The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1876-06-24
A Plea for the Vigilants.

- = ASSS AVA VAA0 A6AASVAASHs
We cannot refrain from expressing
in unmcasarcd terms our indignation,
as we'll as that Of our whole people,
at the conduct of certain parties in
hribing and lntimidating the men,
hers Of the Grand Jury Of our parish,
just al jonrned.
The shameful and criminal con.
duct Of Shcdrick Brown, and the fact
Of his being fined by Judge Chaplin
for contempt of the Foreman of the
Grand Jury, We mentioned in our
last, since which We have learned
more IF the devious tricks of this
fellow in connection with outside
parties, prominent among whom was
Carroll Jones, Of the eleventh ward.
A bar-room, usually resorted to by
colored men, near the Courthouse
was chartered by this Jones, colored)
and drinks were free to such Grand
Jnrymen as choose to imbibe: while
they were thus 1iquidi:ing, jones'
leggcrs were bnsily engaged in intimi-
dating, pumping or bribiug them.
Two of Carol Jones' family, his sou
and son-in.law, had been indicted for
perjury, land the eridence against them
mas overwhelmingly in the case tried
some months since ofJones rs. Henry +;
the next day after the finding and
before the bill conll be drafted and
properly signed, and after a nights
drunk on jones' whisky, with no doubt
some bribing, a reconsideration of the
bill was had, aud without the addi-
ton Of single particle Of defensive
testimony, or any at all in fact, seven
of the members were found to rote
against il, thus killing it. Who will
dare deny that influences had not
been at work upon these men; the
result shows that brides were used, and
the highest officer of the Conrt is
morally certain of the fact-still he
c,nnot prove it; and should he, if
such conduct is allowed with the Pet
tit Jurors as was exhibited last week,
the men would be acquitted.
Every Radical politician in the
parish has been on hand working like
beavers to secure the acQuittal Of
negro criminals. Tom. Boullt, the
chief Deputy Sheriff, declared to a
citizen worthy of credit, that no negro
shouM be conricted. White members
of the Petit Jury have informed us
that upon retiring to find verdicts, the
negroes upon the Jury have said open.
" and emphatically, they had come
upon the Jury determined to ocquit the
negroes charged with stealing.
This is appalling, and what in the
name of tie law are onr citizens 60
Jog to do about it.? They are certain
Of these facts they know that it is
impossible to convict a notorious
criminal even; the Courts are farces,
their money is being spent in sham,
crime controls, and criminals run riot
in our midst.
We are in a state of anarchy we
want Vigilance Committees to restore
lao, we must have them, or things
will 60 FROM bad to worse.
Laws are not made to cumber Stat
ute books, nor to he unused over, but
by vigorous enforcement are intended
to protect society against the vi.
cious and criminal +; If the law fails
of that, society must protect it.
self or desolation will result. We
have no law to protect us; printed
pages and volumes of ANNALS cannot
save US; when technical bubbles fail,
negro packed juries will nutralize
every article in the Code. Books do
we'll for lawyers, but society will de.
mapd, ayc enforce the protecting Ggis
Of the spirit Of criminal legislation.
Tire cases Of Brown aud the Grand
Jury, Of bribery by Carol Jones, are
not the only instances to thwart JUS
tice attempted at this term of the
Court. The rebound indictments to
replace those stolen from the Clerks
Office against Myers and Van Dusen,
were attempted to be reconsidered,
and Judge Chaplin saved them from
the same fate as the Neal and Jones
indictments.
In. the misunderstanding case, the
Court house people all firmly believe
that Tom. Bouilt was the indictment
thief, and he is the chief Deputy Sheriff
Of the Court.
This is certainly a beautiful condi.
ton of affairs, and calls for prompt
and vigorous righting. Unless some.
thing is done aud that Immediately,
thieves and mnrdersrs will take entire
charge Of tho parish.
Let citizens 80 into this business
- ~ =