The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-01-30
TUESDAY, January 27th, 1874.

The Police Jury met pursuant to adjournment.
Present: John Roy, President; TheOdule Fon-
tenOt, 7. G.. Chaehere, r. 3. Fontenot and FL.
Durio.
The Police Jury having instructed the Parish
Attorney At the last meeting to prepare a me
mortal to the Legislature, suggesting and petit
tl0ning for appropriate legislation to diminish
costs in criminal cases, and the Parish Attorney
having been called upon, repOrtedthe following
draft of a memorial, which was unanimously
adopted and signed by the Police Jury
To the Senate and House of Representatives of
the State OF Louisiana, in General Assembly
Convened: au.
The undersigned, President and members Of
the Police Jury of the Parish of st. Landry, with
the concurrence OF their constituency, respect
fully ask that the taxpayers of said parish be
relieved by appropriate legislation of a part Of
the burden imposed on them by payment of the
enormous fees and costs arising from criminal
prosecutions; to this end they request that the
act 20. 1855, approved March 10th, 1860, being an
act to increase the salaries of the Sheriff and
Clerk of the Parish of st, Landry, be repealed
in SO far as the said Sheriff is concerned:
Further, that the fees OF the sad Sheriff be re-
duced so as to allow him the sum of forty cents
per day for maintenance OF prisoners, and that
his compensation for Ililage in criminal cases
shall be reduced to five cents per mile.
To the same end they ask that all Justices OF
the Peace, of the parish of st. Landry, be invest
ed with authority to cxa!nin into, and to take
bond in all criminal cases in which the law ad-
mits parties accused to give bail.
Ana further that all witnesses summoned to
attend the courts in criminal cases shall receive
no more than five cents milage III lieu of six and
u quarter cents now allowed,
Your petitioners further requests that an act
be passed that the right of compulsory process
to cause the attendance of witnesses in the pre-
liminary examination of criminal cases, except
said cases be capital, shall be restricted to six
witnesses, provided that the prosecution and
defence shall each have the right to summon
that number, and provided further that in case
OF the voluntary attendance of other witnesses
at such trials, their evidence shall be heard, II
either party request it.
Your petitioners further ask that Police Jul
ries be empowered to levy and assess upon the
inhabitants OF Incorporated towns within their
several parishes, their advalorTim proportion of
taxes levied and assessed for the purpose OF de
fraying the expenses of criminal prosecutions,
there being no reason why this class of citizens
Of the several parishes should be exempt from
their due share of this common burthen,
Your petitioners respectfully ask the faEnra-
BILE consideration of the foregoing recommends
lions which they have caused TO heincorpOrated
in drafts OF appropriate bills for said purposes,
and which they have forwarded to their several
Representatives in the Senate and the Lower
HOEge. SIS =
And as IN duty bound they will ever pray, etc.
On motion of Mr., TheOduIe Fontenot, the
Parish Attorney was Instructed to incorporate
the recommendations in said memorial into
drafts of bills, and to forward this same with the
said memorial to our Representatives in the
Legislature without delay.
On motion, the Police Jury adjourned until
Monday, March Cd. 1871.
JOHN ROY, President.
Attest: G. MAYO, Clerk.