New Orleans is a great city, and I’ve had the luxury of going there three times in my life. During two of the times though, I took a few of those haunted historical tours they do…The first time I accepted their two stories (more on that later) without question, then the second time I went a year later, I became a skeptic. Here are the two stories the tours relayed time and time again:
-The story of murderess Madame LaLaurie. The tour groups all have different stories, but it goes something like this: around 1815 a rich family by the name of the LaLaurie’s lived in the French Quarter. They tortured their slaves, at least a dozen were killed, and then they were found out and escaped- never to be seen again. However, one local tour guide of a small independent group personally confided in me that “there’s no objective historical evidence that the LaLaurie’s ever killed a single person.” Another tour guide said at least 100 slaves were butchered by the LaLauries. The lesser tour guide that doubted the entire story said that people did see the Madame after her disappearance, and that her tomb was identified a few years ago in the New Orleans cemetary of St. Louis #5.
-The story of the Carter brothers. Supposedly in the early 20th century two brothers living in the French Quarter systematically killed 17 people by drinking their blood. Five of their victims did escape though. Allegedly the Carter brothers were electrocuted together for their crimes and were buried in the Louis cemetary, but when their tomb was opened a year later they were missing. Really doubtful. The lesser tour guide I talked two had never even heard of this story, and I did mention to talk to the person who lives in the alleged Carter brothers house (friendly Brit), and he said he hadn’t heard of the brothers until after he moved in, and wasn’t sure if they ever existed…
I’ve searched the internet for resources, along with at least half a dozen true crime books, and have not found ANY references to the Carter brothers and maybe one or two passing references to the LaLauries. Please, what is the straight dope? Did the Carter brothers ever exist? If so, where can I read about them extensively? And what about the LaLaurie’s, did they ever kill anyone?
Please cite books and/or links, thanks in advance.
John