The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-17
SUICIDE.
An Unknown Man Jumps into the
River and is Drowned.

= All OukuOWA Mau uupS luUO III
River and is Drowned.
9 Between the hours Ct IL and o'cloc
Wednesday morning an unknown man We
seen to walk up the wharf from the head I
: Canal street, and when between Lafayett
and Girod streets. walked to the edge Of th
wharf, He stood in that position evidentl
rejecting upon what he was about to do 70
at least ten minutes, when he finally made
leap into the river. Several officers and tn
watchman of the steamboat G. B. Churcl
saw him jump off the wharf, and the momen
he appeared on the surface threw ropes Il
him, but he made no effort to catch them
The unknown, who was q good swimmer
raised himself out Of the water and bid then
disappeared. They remained near by t.
rescue him, but he did not come to the sur
face again. The body was not recovered.
Minority Report Of the Committee on In.
| vestigating State Treasurer.
The following minority report was received
at this Office last night, too late for publica-
ton:
To the Honorable, the Speaker and members OF
the House of Ripe sentatives If the State oil
Louisiana:
regret that can not concur with the ma
jority of the committee as to their conclu ions
and recommendations. It does not appear to
me, from careful consideration of the evil
dence and the facts, that any injury has been
sustained by the State, or that suffi cient
ground exists for the severe criticism passed
by the committee upon the conduct of officers
in the matter investigated.
Some of the acts complained of may have
beed irregular, but the condition of things
which induced the State officers to take the
course they did, had been brought about by
violations Of law much more fragrant, even
involving loss Of life, and continued attempts
to overthrow. subvert or embarrass the gov
ernment that in mi judg ment the public ext
gency then demanded, and has since justified
their action. It is charged that in the month
of October 1874. the sum of S35, 900, was ad-
vanced, temporarily, to- the metropolitan po-
lice out of the State funds in the hands of the
fiscal agent, and that in January, 1875, the
sum Of $50, 900 was also advanced to the po-
lice in the same manner, until the SAM
could be realized by the collection of city
taxes. Ef
During the period from September, 1874,
to January, 1875 the condition Of sff4irs pre-
vailing in the city was such that the collec-
ton Of police taxes by the city was virtually
suspended.
The pay of the force was several months in
arrears from this cause. Tney were on the
point of disbanding, leaving the lives and
property of the citizens unprotected. This
fact can not be denied.
In view of these facts it was deemed neces-
sary and of the utmost importance that their
services should be retained, and thus were
the funds of the State temporarily loaned to
the police to tide over the pressing emer-
gency, till the city taxes could be collected.
It is proved, and will not be denied, that
both these sums have long since been made
good, and that the State has not, nor could
have suffered the loss Of single dollar, as
the State was abundantly secured in every re-
spect
Mr.. Oglesby, the Fiscal Agent of the State,
was also the Fiscal Agent Of the city, as well |
as the Fiscal Agent of the Police Board.
The money Of the State, of the city, and of |
the police, was in Mr.. Oglesby's hands
Notes were given by the Police Board to |
Mr.. Oglesby for these advances, by virtue of |
contract between him and the Police Boz I'd. |
under the jurisdiction of section Z, act 80,
approved February 26, 1874, and Endorsed by
him as fiscal agent, and were lien upon all
ne uncollected taxes of the city for police
purposes. These advances were to be paid
mt Of the first receipts from the city, and as
matter Of fact it was SO paid.
A great public emergency was met, and the
State did not and has not suffered any loss.
Great stress is laid upon the allegation that
he Governor and other State officers advised
nd consented to these transactions. At the
cry worst this whole transaction IMPLY
hows that the Governor, the Assistant
attorney General (who was the acting
attorney GeneraD and all State Off
ers, in view of the public exigency that ex-
sted in the complete disorganiz alton of the
'olice force, growing out OF the disturbances
I September, 1874, approved the act Of the
affording temporary relief to the
olice (who had served as Militia to the State
uring the period, and to whom the State
AS largely indebted) out of the resources of
le State, in the interest of the community at
Irge, taking such guarantees that the State
lnds would not be. and in fact have not at
~ time been jeopardised.
In view OF all the circumstances surround
lg these transactions, I fail to see how any
ailt can be charged against the officers who
anticipated therein, and to justify the harsh
easures recommended by the majority.
Respectfully submitted, L. A. SNAER.