of wood.

Upon inspection, they discovered a small desk, which contained over a hundred dollars in gold and about twenty-five to thirty dollars in paper money, was removed from the store. Upon searching the grounds, they discovered the desk some distance from the store. The thief took the gold but overlooked the cash in his haste to abscond the scene.

In the next day or two, a neighboring man named Isaac Gallimore became the prime suspect. They described him as playing the part of "gay Lothario" with a woman named Francis Williams. The name Lothario was used to describe men that were unscrupulous seducers of women. According to the article, "It was through her displaying a plethoric stocking to one of the amateur colored detectives sent out by Lay that Isaac was so quickly 'given away.'"

The detective asked Isaac to change a ten-dollar bill for him. Isaac replied that Francis had all his money. When the detective asked her for change, she pulled her money out, primarily twenty-dollar gold pieces, and could not make the change. This information and the fact that Isaac was headed to Bellevue for a license to marry Francis gave them reason enough to seek an arrest warrant.

Head swore out a warrant the following Monday. Justice A. J. Murff issued the warrant given to Deputy Sheriff Thomas N. Braden, who arrested Isaac while the clerk was issuing the marriage license. Needless to say, the marriage was broken before it began. The money was recovered from Francis, and she was left mourning the loss of her man and the money.

Fourteen years later, Lay's store was burglarized again. This time Lay was closing the store, and while he was bending over to fasten the bottom of the door, a number 3 shot was fired into his chest. The motive appeared to be robbery, as a drawer containing $20 was missing from the store and was found empty at a neighboring gin house between two bales of cotton.

The two suspects arrested were John and George Gallimore, but after further investigation, they were released. Not knowing who murdered Lay, the jury recommended that the Governor offer a suitable reward in the case.

Lay was a native of Bossier Parish, born in 1853. His death was mourned by his three sisters, brothers-in-law, and many other relatives and friends. The money stolen on the night of his murder is equivalent in purchasing power to about $658.55 today.

By: Amy Robertson