Alex Hernandez Dance Hall

Status: Closed

Parish: Lafayette

Location: Ridge

William Thibodeaux: “It was a very violent place, like most of the old dancehalls of long ago. Nearly two months after Charles Lindbergh’s historic flight across the Atlantic in 1927, an excited crowd prepared for a night of fun-filled dancing at Alex Hernandez’s dancehall. Apparently Abraham Domingue was causing a ruckus. When Deputy Sheriff Willie Stutes of Duson tried to quiet him, he simply moved to another area of the dancehall and continued his disruption. The deputy went to Domingue again and asked him to leave. Fearing trouble, Alex Hernandez, the owner of the dancing establishment, grabbed Domingue’s arm to lead the trouble maker outside. And at about that time, which was a few minutes past midnight, Domingue used his other hand and pulled his 38-caliber colt revolver and began shooting. A total of three rounds were fired. The first going wild struck the floor, while the other two rounds went entirely through the body of Deputy Stutes, causing two wounds about an inch apart on the left side of his body. After exiting the officer’s body, one of the rounds struck 19-year old Earl Spell in the abdomen while the other only grazed 45-year old Sidney Foreman. Both men were friends of the shooter and were standing directly behind the lawman. Spell was taken to the Lafayette Sanitarian where he was listed in serious condition. Sidney Foreman, after refusing medical treatment went home and was taken care of there. Before falling dead, the deputy sheriff managed to hit Abraham Domingue over the forehead with his nightstick. After lifting himself off the floor, Domingue ran towards the entrance where he pointed his 38 into the crowd and pulled the trigger. Fortunately, his gun jammed and nothing happened. He then exited the dancehall and jumped into his automobile and fled. Dr. M.M. Mouton, the coroner, made his report shortly after the shooting. Lafayette Parish Sheriff J. Dassas Trahan wrote out an arrest warrant for Domingue. At about 11:00 a.m. Domingue, after conferring with his uncle Victor Simon, he reportedly turned himself in. Sheriff Trahan drove Domingue to the Acadia Parish jail in Crowley since his jail was still under construction. Deputy Sheriff Stutes left behind a wife and ten adult children. Dauterive Undertaking Parlors of Lafayette was in charge of funeral arrangements. Once his body was ready for burial, the body was taken to the home of the deceased, which was customary back then. Back in those days, particularly in that part of southwest Louisiana, it was like the Wild West. Honor was far more precious than life itself. It was a scene far too familiar in southwest Louisiana back then. It didn’t take much, a slight bump, a wink or a smile at the wrong girl, or even an innocent gaze that perhaps lingered too long would quickly erupt into a life or death altercation.”