The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1875-03-27
NO. Al


lected, and the parish that lie had
not paid this int" the Treasury. The
Supreme Court decided that it was a
question whether this money was to
be paid to the parish or not; bat in
as much as the parish had been re-
lieved of its debt to the extent Of
this money paid to the Judgment cred
itors, it did not make any difference.
Q. About how much has the taxes
averaged since 1861
A. About la mills, State tax.
q. mean the money actually COL
|ected. would like to know how
much the parish has spent!
A. | don't think that can be ascer.
tanned, for this reason: The parish
records have been examined twice for
this purpose.
q. Don't you know about how
much I?
A. / can't make any estimate.
Q. Has it been a small or large
am0unts
A. The amount has beenincreasing.
| think the first tax since 1863 was
small, and it has been increasing
since.
Q. Year by year3
A. Yes, some years it wonld drop
back YOU can notice that aud in sOmo
instances it has increased up to 1874.
Q. Have they collected every year
a large amount in money, judgment
tax and all
A. | don't think they collected
money froa, the parish tax, because
the Police Jury received warrants for
that. y.
q. If they issued warrants that
amounted to cash, how much have
they received, and what has the PEG.
pie to show for it,
A. | don't think that can be given
to you correctly. The expenses, or
binary expenses in 1873 and 1874,
court expenses included, and Police
Jury amounted to about six thou
sand dollars. Now you must rccol-
lect q large amount Of back taxes
were being collected, which prevents
you from telling how much is collect
cd.
Q. In addition to what money has
been collected, l understand you to
say there is a debt of $G6,0O'
A. l say that there is debt for
judgments against the parish for
$685. 900, with q delinquent list Of
$4,000 more than enough to pay.
There may be some new Judgments,
that do not know.
Q. How much do they amount TOT
A. l don't know.
@. For this $4,000 what has the
people Of that parish got to show,
except the payment Of their ordinary
expenses3
A. cannot tell You.
@. Have there been any improve.
ments made there to any great ex-
tent !
A. No. You must take this into
consideration, that this tax to pay
judgments has nothing to do viii, the
ordinary tax. If You have any CAPT
tai to invest and are able to buy these
warrants, you can get your money,
dollar for dollar, by taxation.
@. How did those warrants get
QUIT
! A. / cannot tell yon what they
were all issued for; about GOOO dol
lars for court expenses.
| Q. Then these people have nothing
to show for that debt, except the
payment of their ordinary expenses I
i A, l don't know.
Q. Have they built any school
houses!
A. The parish don't build school
houses.
@. Have they built any bridgesi
. A. l don't know to what extent.
J, Q. Have they kept the roads in fine
) orderi
A. That cannot tell you. Had
been a member Of the Police Jury
might.
II Q. You travelled on the roads?
f A. Not often.
Q. Don't you know the condition
( Of the roads in your parish
A. l know when left, the roads
t we're in Q bud condition, AZ far
went.
/. Q. As far as you know, the parisl
6 has reape4 no practical benefit from
;, this debt, except paying the ordinary
d expenses
~ A. Some Of these judgments ma,
/. be rendered on Iper issued to pa!
/. for the Courthouse and Jail, in 1855
e @. by Mr.. Frye.-And some for tl.l
:. Confederate debt, for taking care Q
T. the Confederate families :
A. l stated that bonds were issue
!? iu 1869, to fund the debt. l don
It know whether that money was ab
N sorbed in that debt or not, but abou
" that time that money disappeare.
from the market.
r. @. BY Mr.. Zacharie.-Was not tn
Confederate war debt repudiated b.
the Democratic Police Jury, 10 lSG
and 1867
4 A. l don't recollect.
i. @. Didn't they refuse to pay tit
A. l don't know, for this reason
p E. / know that suit was brongh 10y Ca,
70 martin ; it was carried to the Saprenl
he Cont and they decided against lii,
@. Has there ever been dolls
x. paid on this war debt
NJ A. l cannot tell you.
@. understood you to say IT,
,r- part Of this $3.50 represented til
r.. war debit
" A. No, sir, did not make a,
statement Of that kind.
~ Q. You stated that every thing "
quiet in your parish MP to 1872 !
~ I oai6 mn tn 1874 tnlI =.