New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-22
VOLUME Vino. I'll
THE LEGISLATURE YESTERDAY.

called for the special order OF the day
Senate bill No. 241, an act to amend and re-
enact section thirty of the act lncorporat-
| ing the Citizens Bank, and, on his mo lion,
the bill finally passed by vote Of - yeas
TO nays.
Mr.. Ingraham made an Intellectual at
tempt to have reconsideration Of the vote
by which Senate bill No. 343 passed, an act
10 reduce the limit or aggregate of taxation
for the city of New Orleans to one per cent
not including the tax for school purposes.
Mr.. Stamps presented petition from citl-
IONS and property holders of the parish OF
Jefferson, left bank, asking for the passage
of an act annexing all that portion OF the par
sh Of st. Charles lying on the left bank OF
the Mississippi to the parish OF Jefferson,
| and removing the seat of justice of the par
ish Of Jefferson to the city OF kenner, and
creating new parish out OF that portion OF
the parish of Jefferson lying upon the right
bank of the river and most earnestly pro
testing against being annexed to the parish
of St. Charles The petition was ordered to
be printed in the journal OF the Senate and
referred TO the Committee on Corporations
and Parochial affairs.
The Joint special committee appointed TO
investigate the affairs of the First District
Court for the parish of Orleans made re-
port to the Senate, through Mr.. Masicot.
The report was read and ordered to be
printed in pamphlet form. The object Of
the committee was to inquire into the man
ner in which the business Of that court had
been conducted by the judge, clerk and
criminal sheriff. The report says testimony
was taken that goes to show that the judge
of this court utterly fails in the performance
of his duties. 1t asserts that he approves
all manner Of charges against the city of
New Orleans without requiring strict cor
rectness and accountability; that under
section 1912 of Rays Revised Statutes, all
kinds of expenses are made payable by par
ISL OF city on the approval, after an account
thereof shall be duly certified to be correct
by the clerk of the court and the presiding
judge thereof.
The committee find, upen the examina-
ton of the expenses Of this court, that the
Judge and clerk approve bills to the ex-
tent Of from $lS0.oO0 to 100000 a year. as
follows:
Sheriff's bills $l2O.0Oo: cleck ks bills s25,.
600: petty jury $4,000; and grand jury
$4,000.
The committee state that in many in.
stances the above charges are made debt
against the city by the simple approval Of
the clerk and judge.
The committee further state that it is
shown that during the past year juries have
been drawn, empaneled and entered upon
their duties, found indictm ents, etc.; and
upon objection thereto the juries were
found to be illegal and discharged, at
great expense to the city. this being the
fault Of the officers whose duty it is to en-
force the laws, viz: the sheriff, clerk and
judge.
The committee further cay it is also
shown that the sheriff has retained. at
a great expense TO the city, con victs sen.
fenced to the Penitentiary in the months of
June and July. 1873, until the months OF
October. 1873, and February 1874. without
CAUSE aHu COutIdEy W ldws
The committee also find upon examining
the evidence adduced, and given by Judge
Abel, that the various bills. charges and
accounts of jury. expenses and other
charges. amounting to the large sum of
100000 annually. are made judgment
against the city by the mere approval of
the clerk and Judge, and that this approval
is always given without looking at the
nature or manner Of the charge. This con-
duct. the committee believes. is deserving
of censure.
The committee believe it the bounden
duty of the Administrators Of the city of
New Orleans TO take such action against
the criminal sheriff and clerk of the Firs.
District Court as the law will permit, in OF
der that the large amounts illegally charged
and collected by said sheriff and clerk be
to the city treasury.
The committee further recommend and
urge, ia order that such gross violations of
law might be corrected, and the city treas
ury thereby become benefited, the immedi.
ate and final passage of the bills presented
by his Excellency Governor Kellogg. snti-
tied:
An act 70 reduce the expenses Of the city
of New Orleans; to regulate the duties and
provide for the compensation of the Grim
inal sheriff of the parish Of Orleans; and to
authorize said city to abolish the Work
house and other places of incarceration.
An act to limit the fees of the clerk Of the |
First District Court for the parish Of Or |
leans.
The report is signed by J. A. Masicot and |
R. H. Chadbourn, on the part of the Senate,
and George E. Paris, John Gair and Thomas |
Carey, on the part of the House.
On motion of Mr.. Thomas, the bill to en-
courage ship and steam boat building in
Louisiana, was called up and finally |
passed.
The special order Of the day was called
Tor. This was decided to be continuance |
IF the calling of Senator's names in alpha
oetical order, for the purpose of considering
ocal bills, each Senator being allowed to
,all up two bills when lis name vas
cached.
Mr.. Daigle called tip an act TO exempt the
property OF the st. Patrick Hall Associa-
ion from taxation, and on his motion, after
ome opposition to it, the bill finally passed.
The same gentleman called up bill No.
IA, an act to provide for conventional
mortgages on movable property, their re.
ordation, rights Of priority, and extinction;
o provide penalties for any fraud in the
reation thereof; to declare certain acts mis-
lemeanors. and fixing punishment for the
ame: to provide for the recordation of
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