The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-05-30
THE COURT.

Va O ACo'y SAih'h"1 @oNAS''
to the grade of offences and crimes
and their number. The case of Eli.
as F. Grinstead charged with muir.
der came over from the week before,
the Jury having been locked up all
of Sunday, and resulted on Monday
in a mistrial, the Jury standing ten
for conviction without capital pun
ishment and two for conviction for
manslaughter. Edward Reed, a col
ored man, charged with murder, was
convicted, and as the verdict was not
qualified, the sentence will be death.
There is motion for a new trial
pending and there may be an appeal
in the case. John r. Hanks, charg-
ed also with murder, was acquitted.
The event of the week was the trial
of Richard Owen for killing William
Bascus. This was a recuse case and
Robert P. Hunter, Esq, presided as
recuse Judge. Tue trial lasted all
day and all night, and the Jury
found the prisoner guilty without
capital punishment. On Saturday
evening Mr.. E. C. Herbert was tried
and acquitted on the charge of MUIR
der. Up to Saturday night five cases
where the charge was murder four,
having been tried and disposed of,
leaving two untried. one of which
was set for trial Monday, Charles
Duplissis, and one, that Of P. NJ.
Richardson, in peculiar condition
owing to the law on the subject,
which requires that where the Dis
trict Judge is related to the party
accused, he cannot appoint lawyer
to try the case, and makes it the du-
ty Of the District Attorney to call on
the Judge of an adjoining District to
try the case. Judge Pierson of the
Natchitoches District was promptly
notified, but as he is engaged in
holding Court at Coushatta, he has
not so far been able to come. He
may yet reach here in time to try
the case, but if he does not, no blame
can be attached to the officers here
in the matter, as the law is plain and
positive on the subject, and seems to
have been intended to deprive the
District Judge Of any discretion in
the matter, and vests the choice of a
Judge to try the case in the District
Attorney, who in this case acted
promptly. Two other cases of the
same nature, one against the same
party came up, and the Attorney to
whom the other case was referred
took the same view of the matter as
did the reused Judge in the Rich
ardson case, and Reused himself
The Act alluded TO was passed by
the last Legislature and was a sur.
prise to the members of our Bar.
Numerous cases of smaller note
were disposed of by Juries and the
Court, and the fair and impartial
manner in which they we're prosecu
ted and the sentences passed has
given general satisfaction, showing
as it does a determination on the
part Of those entrusted with the en-
forcement at the law, to prosecute
and punish those who violate the
law, whether they be high or low
rich or poor, and to make all respec,
the law for itself and afraid to break
it because certain punishment viii
follow. We repeat what We have al
ready said on this subject, that al
good citizens will uphold and sustain
the Court in the most rigid enforce
ment of the law, to its very lette
and that it is expected that it will b.
done, nor will they be satisfied will
less. Let it be known that no one il
too high to be punished for breaking
the law or too humble to have exact
justice meted out to him and we will
have a happy and prosperous coun
try. This the Court seems to hav,
determined upon and fairly carried
out so far and we doubt not will car
~ out to the end of his term. H,
can know that he and the other off
GERS Of the law are backed by the en-
tire people of this community, ant
we hope to see no tagging in th,
good work.
OR EAT REDUCTION THE SIN
VI GER SEWING MACHINkS-th,
Machine formerly sold at $40 we nov
offer at $4,000.