Cat Doucet

Daly Joseph "Cat" Doucet Sr.
Doucet in 1948
Sheriff of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
In office
1936[1]–1940[1]
In office
1952[1]–1968[1]
Personal details
Born(1899-11-08)November 8, 1899
Grand Prairie, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedFebruary 9, 1975(1975-02-09) (aged 75)
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.[1]
PartyDemocratic Party
SpouseAnna Dorcey Doucet (m. 1919-1965, her death)
Children6

Daly Joseph "Cat" Doucet Sr. (November 8, 1899[1] – February 9, 1975[1]) was an American politician who served as Sheriff of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana from 1936 to 1940 and 1952 to 1968.

Biography

Doucet was born in Grand Prairie, Louisiana.[1] In his career, he was a political ally of Louisiana politician Huey P. Long – campaigning for him and hosting him at his home when Long was in the area.[2][3] Doucet was elected sheriff in 1936, losing re-election in 1940. After leaving office, Doucet was indicted for embezzling $3000 in public funds with seven of his former deputies testifying against him.[4]

Doucet was later re-elected in 1952 for sixteen years,[1] his civil rights endorsement[1] and anti-segregation stance giving Doucet enough African-American support to combat his electoral rivalry.[5] He was investigated by the FBI for his role in the presence of gambling and prostitution in his local parish, and was once indicted for embezzlement.[4] It is said that his support for African Americans' voting rights was purely because they valued his allowance of illegal activity in St. Landry Parish. When segregationists implied that he legitimately sympathized with African Americans, he controversially replied, "I'm not a nigger lover."[6]

At the end of April 1960, Doucet was part of a group of dignitaries to receive French President Charles de Gaulle during is visit to Louisiana. Doucet commented that de Gaulle's “French isn’t too bad.”[7]

Doucet died at his daughter's house in New Orleans on February 9, 1975. His funeral was held at St. Landry Catholic Church.[8]

Personal life

Doucet had six children with his wife Anna Dorcey.[1]

Legacy

He has been described as a colorful figure for his time.[9] Much of his life and career were recorded in The Cat and St. Landry, a biography written in 1972 by Mary Alice Fontenot and Vincent Riehl. Doucet was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in 1999.[10]

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Doucet, Daly Joseph "Cat"". lahistory.org. Archived from the original on 2016-09-25. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  2. ^ files.usgwarchives.org https://web.archive.org/web/20120331180409/http://files.usgwarchives.org/la/orleans/newspapers/00000058.txt. Archived from the original on 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2025-09-27. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ "The Concordia Sentinel: Connected by violence -- the mafia, Klan & Morville Lounge". www.concordiasentinel.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-10. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  4. ^ a b "Stanley Nelson, Matt Barnidge, and Ian Stanford, "Connected by violence: the mafia, the Klan & Morville Lounge,"". Concordia Sentinel, July 16, 2009. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  5. ^ Adam Fairclough, Race and Democracy: The Civil Rights Struggle in Louisiana, 1915-1972. Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press. 1995. ISBN 0-8203-1700-4. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  6. ^ Bernard, Shane K. (2009-09-28). The Cajuns: Americanization of a People. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-60473-496-6.
  7. ^ Bradshaw, Jim. "The Cat and le Presidente". Eunice Today. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  8. ^ "Death Takes 'Cat' Doucet". The Crowley Post-Signal. 11 February 1975. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  9. ^ "Philip Timothy, "Ex-governor [Edwin Washington Edwards] tops list of colorful parish politicians"". Alexandria Daily Town Talk, March 18, 2007. Retrieved December 19, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  10. ^ "Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame". lapoliticalmuseum.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  11. ^ The Cat and St. Landry. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Claitor's Publishing Company, 1972, 153 pp. January 1972. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
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