The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1882-01-04
CRIME! CRIME!! CRlME!H

Within the last month in this Pa
,ish there have been more crimes
than any of the twelve
previous months. In fact, we have
retrograded Instead Of advancing in
peace, order aud the enforcement OF
the laws. Within the last month,
almost every neighborhood in this
Parish has been the taeater Of a
homicide or of murderous assaults,
and with wonnding with dangerous
weapons. Three homicides in the
Western part of the Parisll;-one at
the Tramway, on the River; one at
Mr.. Buffers place, on Bayon Boeuf;
one at Iecomte; one in Pineville, and
one near Alexandria, besides five or
six others dangerously wounded
Out of all these ARRAYS, only two
persons, we hear, have been arrest.
ed and are now in prison, and they
voluntarily surrendered. This is an
alarming state of society, and either
the officials, the people, or both, are
to blame for it. Have afiidavits and
arrests been made, atsonce, when the
crime was committed? If SO, why
are the criminals still at larger
Whose duty is it to answer? The
responsibility rests somewhere, and
we hear the inquiry made every day,
"Wby is the law not enforcedT' The
District Judge is holding his ses-
sions in this Parish now, and might
be not inquire strictly and search
ingly into these neglects and place
the responsibility where it rests. In
his charge to the Grand Jury at the
last Term he arraigned the whole Of
this society, because he said in sub
stance that for petty larceny there
was always convictions, while the
murderer, with the deadly weapon
was often turned loose. This we
grant is too true. The blame was
indirectly attributed to the juries of
the Parish-the want of a good mo-
raj public sentiment that would en-
force convictions.
1.-THE jury law is defective let US
petition to the Legislature to change
it. If public sentiment is SO far de-
bauched by crime and its familiarity
Herewith, that juries drawn in tie
ordinary way will not enforce the
law and convict criminals, let the
whole machinery, in the name of
Heaven, be abrogated, and either by
selection Of jurors by the Court or
otherwise, from the better aud more
moral elements of society empane1
|juries that will fearlessly pronounce
the verdict of guilty whenever the
law aud evidence justify 1t. But is
the blame wholly with them? 1t is
the speedy, certain and impartial ar
rest and Imprisonment, an active,
thorough and unsparing inyestiga
lion by public officials that causes
the law to be respected. When peo
pie in community know that
crime has been committed, and see
day after day the perpetrator re
naming unmolested or leisurely ar
range his affairs aud quietly leaving
the country, or taking his own tim'
to surrender, what regard can the.
have for it? What terrors does til,
law thus enforced inspire in thu
minds Of it's violators! None what
ever. The estate Central Express
in it's last issue, fears the necessit,
of vigilance committees to put dow
crime. This is a dernier resort, an
not justifable in any we'll organizes
and civilized sccie;y like that q
Rapides. The law is omnipoten1
if properly enforced can aud wi
give protection to society. Let tn
conduct of officials be thorough
examined, and unsparingly but truth
fully criticised. "Hew to the mar
let the chips fall where they may.
Let the blame fall where it properl
belongs, from his Honor that pr'
sides on the bench down to the hun
blest Magistrate and Constable i
the Parish. If tue fault does not Il
with him, but on the jurors, as is &
Often asserted, let US petition to ii
Legislature at once for change {
the law, and have system provide
that will insure relief.
Under Democratic rule much ",
promised. Have these promise
t been fulfilledS