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The Banner of Attakapas had to have been one of the unluckiest steamboats ever to travel on Bayou Teche. It was sturdily built in 1848, and had a good captain and crew, but misadventure seemed to follow wherever it went.
In late 1849, E. W. Fuller, its owner, advertised that it would begin running between St. Martinville and New Orleans, “touching at all intermediate landings,” traveling “by the sea route until the navigation through Bayou Plaquemine is open.”
In those days Teche steamers had two main routes to New Orleans. The preferred route was to go up the Atchafalaya River to Bayou Plaquemine, which connected with the Mississippi at the town of Plaquemine. But when water was too low in the bayou or, as frequently happened, its entrance to the Mississippi was blocked by a logjam, bigger steamboats went into the Gulf.
As the Banner’s ad implies, most of those boats were built to operate on inland streams — riding low in the water, not suited for ocean waves that battered the hull or washed over the decks — and had to be modified to use the sea route.
According to the advertisement, the Banner of Attakapas, “only eighteen months old, built in the most substantial manner,” was “receiving those additions … necessary to make her a good sea boat. She has been thoroughly recaulked, bottom, sides, and deck, false sides have been added, giving her 35 feet breadth of beam, also an entire bottom outside of the present one, which will be thoroughly caulked and fastened, rendering it almost impossible for her either to spring a leak or be broken by snags.”
All of that refitting seemed to work in the Gulf. The Banner of Attakapas’s troubles all came on the Mississippi.
It had been running to New Orleans for only a few months when it was involved in a collision with another steamboat on the river. The newspaper in Franklin reported in late December that “the aggressive steamboat … must have been in a starving condition, for she walked into the broadside of the Banner’s cookhouse, and made the pots, kettles and frying pans fly with a rush and in her fury, she flung most of the cooking utensils into the Mississippi.”
High water on the river provided an even greater test in the spring. The boat was about forty miles above New Orleans in early March when it was swept into a powerful stream of flood water rushing through a break in the levee.
According to the newspaper account of that incident, “The steamboat … passed into a crevasse … and took to the woods. … In her wild pranks she ran over several cabins … and pranced over the fields like a lamb in the spring of the year.” When another boat tried to drag the Banner back into the Mississippi, it was also sucked through the crevasse.
Both boats were eventually rescued and the newspaper reported on March 14 that the Banner was “out of the crevasse, and … on her old track” between the Teche and New Orleans.
“Capt. Muggah has command of her,” the account continued, “and we feel sure he will keep his eye on the crevasse as he passes it in future. The Banner will hereafter make her trips to New Orleans by water, she has come to the conclusion that land navigation is not profitable.”
The boat was apparently none the worse off for its experience. The newspaper reported March 21 that it made a trip from the Teche community of Patterson to New Orleans and back in three days and twelve hours, when “six days would be called a quick trip.”
“The Banner is becoming an enterprising boat since she ran off the track,” the newspaper opined. “Indeed, any boat that can dive into a crevasse and work out again cannot be wanting in grit and enterprise. We should not be surprised if the next trip she makes we hear of her … running across … [dry] land from Napoleonville to Berwick’s Bay.”
Gritty and enterprising or not, the boat was still unlucky.
It was near Memphis on June 10, 1852, when, heavily laden with railroad iron, the four-year-old boat ran over something sturdy enough to rip open its reinforced bottom. It took only two minutes to sink.
The Memphis Whig reported the next day that the Banner’s hull was on the river bottom, held down by four hundred tons of iron, and that its cabin had “split from the hull” and floated away.
A few things were saved after another boat caught up to the runaway cabin and the railroad iron was eventually salvaged, but that was the end of the ill-fated Banner of Attakapas. It had made its last dash, either by land or water.
A collection of Jim Bradshaw’s columns, Cajuns and Other Characters, is now available from Pelican Publishing. You can contact him at jimbrad-shaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

(Editor’s Note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)
Staff Report

A traffic stop by Berwick police yielded a pair of arrests on methamphetamine and prescription drug charges, the Berwick Police Department reported.

Berwick
Police Chief David Leonard reported these arrests:

—Reid Hebert, 28, Houston, was arrested at 11:33 a.m. Wednesday on charges of possession of methamphetamine and

—Hannah Brown, 26, of Cypress, Texas, was at 11:33 a.m. Wednesday on charges of possession of Xanax and possession of a legend drug without a prescription.

Officers with the Berwick Police Department responded to a local business for a vehicle crash in the parking lot. During the course of the investigation, the driver of the vehicle at fault, Hebert, was found to have an outstanding warrant from Ector Country in Texas for failure to appear for a previous charge of sexual assault of a child and child endangerment.

The warrant was confirmed through Ector County, and Hebert was taken into custody.
After further investigation, Hebert was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and passenger Brown was found to be in possession of Xanax and Trazodone, an anti-depressant.

