The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1878-02-28
Retribution.
New Orleans Democrat. |

Apo ASOeuAotofS ASHoaN Aou Nv
sooner completed it's work of. falsi-
fying theqeiection returns OF this
State than the Democrat denounc-
ed then as a gang of forSers,
called upon the Grand Jury to in
dict them, and published the law
efsthis State defining its punisA-
ment.o Month after month we fol.
lowed mp these men, Keeping their
crime fresh III, the memory of the
people. tTheia was Il party in this
State, not namerous, but active
and noisy, which advocated what
they termed the policy of concilia-.
tion and magnanimity; which
talked and wrote and worked to
defeat the indictment and prose-
cutions.
The spirit of Christian forbear-
apce which seemed to animate the
party of charity was wonderful in
deed. We never, however, imbibed
any of 1t. Weknew how the ras-
Gals who, composed the Returning
Board had outraged our people
and ruthlessly tramplsd upon the
laws. We could call to mind no
instance in which they had ever
displayed the least mercy in their
dealings with the people of Louis
lana. We could not understand
why the good of society demanded
that the wretch, driven to desper-
alton by want, caught Stealing.
should be sent to the penitentiary,
while magnanilnity required that
Madison Wells and Tom Ander-
son, men of intelligence, wealth
and power, apd who had com nit
ted . crime greater than q hundred
murders. should be permitted to
escape the law, and walk like hon
oiable and honored citizens in the
free light Of heaven,
We could not, in short, under
stand the policy of the conciIia-
tionists their theory was too deep,
aud too antagonistic to our sense
of right and the fitness OF things,
for us to grupple with it compre-
hensively, aud we were forced to
oppose it. The crime which we.
charged Wells, Anderson and their
negro associates, more than d year
ago, with having committed, and
for the perpetration Of which we
called for their indictment, has
been proved against Anderson,
and will be, ifpossible, more clearly
proved against Wells and his other
associates. The law officers of the
State deserve the thanks of the
people of Louisiana for their I'M
firing and able prosecution OF these
criminals; and when they have
landed the four criminals in the
State prison, they will have done the
cause of civil liberty great service.
Justice has at length oyertaken
therascals OF the Returning Beard,
and we are determined to see that
it also crushes under it's heel the
rings and mopopolies WHICH curse
this State. The Louisiana Lottery
Company had best begin to put
their house in order. The f1nsh !
days OF that ipiqnitous Institution
are numbered. Tbs lottesy to-day |
is not SO great and powerful as
was the Returning Board twelve
months ago, yet now one. OF the
after awaits in the parish Jail bis
sentence to the Psnitentiary, and
tbe others behind the iron bars Of
The same institution are held for 2
trial which must result Ia their
conviction and sentence to the
State Prison. 'l6
III the present Legislature does
not repeal the charter Of .he lot
cry, We shall carry the case before
he people ofttbs State, who will
their verdict through
he Legislators Of 1879. The Lott
cry Company mnst bs destroyed
,r The State become it's prey or
,laythipg. We know something
II It's secret history; of its support
# Radicalism when Radioalism
vas 10 power, and sf it's other
,rooked transactions. We shall,
lnripg the coming week, expose
be facts, and we venture to say
bat no man who then opposes the
speal Of its charter on The ground
bat il possesses Hyested rights