The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-25


as the law provides, instructed to make an ex
animation OF the books vouchers, etc. He sait
that he desired an investigation tor the vindica
ton Of himself and the law provided that tn.
Committee on appropriations should make thu
examination, and happily for him the gentleman
who was chairman of that committee, Mr. Witt
was man above rep-oach. The motion wa.
adopted.
The report of the present Committee on Con.
tingcnt Expenses was also referred to the Com
mittee on Appropriations.
The resolution by Mr.. Elliott, authorizing the
committee to investigate the charges against
Jacob Hawkins to sit during vacation, called
up and passed.
Mr.. Baffer called up the Act of Incorporation
of the Board of Trade. Finally passed.
Mr.. Hahn called up:
House bill No. Sc, entitled an act in relation to
the allegation and proof Of ownership and iden-
tty Of property in civil suits and criminal prose-
cUtions growing out Of losses and the adjustment
Of losses covered by insurance, and authorizing
the institution OF certain suits by and in the name
Of the Board Of Underwriters of New Orleans.
Finally passed.
Mr.. Mitchell called up his resolution offered
| some days ago, providing for new House Com
mittee to examine the books Of the Auditor and
Treasurer l. was amended 20 as to contine the
| examination to the books Ct the Treasurer. and
| thus amended was adopted.
/ Mir. MuIrel moved that committee G? three
be appointed to inform '';he Governor and the
| Senate tina. the House would a6journ at ~ NJ
4 III
| the attention Of the House.
| The mo ion was adopted and the committee
appo:n ed.
| Mr.. Souer, OH question OF privilege, presented
| specific charges against Judge Hawkins az sup
Elemental to the document addressing Hawkins
out Of Office presented by Ar Souer on the pre-
| ceding day.
TIE charges were as follows:
CAUSES FOR REMOVING JUDGE HAWKINS.
1. Incompetency in this utter ignorance of
| the law.
| He has frequently stated from the Bench that
his !couit WAS court Of equity and not bound By
law i9noran Mt Of the fact that equity is only in
yOked in the absence Of law-that equity follows
law.
| Numberless instances can be given and proved
| where lie has openly disregarded the law and de-
fled the statutes Of the Legislature, saying that
| he had the right to ignore or regard as null what
he considered should not be aw.
Presiding over court which is specially de-
voted to corporations, he is ignorant Of the ele-
| mentary principles OF corporation Jaw. On one
occasion, he interrupted counsel, who was argu-
ing corporation case before him by asking what
he meant by ultra wires" phrase the ignorance
OF which showed he had not read any elementary
| work on corporation law.
2. Gross violation Of duty, in usurping juris-
diction to CRAFTY malice and prejudice against
individuals.
One illustration:
+. C. Mahan brought a suit against the direct
ors Of corporation, the Loan and Pledge Asso-
citation, individually, for damages.
The corporation was not party to the suit.
The plaintiff asked no judgment against the
| corporation and, therefore, none could have been
rendered.
Yet Hawkins seized all the property Of the
corpora ton, shut its doors, appointed keeper,
and broke up the institution in this very suit
though the corporation was not before his court.
He had no more right to do this than to seize the
Citizens Bank or the property of any individual
not before his court.
In this suit plaintiff only asked judgment for
twenty thousand dollars 20. if he had gained
twenty thousand dollars against the private
property Of the individual directors.
Ii the defendants wanted to appeal, supposing
the plaintiff had got Judgment for the full
have done SO by giving bond for thirty thousand
dollars, and thus suspended execution.
Yet, when the corporation whose property had
bos .Zed, though n 9 party to the suit, asked
to release the &c z.re by executing bond, Haw-
kins asked bond OF sixty thousand dollars
(s60COO).
Tnis was to keep the property in thu hands of
his keeper and thus run tle corporation.
This outrage is unparalleled in Louisiana jy.r:s.
prudence. See copy Of suit instituted in the
United States Circuit COu against Hawkins,
every statement in which bind myself pc, sonaIly
to eubst antiate ana make good.
In suit against the New Canal in order to
get defendants out or possession and put the
control in the hands Of his creatures. he fixed
the bond of rce Use at two hundred and thirty.
five thousand dollars (s235,O CG), though only the
revenues OF the property were TO be scared, the
property itself being real estate could not be
destroyed.
g. Corruption in Office.
Subjecting himself TO the influence of partic- |
uar members of the bar; so that to gain cause |
certain fayOrtes are always retained BY litlgants
to secure Hawkins favor. L. ]. SoUER,
Of AvoyeIles.
The charges were referred to the committee |
having the Impeachment matter in charge.
An act to repeal an act fixing the salaries Of
the Judges Of the Supreme Court was called up |
and finally passed.
An act providing the manner of eecting police |
jurors and justices Of the peace Of the parish Of
st. Landry was indefinitely postponed.
An act providing for an extra police Juror and
justice Of the peace Of tho parish Of St. Landry
was finally passed.
This, it was generally considered, finishe ed
work, and fun commenced.
Milton Jones being the funniest man in the
House was installed in TIE chair by committee.
There was a lively time for fifteen minutes
when Speaker Estilette took the chair and fun
was off.
message was received from the Senate asking
in Senate bill No. Is. An act to re-
duce the taxes OF the city OF New Orleans, to
limit the expenses of the metropolitan Police
and to authorize the Metropolitan Police Board
to make reductions in accordance with the pro-
visions OF the bill. 1t was Immediately taken
up and finally passed.
A message was received from the Senate mott
fying the House tfat the Senate was ready to
adj ourn ale.
MIR. Kidd moved that thanks be returned to the
Republican party for GO the Speaker we have
elected" This was made in the absence OF re-
solution returning thanks to the Speaker, intro
luced by Mr.. Armistead, which resolution was
among the many papers Of the clerk, and had to
be looked for. After a time It was found and
adopted. Mr.. Kidds motion falling.
Mr.. Hahn made speech the adoption Of
The resolution, congcatulating the Democratic
md Republican parties on the results Of compro-
mise
Mr.. Hall also spoke to the resolution in the
same strain.
Mr.. Murrell was very happy to think that no
more congressional committees were needed in
Louisiana, and he predicted that the united par
les would work out the redemption OF Louisiana.
Mr.. Demas indorsed everything that everybody I
Use had said, and called the previous question.
There were other members, however, de.irous
# making speeches, and the call for the prayio
question wa, received with many evidences Of
IL satisfaction that Mr.. Demas withdrew it.