The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-30

al once orderly In the ian OF 1874 conservative
city government was chosen ana the scrip STANDS
to-day at 80.
But this is not all. The new charter was
passed In 1871. In 1873 the Legislature lncoipo-
rared the Shreveport Savings Bank ana Trust
Company, and gave II for hty years the - ole
exclusive rignt' to erect works supply the city
with water and gas, and TO run Jerry across the
river Now, at that very time Shreveport had
already a well established gas company; a salts
factory ferry had long been in existence
and was source OF revenue 10 the
city: and for waterworks there
no need. The company 10 pay
for all its privileges the petty sum of $500 year.
Now, then, among the incorporators named In the
statute which gives these Exclusive rights " find
G. c. Antoine then and still Lieutenant Governor;
william Harper, State Senator; s. A. Hamilton,
Tax Collectors Frank T. Hatch, Supervisor OF
Registration: NJ. A. Walsh, the appointed Mayor,
and George L. Smith, member OF Congress. The
story is completed when | add that the incor-
porators were not merely endowed with eX-
elusive rights,v but also allowed to transfer them
10 other persons uniTpaired.
now THEY TAMPERED WITH THE COURTS.
No ruler of a civilized community ever pos
sessed greater powers than the Governor OF
Louisiana under this constitution. IL gives MIN
actual and direct control of the whole OF the eec-
ton machinery and OF all the officers who handle
the taxes; and, indirectly, he has had the APP
pointment OF almost all the local or parish officers
Of the State, well as OF the judiciary; for when
Judge other ofllcer elected by the people ana
not serve the purposes OF the corruptionists VINO
controlled the State, If no other way 20 remove
MIN offered, the Legislature was ready TO create
new parish, or o new judicial district or
new court and thus enable lis Governor
TO put in servlceable person. Here is an
ma
trict Judges shall be elected by the people. New
Orleans has strong conservative majority ana
elected conservative Judges ana, this being m
convenient to The rulers OF the State, the Legsla-
ture Of 1871 created q new tribunal, called the
Eighth District Court and authorized the Governor
60 appoint judge to hold until the next election
Now in 1872 Mr.. Elmore, conservative, was elected
to preside over this court Thereupon the Legisla-
ture, as soon as 1t met abolished both this and
the seventh District Courts, TO Doth Whlch
conservative JUDGES had been chosen, created
the superior District Court" authorized the
Governor to appoint It's judge, to hold
4 until 1876, ana vested in this court,
so organized, exclusive jurisdiction or all preroga-
tive writs and trial OF all actions IN which TIE
title TO any ofice-State, parish, or municipalities
involved. Another act OF the same Legislature
authorized the removal OF cases where the ONCE
| OF Judge was contested IN any part or the State
Again. the criminal Jurisdiction IN the parish OF
Orleans was formerly vested in the FIRST District
Court OF that parish. In 1872 conservative L.
Abel was elected Judge OF this court. In 1874 the
Legislature deprived this court OF almost all its i'm
portant powers anG gave them to a new tribunal,
called the superior Criminal Court" and tAis
was specially vested with exclusive jurisdiction
in all cases OF violations OF registration or election
laws and the Governor was directed to appoint
Judge TO hold ofiice until 1876. Now, remember
that the radicals, who thus created tins court,
were proved before the Congressional Commute
TO nave made $500 false registrations In New Or.
leans alone In 1874. OF course, having their own
court, no one was punished for this.
Again. by the charter of New Orleans the police
magistracy OF the city vested in certain RE
corder's Courts" whose officers were to be chosen
by the ..AGmlnstratorsv or Common Council OF
the city. But the people elected in 1872 con-
servative board of administrators and these
chose conservative recorders Tnereupon, Act
No. 95 of1s73 was passed oy the Legislature, which
abolished the Recorders Courts, created in their
place metropolitan police courts, and gave the
Governor authority to appoint the magistrates TO
| preside IN these courts.
In other parts OF the state the same trick has
| been repeatedly played or legslating OBJ
noxous-that Is TO say an honest-judge out OF
ONCE by creating new district, tnus
giving the Governor the appointment OF
one or even several new judges. Take
one instance as an example lin the parish or
Natchitoches, in 1872, the Grand Jury indicted
parish ofTcer for embezziement- The Parish
Judge. his personal friend, protected him by
neglectng 10 draw jury. This was so common
trick that law was finally passed which COM
peled the drawing OF juries; but this law is
evaded, for no jury was drawn In the place n
which write this at tins term OF the Court-peope
tell me because the Parish Judge was AFRAID that
n Grand Jury met 1t would indlct him for gross
misappication oftrust funds) However, IN Natchl-
toches the case went before the District JadQe and
a negro jury, who gave verdict Tor $4,000
Thereupon at the next session the Legislature
broke up the Judicial District and the Governor
appointed 10 be Judge OF the new district, which
included Natcnitoches parish, tina. PARISH Judge
who had corrupty protected the embezzler OF
public funds The Judge (Myersl has seen driven
out of the country-so ne tells me reputable ciii-
zens OF the parish accuse aim OF being concerned
I'm emDezzng the school fond. The Tax Collector,
Boult, also driven from the parish, stands
published as defaulter IN the last Audi
tors report, and acknowledged 10 me
that ne had while Tax Collector, been en-.
gagged in partnership with tue democratic
member elect OF Congress In buying up depre-
ciated county warrants, which the county must
redeem at par. Both Myers and Boult continue to
hold once, and the condition OF anars IN the
parish may DO gathered from tue following details.
which we're confirmed to me by several citizens as
existing In ls74:-District Judge Myers was also
treasurer Of the school fund and continues to &c,
though he mas not oeen in the county since last
July DR.. Boult was TAX Collector and member OF
the School Board. His son, william Bout, was
Deputy Tax Collector and also Deputy Parish
Treasurer-two oflces one Of which ought to be a
cheek on the otner. negro 'ponce iury"-a
body winch Is the equivalent OF our county super
visors-apponted al Ilnterate parish treasurer,
who made this Bout his deputy. Another son,
David Boult was Parish Judge.
PLCRALIsTs.
Nor IL such a state OF things uncommon. Before