Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-06-07
Oi;ninai prosecutions. gratuitious-
". as all other nuh,ic offinars ora

III.
to satisfy the claims of these officersr
the Legislature did amend their fee
| bill in civil matters, and Increased
their fees in civil cases, about one
hundred per cent. In no country
on earth are the Sheriff7s paid such
enormous and onerous fees as they
are in Louisiana. They should be
content with the exactions they are
permitted make upon the unfOrtu-
nate litigant who is forced into our
Courts to vindicate his rights, and
not attempt to suborn the Police
jury, to tax the impoverished peo-
pie of the country, two or three
thousand dollars each year for fees
in Criminal cases, which the law ex-
pressly denies to them. 1t is not
astonishing to hear the opinion con-
stantly expressed, that nine-tenths
OF the arrests on charges of violat-
ing the Criminal laws, 'Eare put up
jobs,' the more especially when
we never hear of one out of fifty o.;
these, after the preliminary examl-
nation, which have been worth on
the average about fifty dollars to
the Sheriff and Clerk--in each case
heretofore, and will be in future,
unless the people resist any further
payments on this account. l do not
hesitate in asserting, that no re-
lspectable Attorney in the State can
he found who will not concur in my
opinion OF the law relative to these
fees. But as you are aware, not
withstanding this expose of the law
in this case, and the emphatic de-
claration made to the Jury, "that
every member Of it, who voted to
allow these tee bills, as charge
upon the Parish committed perjury
these bills acre passed and ordered
paid by three out of the four mem
bers present, you being the only OPP
posing member. 1t is tina for the
people to come forward and adopt
decisive measure for their protec-
ton, as it is certain that more ex-
tensive robberies are contemplated
by the "ring" who have absolute
control or the present Police Jury.
We all know that the ridiculous and
illegal order to the Tax Collector,
to- reject the warrants issued In
1872, offered in payment of Parish
Taxes, was passed at the instance
and in the interest of this same
"ring," who have been holding up
the Parish paper heretofore issued,
and which they have obtained for
illegal fees, or purchased at heavy
discount aud expect by this meas.
ure, to force up to par, or collect in
currency.
! This order was issued in the
shape of q resolutions offered by L.
j. Barrett, ut the meeting in the
early part of October, 1872, which
reads as follows:
Resolved, That no Certificate OF
Indebtedness issued by the Parish
OF Rapides, from and after this date
shall be receivable for any Parish
Taxes or dues of said Parish, ex-
cert such as may become due after
the date of said Certificate.
Now Mr.. Editor, as farther evi.
dence that this Ubiquitous and un.
derhand proceeding was instigsted
and is still kept up by the "riug'
alluded to, will relate a circumsran
ce which took place only a day OF
two ago, to which you are cogni
zant, in your Official capacity.
knew you were opposed to the reso
\ luton quoted above, and would en-
deavor to have it repealed, and as
/ knew you were powerless by your
self, / tried to find some member
who act with you, and did find on,
who stated to me positively that h,
would make a motion to that effect
He told you the same thing lat
, one evening, and promised to tak'
, action next morning. and whe,
morning CAME be had changed hi
mind, so that when you yourself va
, eating the chair, made the motion
it did not get second, and Ofcours
failed. Now what caused the gen
tleman to so suddenly change hi
;: basel cOgent reasons no doubt which
E will never be given to the public
but can readily be guessed at.
The remedy l propose is, tina
. some half dozen or more tax pay
!, ers unite in taking out an injunc
ton, restraining and prohibiting
the Tax Collector and the Paris
Treasurer, from receiving or recog
,, nizing the Certificates of Indebted
ness issued to the Sheriff and Clerl
for their pretended fees in Crimi
!, nal prosecution. / presume tn
,, members of this bar will serve tn
people gratuiously in the suit. LIE
US seek protection ffom the Court
first, il we fail to obtain justic