The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-07-07
COMMUNICATION.
ALEXANDRIA, !
July 5, 1851

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ALEXANDRIA,
July 5, 1875.
Some days since my attention Vas
allied to5tks MT that the prisoners
1t Colfa1 We're permitted to go where
they pleased, accompanied neitherby
the Sheriff or any one else. ] deem
ed it my duty to callupon Judge Ors-
born, inform him Of these facts and
that he would give the Sheriff
specific orders to confine these priso-
ners in the Alexandria Jail, there be-
ing no place to conine them in Col
fax, and the law providing that IN
such cases the Judge should order
the Sheriff TO convey the prisoners 70
the Jail ofan u oining Parish. This
request he refused, saying that Il the
Sheriff brought Phillips and Shelby
here he would immed lately order
Court in Grant Parish and try them.
/ then took steps to force him to
sign an order commanding the She.
riff to confna these prisoners, Or 70
declare openly that he did not intend
to permit these men to be tried, but
desired that they should make their
escape. He signed such an order and
it was sent to Colfax and placed in
the hands Of the Sheriff. Before ad-
journing Court in Grant Parish he
granted an order commanding the
Sheriff when necessary to convey pris.
.oners to the Alexandria Jail. / con.
cluded that the excuse for not obey:
ing the first order was that it was
not, in the opinion of Mr.. Mccoy,
necessary to confine men accused q
murder, but could not understand
why he did n OF obey the second
order.
This was soon made clear, Judge
Orsborn had as / was informed, and
can prove, given the Sheriff private
Instructions, not to obey the orders Of
his court. I would have filed rule
against him asking that he be order.
ed to show cause, why he should not
be declared in contempt Of Court,
fined and suspended from his Office
But knewth how it would have been
decided, and did not care to waste
time and money, in q fruitless endea-
vor. About this time it was brough,
to, my knowledge, that the Sheriff
HAD refused to execute warrant is
sued from the Parish Court. / i'm
mediately filed a rule against hin
under Articles 1892 and 1898 Of the
Revised Statutes Of Louisiana. AT
rived at Colfax on the night Of tn,
"a Of june, Mccoy, Shelby and Phil
lips were on the bank, and by some
means, the object Of my visit discoy
erred. Mccoy took his departure
that night, aud did not make his ap
pearance again for two days after.
Finding that it was not probable tina
he intended to come back, there be
ing no Constable, and the Coroner
(shelby) being unable to act, 4 hal
a special officer appointed, TO serv
the papers necessary. Mccoy woul'
not accept the papers, 81 permit tn
Officer to read them to him. II
came in the next day, asked to waiv
service and delay granted 81 law, N
by consent, the case was fixed 70
Friday, July "a. Tho night befor
| the trial of the rule, Phillips havin,
been LEFT at perfect liberty, mad
]his escape, and II u thought By
great many that he Il secreteds nes
Colfax BY the negroes. The tri.
came of, and after hearing the 10
and the evidence, Judge Stokes dec
ded, that John B. Mccoy, Sheriff, VI
in contempt Of his Court, and tn.
he be fined in the sum Of $500, an
suspended from his Office, and th.
during his suspension, J. W. Callal
is appointed to I'LL the Office Of She
id, Of Grant Parish, upon his qualif!
ing according to Law. Before Il
new Sheriff could qualify y, Shelby too
} his departure.
The Sheriff and deputy Nash, a
j hunting these fellows, and it is to !
hoped. will find them. If these crir
mails succeed in making theirescar
! and fail to meet the punishment TIL
T deserve, the fault, the whole fau
J rests upon Judge John Orsboi