The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-07-09
REPORT OF the GRAND Jury.
STATE az LOUISIANA, !
Parish Of Natchit,Wlcs. {

| ~ ur oouoranlt ~. ~ficfs0ii. Judge al the
ttth Judicial District Court:
| The Grand Jury would respectfully r..
"It that ~ arronlanc, with ilr solemn
oath which they took, they have cn,lcay-
ord ." diligently iuIGin int" and true
ptr~'i,'inr', makc III MI matters presented
io their consideration, touching the wei
iar an.l peace ct society in TIT, parish.
They tab" pleasure ia making known
The fact that crimes of u serious character
aIr oil tlr wanr, AMI The majority Of eases
upon which they have passed. have been
miner ti"lati''t,s at existing statutes. The
,l'a ssins ~ have lmrolIr tOD prevalent
that u Grand Jury j. Instituted and en-.
@n'ir'rd s''rly l"r the pu,"'>c 1T adjust
ing tamily pnarrls, aud ridiculous i.sti.
cuffs, which are hut The oui .cTopping al
h'"ll'cnis OI anger. We believe in thu
Sinriiiy oi The law, and the sirirt enforce
nirn' of lis attachments. hut think that
tll" passage al some Legislative statute,
which would confer power upon the Jus.
Tie" Courts IT, punish all Offenders in mi
nor heterogeneous of law, at,d particular
" compelling those who make frivolous
AMI nnloundc'l complaints Ia pay the costs
~ the prosecution, when the complaints
are not snhs,autia;cd, would not only
have u most satutary AMI beneficial effect,
hut also meet the approval Of all CLASSES of
law abiding riiizeHs.
There arr too many III these petty Of
irnscs sent up from the Justices Courts
ior the consideration III Grand .IMricS, IL
The exclusion At more Important and Sc
RIOTS questions.
The road question has employed our
earnest attention and closest srrutiny.
Judging tr"m the reports forwarded to the
Clerk al the Police Jury, the majority of
| the roads IN the parish have rot only
been worked the requisite number of DAYS,
hut road hands and oyrrsrrrs have We'd
with each other, in the discharge of their
important duties ia this regard. Some
irregularities AMI failure IL perform work
have "ccurp,l owing IN nOn.apportion-
nent Of hands, aud notably. the failure
Ut one Police Juror IA attend Sessions of
! the Police jury, and recommend proper
persons rs ovcrsccrs. The digest of Parish
Laws was delayed IN its issuance, and
hence failed tO reach the var:ons oycr,rcrs
III time for them to carry ont the proyis-
ions Of The law. We believe the preNn,
road-laws most excellent, and wlci, prop
rlycarrird out and their provisions thor
onghIy enforced. will result in n decided
Improvement ut the condition Cf our pul,-
lie thoroaghiaws, from what has existed
heretofore.
Our attention has been called 70 in.
tfrspass 81 citizens on the public domain.
and more particularly the 10th Section,
donated especially to school purposes,
That there ~ constant and persistent in.
fraction Of the laws in this regard, there
can bc hut little doubt. Owing To the
want Of data. the lack Of a knowledge of
lines and information rs tO what lands
have been disposed fly the public School
Beard 10 actual settlers, it has been i'm
lNssible for this body tO take definite nc
! ton on this important question. The
good III the public schools, ~ earnestly
desired by all classes, necessity Of protect
ing and increasing the fund for the r,lu-
cation of the poor children Of the parish.
| requires thorough investigation of thi,
| subject. We earnestly urge upon the
School Board q prompt and thorough in.
| qniry into this matter, and the innc,l-
ate and rigid prosecution Of all ror,ics,
regardless Of their position, who have in.
irlnged upon the school lands, destroying
the timber. and settled upon this portion
Of the public domain. 1t is a subject
whicl, will bear close Investigation and
in which, all classes of our citizens arc
deeply Interested
The rcprellensiblc practice Of CARVING
concealed weapons has certainly dinin-
ishcd in extent, but is still too prevalent
among our citizens. We have not failed
to present every ease where the fact has
been clearly established. This infringe
ment Of law is particularly wide spread
among the employees Of the railroad now
III course Of construction through this
parish, but IL Is u difficult matter 10 learn
the names and establish the identity of pcr.
sons among the numerous lal,Orers on
the railroad, aud hence almost impossjbl..
to find bills against them.
The Court House is in u better con,li.
ton than ut any period since its cons,rnc.
.tiOn. Recent repairs have not only rem
'ere.I It weather proof, but 40 beauttiiicd
and improved its facilities for usefulness.
az to make it it not only u subject of com,
mandatory comment, but Of genuine pride
on the part of citizens
We are pleased to note that the LARGE
hearted spirit Of improvement and in.
tuitive knowledge Of the wants of tho
people, have induced the Police jury 10
Institute such repairs in the Parish Jail as
will not only make it ilnpregnabIe to all
attempts Of prisoners to escape from it's
limits, but also one Of the most secure.
and best ventilated buildings Of the kind
III the State. The iron cells are now IN
course Of construction. A careful inquiry
among the prisoners shows that they have
been hananely treated by the Sheriff and
his deputies, and made ~ comfortable ,s
the nature Of the old building would er. !
init. They have been made to suffer some
inconvenience, owing to the rebuilding
OF the jail, which necessitates the use II |
the upper cells next to the roof, and which !
arc q''ite warm during q portion Of each |
year.
The food furnished them is wholesome
and we'll prepared A pound Of fresh beef
IL Issued to each prisoner daily, besides
bread, although they complain of lack
o. TINS food, more, we opine, from de.
sire to find fault, than actuats al bv reol
want. An increase in quantity would
Obviate these complaints.
The Offices of the Clerk and Sheriff have
been undergoing repairs and additions.
which are sfillincomplete, and causes some |
confusion in some departments, but when |
completed will vastly improve their utiIi. |
", convenience aud appearance.
The sink III the rear Of the iail is dis
grace To the parish, as we'll as nuisance
70 the ncighborllool, aud actually delete.
r,ous to the health Of the prisoners. 4
caange IL needed, and that too ut once
Most assnredly 1t would not he tolerated
IN any well.policed city much less he |
Kept ~ q DEMONSTRATING adjunct to |
public building where yiolators of the law
arc kept in close confinement. The stencil
arising from 1t ~ well ~ the clubhouse in
the rear OF the UOurt Ho,,se snoaLs ,,,.,.,