The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1875-03-27
3. Are you Oh the school board ?

A. Yes.
g. Have you not heard from some
witnesses that you were charged with
having p'undered the school board.
A. Yes.
Q. Have yon done 500
A. have the only evidence in the
State that l think is authorized to
| settle that matter. will explain the
law relative to this point. The law
recites: "That it shall he the duty of
the Division Superintendent to visit
the different parishes by the lst of
October, at least once year, and
adjust the 1feasurer's accounts and
no Treasurer shall be released of res.
possibility unless his accounts have
been adjusted by the Division Super
intendent or by the Superintendent Of
Pnblicc Education. l have a ccrti-
feat here from the Office Of the Super.
intendent Of Public Education and of
which l shall file an official copy.
After examination of the whole
amount in DecembeS 1874, this GER
tiicate was issued. u would desire
to furnish an official copy Of that
certificate Of W. II. Brown, Snperin-
tendent Of Public Education, rs read
by witness.)
Q. Did yeu hold any Office where
money was deposited with you
A. l held none except that one.
Q. They lia not charge yon with
being a defau ter in any Office!
A. | admit that such complaints
were made, a id l cndeavored to find
out whether they came from persons
pecuniarily reliable 50 that l could
sue them but | think these charges
were made hy persons not respon-
sible in damages. Whether they had
been instrustcd to do 50 or not, l
cannot tell.
Q. BY Mr.. Fryc.-Can you tell me
the per capital tax for all purposes =?
A. lam glad you call my attention
to that. The law OF this State re
quircs and provides Il penalty if the
school board omits to furnish an es-
innate for school purposes. 1t also
attaches a penalty to each police
Juror who fails to make a levy Of
that tax within ninety days. There.
fore, the estimates are governed by
the police jury who levied tho tax.
That tax was collected, but the tax
was never used. | was Treasurer of
two boards, but in no instance was
the school tax collected used for
school purposes.
@. Where is that tax?
I A. It is there sub ect to the order Of
tho Treasurer Of tho scool board hut
having got sufficient means from the
State We did not require that.
@. A portion Of the revenue Of the
State ia for school purposes
A. think there are two millions
i. Of dollars appropriated by the State
for school purposes.
@. Do you know anything that yor
!, have done in your official position
that would have these people to o.
tracise you and drive you of, ant
8 charge you with corruption in Office
A. l vas Parish Judge from 1870 t.
March 1874. l have been Distric
Judge ono term, and think l coult
safely refer to the members Of tin
| Bar in that District, although OF
posed to me politically, that in nj
) instance can they point to any &C
Z whore l used my office in the inters
t ofany man or any political party.
Q Q. Or yourselfi
:. A. Or myself. l reversed myself il
D those suits where l was a party.
t @. You don't know anything the'
n that you have done, either as judge
or in the school board to cause tha
treatment
= A. I do not. always, in rendering
# opinions in court, rendered them i
It writing, giving my reasons and til
law 90 than any gentlemen could Sc
n from what based my judgment.
It I erred in my judgement, they had
. right to appeal. Idon't think ! ron
g dered any decision without l CAV
= some written reasons f; without It WI
:. some trifling case.
d @. Were any appeals taken
10 A. Very few.
@. BY Mr.. Zacharie. - You sal
II something about tho registration
l572f'
y A. No, nothing about the election
1872.
>. 9. How does the registration
le74 compare with that Of 1872 Z
,s A. Well, sir, in 1872, the repnbl
N cans according to the returns Of Il
3 Democratic supervisor, were, thin
70 $50 in the parish, AZ Mr.. Pierson to
m me. There were 500 Republican v
no ters at one poll in the city If Match
ou tOches that did not vote. Their q
Bn fdavits were taken and l belle
there were some 700 more in the pa
70 ish. l think there were 1900 af,id
Wits.
ed @. They were not allowed to vot'
A. l think the number vi men til
CO have their certificates OF Registratl'
was 1850, who did not Vote. Th
70 voted $50.
mt @. What was the tax of your p;
en- ish before 1868!
ey A. l cannot tell you.
nd Q. About
~ A. 1t is impossible for me to t
10 I was not living in tue city Of Mac
teches then.
'en q. l am askipg you about tho raj
oh A. The rate If 1869 must ha
9TH governed, because they levied
'or tax one year aud collected tho next
t.. Q. What has been the actual (
zen penses Of yeur parish in round nu
90, bersi
A. The whole expenses on an Az
onn 7 kl,;~l, ohnmk Z iO(E0 an,un vu.