Clementine Barnabet -Hoodoo Confessions Part 1

“My name is Clementine Barnabet, I was born and partly raised near the town of St. Martinville, (La.,) and moved to Lafayette about three years ago when I began to lead a life of degradation....”

The following text is the actual documented April 5, 1912 confession given by Clementine Barnabet, alleged voodoo priestess suspected of murdering at least 35 people, (7 entire families) with an axe from 1909 to 1912, throughout South Central Louisiana.

April 5, 1912

• FULL TEXT: Clementine Bernabet, the negro woman in jail, charged with the murder of the Randell family here last November has made a confession to the officers and others, in which she declares she committed the axe murders here and in Rayne and Crowley.

• Tuesday [April 2, 1912] she gave the following account of the tragedies to Mr. R. H. Broussard, reporter for the New Orleans Item:

“My name is Clementine Bernabet, I was born and partly raised near the town of St. Martinville, (La.,) and moved to Lafayette about three years ago when I began to lead a life of degradation. I have never been married. It was while in the company of two other women and two men, while in New Iberia, (La.,) that we met an old negro who told us that he could sell us ‘candjas’ (meaning by that hoodoos), with which we could do as we pleased and we would never be detected and would be protected from the hands of the law by the mere fact of these ‘candjas’ being in our possession.

“We bought them and paid $3 each for them and left New Iberia the same night, returning to Lafayette, when we began to plan our actions. We had not yet decided on committing any murders, but it was while we were discussing our future plans that the question came up as to whether we could kill and be protected by the hoodoos. One of the gang was instructed to go to New Iberia and interview the hoodoo man, who said we were safe in any and all actions which we might do. Our lives would at all times be fully protected by the power of the hoodoos.

~ Drew Lot for First Murder. ~

“It was sometime during the year 1910, I believe in the fall, that I went to Rayne with my companions and we drew lots to know who would make the first attempt of the hoodoos in committing murders. The lot fell to me, and accordingly, I got to work that night. I went to my sister, who lived at Rayne, near the O. G. railroad depot, and later during the night went up town, disguised as a man, and securing an ax in a yard near the cabin where I killed the other and four children.”

When asked how she gained admission into the house she said that the house was lighted.

“I saw that the light was burning and by that I could easily see inside. I saw the mother Sleeping in her bed, then I decided that I would enter that house and there begin the work which we had planned.

“On entering the house, I  struck the woman on the right temple and killed her instantly one of the children was awakened by the noise, and before he could raise his head from the pillow I struck him a blow somewhere near the left ear, then I struck the other two. I left the man’s clothes which I wore in the house and left the house in woman’s clothes, returned to my sister’s house and later during the same night I boarded a night train for Lafayette arriving here about midnight. It was about 9 when I killed them.

~Reported Deed to Others~

“On my return to Lafayette I reported the matter to the other members of the “gang” and we watched the development in the case with great interest. When we saw that we had not been detected we decided that the hoodoos had done their part and we were safe.”

She then told of how they had killed the family at Crowley, explaining every detail. How they left Crowley the same night, one of the women going to Rayne and the others coming to Lafayette.

“In Crowley,” she said, “I entered the house with one of the women, while the other kept watch, and as I had the ax in my hand I committed the murders.

I struck the man first and  just as I did so the woman woke up, I struck her a blow in the face with the butt end of the ax and felled her. I then struck her once or twice to be sure that she was dead. Once this was done it was an easy matter to get rid of the two small children. We thought it was better to kill them than to leave orphans, as they would suffer.”

This is only the first half of her horrifically nonchalant confession....in Part 2, this sickening personal account becomes even more appalling with dark detail and cold indifference. Also, unexpected and disturbing events create many unanswered questions, explore unimaginable outcomes, and lead to astonishing conclusions.

To Be Continued...