Today marks 85 years since death of “The Kingfish”

Merriam-Webster defines the term “demagogue” as “a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power,” and “a leader championing the cause of the common people in ancient times.”
Many older residents of Louisiana and historians alike, though, simply define the term as Huey Pierce Long.
The popular, and equally unpopular, figure cast a shadow of the state’s politics for the better part of a decade, and his legacy extended much longer in the 20th century. He first rose to power as a member of what is now the Public Service Commission and then was elected governor and United State’s Senator.
Long’s political shadow, however, ushered in his demise as a political opponent shot him in the State Capitol building, a building which he oversaw the building. He later died as a result of his injuries on this day 85 years ago.
The Saturday, September 14, 1935, edition of the Ville Platte Gazette reported, “Emerging triumphant from legislative halls at 9:20 Sunday night, the famous senator found himself confronted by a man he had probably never seen before. A quick shot; Huey Long’s life blood began to flow. Four o’clock Tuesday morning found him dead. His assassin was killed on the spot, over 60 bullets riddling his unfortunate body. But the work was done.”
Ville Platte has a deep connection to the assassination of the controversial figure dubbed “The Kingfish.”
That same edition of the Gazette reported, “Immediate operation by Dr. Arthur Vidrine, former Ville Platte physician and now head of Charity Hospital, failed to save the distinguished statesman’s life. Operation by an Evangeline man strangely strengthens the link binding Long with Evangeline Parish. It played an important part and was strongly interwoven with his whole life.”
As governor, for example, Long was responsible for planting the trees that line both sides of La. Hwy 10 between Ville Platte and Vidrine.
The parish, as a whole, was also interwoven with the motives for Long’s assassination. As United States Senator, he ran a “puppet” government in the state and continued to run his policies through the state as well as weakening political power of his enemies in state government. One of his final “puppet” policies was the creation of the 13th Judicial District Court which encompasses Evangeline Parish.
That Saturday, September 14, edition of the Gazette reported in a separate article, “By virtue of one of Senator Huey Long’s last act, Evangeline Parish stands alone- a separate and sovereign judicial district.”
The article continued, “This parish still remains the 13th judicial district, composed of Evangeline Parish only. St. Landry Parish, formerly part of this district, has been removed and placed in the 15th judicial district with Acadia, Lafayette, and Vermilion parishes. These are the provisions enacted at the just completed session of the Louisiana legislature which proved the death knell of Huey P. Long, the invincible political bulwark.”
“Besides providing for the new 13th judicial district, the bill says that a district attorney and judge must be appointed for the district pending regular elections coming up in November, 1936. Officials close to the state administration say that J. Cleveland Fruge, now assistant district attorney for the old district, will be appointed judge of the new subdivision. E. Herman Guillory, prominent Ville Platte attorney, is slated for the post of district attorney, according to available information.”
This creation of the new judicial district was a political blow to Judge B.H. Pavy of Opelousas. His son-in-law, Carl Weiss, went on to be Long’s assassin.
That same Saturday, 1935, edition of the Gazette reported, “There can be no doubt that the shakeup in teaching personnel in St. Landry Parish and the wrecking of the old 13th judicial district are the immediate and motivating causes for the Senator’s death.”
“Both of these acts directly affected those near and dear to Dr. Carl Austin Weiss, the man who shot Senator Long. Coupled with his already strong dislike for the senator, the new grievances snapped the bonds of restraint. The doctor was willing to sacrifice his life for a cause.”
“Remaking of the 13th judicial district and the teacher shakeup in St. Landry Parish were small items in Senator Long’s career. They were as sea shells on the beach, so much water over the dam. Nevertheless it is more than probable they caused his demise.”