Hebert and Brown were placed under arrest and later transported to Berwick jail where they both remain waiting bond to be set.

Morgan City
Police Chief James F. Blair reported these arrests:

—Charles Mitchell Sr., 62, Jimmy’s Trailer Court No. 2, Gibson, was arrested at 9:37 a.m. Wednesday on charges of turning movements and required signals, expired license plate, operating a vehicle with a suspended license, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

An officer on patrol observed a traffic violation in the area of La. 182 and Roderick Street The driver was identified as Charles Mitchell. A computer check revealed his driver's license was under suspension, and the vehicle's li-cense plate was expired.

During the traffic stop, he was found in possession of suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was placed under arrested and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration.

—Whitney Billiot IV, 43, Leona Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:28 p.m. Wednesday on charges of domestic abuse aggravated assault, two counts of domestic abuse aggravated assault-child endanger-ment, three counts of false imprisonment (armed with a dangerous weapon), resisting an officer and disturbing the peace.

Officers responded to a call of a disturbance at an address on Leona Street. They learned Billiot was inside the residence armed with a knife and refusing to allow family members to leave the residence.
Officers quickly entered the residence, and Billiot was taken into custody after police deployed a Taser. He was transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration.

—Christopher Hebert, 52, Hill Street, Erath, was arrested at 12:48 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant for violat-ing a restraining order.

Hebert was transferred from the Berwick Police Department and booked on an outstanding warrant held by the Morgan City Police Department. He was incarcerated at the Morgan City Police Department.

—Kenneth Kiff Jr., 34m, Red Cypress Road, Patterson, was arrested at 2:21 p.m. Wednesday on charges of unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Officers were called to a Louisa Street address for an individual entering a residence without the homeowner's consent. They learned Kiff entered the residence but left after being confronted by the homeowner.

Officers located Kiff on Louisa Street. During the investigation, he was found in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was placed under and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration.

—Terrell Van Bullock, 27, Degravelle Road, Amelia, was arrested at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant for failure to appear for trial and three counts of contempt of court.

Van Bullock was located at Dequincy Detention Center. He was placed under and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration.

—Brandon Jones, 19, Lawrence Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 4:07 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm inside a firearm-free zone.

—Javion Jamal Jones, 18, Bush Street, Morgan City, was arrested 4:07 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm inside a firearm-free zone and illegal possession of a stolen firearm.

—Jacolbi Jaron Francois, 23, Foxrun, Lafayette, was arrested at 4:07 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant for failure to appear for revocation.

Officers responded to a called serval individuals brandishing firearms during a disturbance on Wren Street before fleeing in a vehicle. Wren Street is located with Morgan City Housing Authority property and is a posted firearm-free zone. Officers were able to locate the vehicle in the area of Ditch Ave. and Seventh St. and conducted a traffic stop.

The driver was identified as Brandon Jones, along with two passengers Javion Jones and Francois. During the investigation, Brandon Jones and Javion Jones were found in possession of firearms.

A computer check revealed the firearm Javion Jones was in possessionof was reported stolen. A warrant check revealed the 16th District Court held an active warrant for Francois. Brandon Jones, Javion Jones and Francois were placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration.

—Kristyn L. Parker, 29, Susan Court, Morgan City, was arrested 4:58 p.m. Wednesday on charges of pos-session of Subutex, a drug used to treat opioid addiction, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Parker was transferred from the Berwick Police Department and booked on an outstanding warrant held by the Morgan City Police Department. She was incarcerated at the Morgan City Police Department.

—Tieka Latrice Junifer, 33, Federal Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:58 a.m. Thursday on a warrant for two counts of failure to appear.

Junifer was transferred from the Berwick Police Department and booked on an outstanding warrant held by the City Court of Morgan City. She was incarcerated at the Morgan City Police Department .

St. Mary
Sheriff Blaise Smith reported these arrests:

--Georgianna J. Sweetser, 53, Morgan City was arrested at 6:04 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of theft. Sweet-ser was released on a summons to appear April 27.

—Kelly Heuring, 42, Morgan City, at 8:17 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of disturbing the peace by fighting. Heuring was released on a summons to appear April 27.

Brennan G. Giandelone, 21, Patterson, arrested at 8:17 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of disturbing the peace by fighting. Giandelone was released on a summons to appear April 27.

—Nickolas James Morris II, 32, Franklin, was arrested at 1:39 a.m. Thursday on a charge of driving under suspension and on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of possession of marijuana, operating a vehicle while license is suspended/revoked/canceled, improper lane usage and operating a vehicle not covered by se-curtity.

Bail has not been set.
St. Martin
Sheriff Becket Breaux reported these arrests:

—Kavias Honore, 19, Anthoine Chretien Broussard, was arrested Monday on an extradition warrant.

