The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-01
[Communicat d.
THE GALCASHET Log WAR.

I LAKE CHARLES, La, July 27, 1877.
| Editor Democrd-In your able editorial OF
the 24th inst, headed "The Calcasieu Log
Business" you have unintentionally done an
injustice, which am sure you will willingly
undo by publishing this communication.
| In that editorial you say: "There is one
phase of the matter that is shrouded in the
densest mystery, and that is the role played
by Commissioner Chamberlain and the ap-
praisers appointed by the court, and the
troublesome complications they seem to have
introduced into the case. Somehow or other
the apparent zeal of the Commissioner in be-
half of the logmen does not impress the
public as bearing the stamp Of genuine phi
lanthropy while the exuberant friendliness
Of the appraisers seems hardly justified by
their relations to the litigation is, il
their connection with it is of the ordinary and
proper character. They (the
fogmen) should realize that Commissioners
Chamberlain has no power to help them in
any manner, and that the only relief they can
hope for will come either through the courts
or from the department at Washington.
The following orders Of the Circuit Court
| (the italics are my own will satisfy you, and,
through your valuable journal, the public
that there is no mystery" whatever in the
action OF the appraisers, and that instead Of
introducing complications" in the case they
| have in strict obedience to the orders of the
| court which issued the writ OF sequestration,
| freed the case from the complications in
which the government officials here have pur-
pOSely involved it:
Circuit Court of the United States, Fifth Cir,
| cult and District of Louisiana, April
term, A. ID. 1877.
| New ORLEANS, Saturday, June 7, 1877.
Court met pursuant to adjournment
! Present The Hon Edward C. RilIinDS Dis
| trict Judge.
No S2O7-United States VS.. Joseph Hamp-
ton ct ais, Allen J. Perkins ct ais, interve-
nors.-Ordered, that appraisers be appointed
the, right to appoint an umpire; and that
such appraisers shall proceed to the parish
| of Calcasieu to examine and appraise the
| logs in controversy claimed by the interve-
nors, and file their report with all convenient
speed. And, thereupon, the intervenors,
Allen j. Perkins ct ais. named w. H. Haskell
appraiser on their part, and the District
Attorney named Mr.. = Couture, and the
court appointed Mr.. Leonard Sewell as UNI
pire, and directed that the parties qualify to
the faithful discharge of their duty.
1t was further ordered by the court that the
marshal increase the force employed in
making seizure and inventory Of logs seized,
and the said marshal, in as short a time as
ry, do make showing to the court of his
acts and doings in the premises.
Nine days afterwards June Is, 1917 the
same court in the same case, issued the fol-
lowing order:
at is ordered by the court that the orders
heretofore made in appointing appraisers to
appraise the logs seized in the above suit, to
wit: w. II. Haskell l.. Sewel and - Cou-
turie be so enlarged that they do proceed and
inventory the logs or property seized in the
above suit, by the marshal, without delay in
the premises, and The appraisement and nren-
tory thus made By the said VIM III. HASKELL, l..
Se,reH and = Couturie, shall be the f,eed ual-
udtton and incentory IN The premises.
~ is further Ordered that the said approis-
ers, ". III. HasheH, l.. SemeU and =. Gutarie
shall hare full and entire control ouer the sub
ject matter Of the appraisement and Inventory
of the logs seized and sequestered IN the abore
suit, and claimed by the nterUenors, Allen j.
Perkins et ais"
In your editorial referred to you very prop
erly say: In the first place, why is it that
there have been SO many difficulties and 50
much delay in the matter of the making of
inventories of the property seized ? This
see no special difficulties in this instance to
excuse or explain the tardiness of the mar
shal in complying with this ordinary but
very important formality. Herein seems to
lie the main cause OF complaint and trouble,
and it should be a very easy matter to re-
move the casus beti that subsists between the
deputy marshals and the logmen."
The true inwardness of this remarkable de-
lay, Dy Inc government OlllclalS mere, 10 ulS-
charge the simple and imperative duty of in
ventorying and appraising the logs seized,
Will appear at the proper time and under
oath; and when it does it will furnish the
most interesting chapter in the history of the
Calcasieu log war. On that day you will be
gratitied to reflect that the DEMOCRAT
champloned the cause of the log men of Cal
casleu For the present | merely desire to
show, by the records of the Circuit Court, that
the appraisers have simply performed their
sworn duty, and have only obeyed the orders
OF the court. In so doing, so far from COM
pllcatlns the case, they have removed the
only legal obstacle to the resumption of busi-
ness here by enabling the intervenors, who
claim nearly all the logs seized to avail
themselves OF their right under the law and
under the orders of the Circuit Court, to re-
lease their logs on bond. If in 50 doing the
appraisers have CHANGED to be the legally aD-
pointed instruments to right fragrant wrong,
their personal knowledge of that wrong, and
their consciousness that their faithful dis
charge of duty has opened the only door yet
opened for the relief of an oppressed and out
ragged community, may well justify, if it needs
Justification, their ''exuberant friendliness"
towards our suffering people.
Justice to our citizens and to Commissioner
Chamberlain requires me to say the former
have never expected any relief from the latter,
except that which he was expressly ordered
by the Circuit Court to give; and that he has
manifested here no zeal except to obey those
orders, and in so doing to administer justice
impartially. The people of Calcasieu, smart
ing under undisguised injustice, gratefully
appreciate his judicial conduct. They have
been so persstently maligned and Wronged
that they are really grateful for common JUS
uce. CALcASIEU,