Beauregard-Keyes House - New Orleans, LA (The Black Hand of Death)

1113 Chartres St.

New Orleans, LA 70116

29.961025,-90.060995

www.bkhouse.org  

            In the most haunted city of the most haunted state, you will find Chartres Street, which many people feel may be the most haunted street in the French Quarter. With those sorts of claims, you better back it up with some incredible tales of pure haunted terror that would pull your rectum into your chest cavity! Ok, that may be a bit elaborate but you get the idea! Located on Chartres Street there sits a home with a history and list of owners so in-depth, one couldn’t imagine it being anywhere else in the city.
            The Beauregard-Keyes House lies across the street from the equally-haunted Urseline Convent, which I will definitely cover at a later date. The home was built in 1826 by architect Francois Correjolles for a wealthy auctioneer by the name of Joseph Le Carpentier. It is rumored that Le Carpentier started his fortune by selling goods for the famed pirate Jeanne Lafitte. As you will see, Lafitte’s name is mentioned quite often throughout these blogs, as he played a dominate role in Louisiana history and seemed to be quite the villainous traveler. In 1829, LeCarpentier's daughter, Louise Therese Felicite Thelcide LeCarpentier (what a mouthful!) married Michel Alonzo Morphy in the home. On June 22, 1827 their son Paul Charles Morphy was born. Paul would soon become a prodigy when it came to the game of chess. Years of study and practice would garner him with the title of world champion.

            In one memorable match against Hungarian chess player, Johann Jacob Lowenthal, Paul was victorious, winning a prize of one hundred British pounds. Instead of keeping the money for himself, Paul decided to use his winnings and buy Lowenthal a suite of furniture. Paul would go on to win

Antique photo of the Beauregard-Keyes Home.

many more competitions against some of the most reputable chess professionals. He would retire from the game of chess at an early age, with a near perfect record of ninety-seven victories out of a hundred. As Paul’s chess playing was equally cut short, so was his life, as he died at the young age of forty-seven on July 10, 1884. Morphy was found dead in his bathtub, said to have suffered a stroke from getting in cold water after being overheated. He now rest in St. Louis Cemetery #1 next to many other of the city’s elite.
            Returning to the history of the home, LeCarpentier sold it in 1833 to John Ami Merle who later became the Swiss Consul to New Orleans. Financial woes gained the best of John, as he would ultimately lose the home to the bank. The home was then purchased by Josephine Laveau Trudeau from the creditors in 1841. She would live here until her death, with her daughter, Adonai Andry, and her husband now inheriting the home. They would own it through the Civil War, selling it in 1865 to Dominique Lanata, who never actually lived in the home; instead, renting it out to numerous occupants.
            One of Lanata’s most notable tenants was the famous General Pierre Gustav Toutant Beauregard, who lived here with his two sons from 1865 until 1868 following the war. Following his famed military career, Beauregard returned to New Orleans, where he served as a railroad executive.

A look at the beautiful courtyard.

He became wealthy due to his role in promoting the Louisiana Lottery. We all know what sort of money making business that can be, as most of us have all been bit when the “lotto bug”, having grand dreams of striking it rich just so we can go to work one last time and tell our boss to “shove it”!
            General Beauregard was the first prominent general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and is a major military figure that played a huge part in Louisiana history. Beauregard commanded armies in the Western Theater, including the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee, and the Siege of Corinth in northern Mississippi. He returned to Charleston and defended it in 1863 from repeated naval and land attacks by Union forces. His greatest achievement was saving the important industrial city of Petersburg, Virginia in June 1864, and thus the nearby Confederate capital of Richmond, from assaults by overwhelmingly superior Union Army forces.
            Following Beauregard’s three year stay, the home was rented out to numerous other individuals until it was ultimately sold in 1904 to Corrado Giacona. The Giacona's operated a wholesale liquor business in the house as Giacona & Co. and made local news when several murders took place on the back gallery, which played out like a scene from The Godfather. I mean, come on, with a name like Giacona, what else would you expect?
           The Italian mafia was a huge influence in New Orleans during this era and some say their power is felt to this very day. They were most known for their extortion racket, known as La Mano Nera or The Black Hand. The ploy was simple: send a letter to a business with a black handprint on it, demanding money or face the “black hand”. Such was the case, as Giacona received a similar letter, demanding three thousand dollars or he and his family would face imminent death. Giacona would not fold to such demands and refused to pay the money. Well, as the worm with the missing

Photo courtesy of www.bkhouse.org

tail once said, “It won’t be long now!” Giacona’s refusal was challenged on June 17, 1908, as Giovanni Barraca, his brother, Nuncy, and Cero Cusimano approached the home to either collect or kill. Giacona, his son Corrado and his nephew, Pietro Bellonde were all armed and waiting. A fire fight broke out and when the smoke cleared, all three members of the mob were dead. Proof that you don’t mess with a man’s family, money and alcohol!
            Following the years of a rough and rugged alcohol outlet, the home fell into great disrepair. Fortunately it was sold in July of 1926 to architect General Allison Owen. The home underwent massive renovations and it was at this time, the home became known as the Beauregard House. Mr. Owen’s goal was to turn the home into a Beauregard memorial home of sorts but unfortunately, those plans never quite came to fruition. For several years, the house was partly occupied by the Warrington House, a shelter for homeless men, and by an “alcoholics anonymous” group. Sort of ironic, that it was once a liquor store!
            The home was literally saved from utter doom when it was purchased in 1945 by famed author, Frances Parkinson Keyes. She would establish the Keyes Foundation, which would provide for additional renovations, transforming the home into a museum, which still is in operation today. The home, now known as the Beauregard-Keyes House, combines the two eras that made it what it has become. The museum is decorated with various artwork and items that span the history of the home, representing the beauty of a former New Orleans.
            Ask any staff member here and you will probably be told that the Beauregard-Keyes house is not haunted, yet many visitors and prior employees will beg to differ. Some have reported seeing the events play out from the bloody mafia shoot out, hearing gunshots and smelling gunpowder. Eyewitnesses have also reported seeing the ghostly apparitions of mangled soldiers, which are said to have lingered around ever since the days General Beauregard stayed here. It has been said that he was haunted until his death of his loss at the Battle of Shiloh. Even sightings of a ghostly dog have been seen here, as many feel it is the beloved cocker spaniel, Lucky, that belonged to Ms. Keyes. Whatever the reports or even denials may be, the Beauregard-Keyes house is overflowing with a vast amount of eclectic history and as we all know, where there is this much history, hauntings cannot be too far behind!