—Coby Savoy, 41, St. Rita Highway, St. Martinville, was arrested Monday on warrants for failure to appear.

—Clifford Demouchet, 24, Will Angelle, Arnaudville, was arrested Tuesday by the Breaux Bridge Police De-partment on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, illegal possession of stolen things, simple possession of marijuana, possession of Schedule II narcotics, illegal carrying of a weapon and open container, and on a warrant for failure to appear.

—Dartravien Girod, 19, Agnes Drive, Breaux Bridge, was arrested Tuesday on charges of aggravated flight from an officer, off-road vehicles not authorized and general speed law.

—Casey Hoffman, 28, Boudreaux Street, Kapan, was arrested and held for U.S. Marshals Service on an extra-dition warrant.

—Triston Meche, 19, Robin Street, Breaux Bridge, was arrested Tuesday second-degree battery an armed rob-bery.

—Mark Belaire, 44, Mouton Avenue, St. Martinville, was arrested Wednesday by Louisiana State Police on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted and on warrants for failure to appear.

Franklin
Police Chief Morris Beverly reported this arrest:

—Genevia Dauphine, 35, of Easy Street, Franklin, was arrested at 3:10 a.m. Thursday on a warrant for 3rd Ward City Court for failure to appear on the charge of possession of marijuana. Dauphine was booked, processed and released on a $633bond.

Elder Walter Stansberry Sr., 80, a resident and native of Verdunville, La., passed away peacefully on Saturday December 26, 2020 at 7:48 p.m. at his residence.
A public viewing will be observed on Saturday, January 9, 2021 from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. at Jones Funeral Home 1101 Main Street Franklin, La. (All visitors are asked to adhere to the CDC-local regulations by wearing masks and practicing social distancing). Graveside services will be conducted at 11 a.m. at the Little Zion Cemetery in Verdunville, La. Services will be accessible by viewing the Jones Funeral Home, Inc. Facebook Page at 11 a.m. on Saturday January 9, 2021. Elder Stansberry will be laid to rest in the Little Zion Church Cemetery.
Memories of Elder Stansberry will forever remain in the hearts of his wife, Mary Louise Stansberry of Verdunville, La.; six sons, Gerald Wayne (Anne) Green Sr. of Las Vegas, NV, Walter (Gail) Stansberry, Jr. of Verdunville, La., Willie (Wanda) Stansberry Sr. of Broussard, La., Wayne (Patina) Stansberry Sr. of Lake Charles, La., Johnny (Robin) Clark, Jr. of New Iberia, La. and Jermaine Thomas of Alexandria, La.; two daughters, Sunjanetta (Davey) Monette of Broussard, La. and Waletta August of Verdunville, La.; one brother, Harry Lee (Minerva) Stansberry Sr. of Bakertown, La.; a devoted caretaker, Lisa Mallet; thirty-four grandchildren, forty-three great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Elder Stansberry was preceded in death by: his parents, Willie and Corella Stansbury; a great-grandchild, Zakiya Stansbury; sisters, Theresa Pierre, Leah Simmons, Earline Stansbury, Libby Lee, and Christine Davis; three brothers, Willie Stansbury, Charles Stansbury, and Lionel Stansbury and a son-in-law, Howard Terrell August.
Arrangements entrusted to Jones Funeral Home, Inc., Visit www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.

Smoothies are often associated with breakfast, but they actually can be enjoyed all day long.
Smoothies have been around since the 1920s, when the first blender was invented by Stephen Poplawski. In 1939, the Waring blender company designed a pamphlet that came with the appliance that included fruit-based drinks.
Smoothies can include a variety of ingredients and serve various purposes.
This recipe for a “Ginger Papaya Smoothie” from “Super Smoothies” (Crestline) by Ellen Brown employs ginger, which can help overcome nausea and other stomach issues.
GINGER PAPAYA SMOOTHIE
1 cup chilled papaya nectar
1 container (8 ounces) peach low-fat yogurt
½ cup silken tofu
¼ cup whey protein powder
3 Tbsp. crystallized ginger
2 cups papaya cubes, frozen
4 papaya spears for garnish (optional)
Combine papaya nectar, yogurt, tofu, whey protein powder and crystalized ginger in a blender or smoothie maker.
Blend on high speed for 45 seconds or until mixture is puréed and smooth.
Add papaya cubes and blend on high speed again until mixture is smooth.
Serve immediately garnished with papaya spears, if desired.
Yields 4 one-cup servings
Tip: Crystallized ginger is fresh ginger that has been cooked in sugar syrup to render it both sweet and tender. It is usually then coated with sugar to prevent the slices from sticking together.
To find crystallized ginger, look in the baking section of your supermarket rather than the produce aisle.
Or for a less sweet smooth, use fresh ginger.