St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-02-24

ID. has musical compositions I'D seven
teen or eighteen music books. For
information call on the teacher at Dr.
P.J. Parker's. The public are invited
to attend on Monday night next.
# COLLECTING THE POLL TAx.-Since
the incorporation of the collectors
office with the sheriff's Office, sheriff
Duson has proved himself as energetic
and efficient a tax collector as he has an
executive officer in other respects. This
does not hurt him in the opinion OF the
great body of real estate owners who
have always been in the habit Of pay
ing their taxes promptly, inclusive OF
their poll taxes; but many, especially
OF the newly enfranchised class, who
owe only the poll tax OF one dollar per
annum, become personally offended
with the sheriff when he attempts to
collect from them this tax. Not great
while since colored woman had died,
and after service at the church the
corpse was being taken to the grave
yard for burial. It was rnmored that
her death had been caused by blows re-
ceived from her husband. The coroner
stopped the corpse and formed jury
to Investigate the matter. The body
showed bruises, but nothing could be
elected from the witness to prove that
the husband or anybody else lad beaten
the deceased. One witness especially
" as skillful in knowing nothing. After
| the coroner had exhausted himself in
plying him with questions, the sheriff
took him in hand. He was asked il he
KIN eW or had heard that she died from
having been beaten, and many other
questions all in the same strain; to all
Of which he answered., no. He stated
that he was one OF the niggers that
knew nothing about anybody else's bus
ness and did not want to know he al
ways staid at home and minded his own
business. When asked where he was
the day the woman died, il he was not
there, lie stated that he was riding
about visiting the neighbors. What
for !? Oh, to hear the news. His at
tention was then called to the statement
he had just made that he always staid
Az home, and did not know anything
about his neighbors' affairs-Which rat
| tied him just little. Then be was
asked what he supposed the corpse had
been stopped for-didn't know. But,
persisted the sheriff, You know stopping
| corpse on the way to the graveyard is
a very unusual proceeding, and you
were bound to think there was some
cause for it. Our sheriff7s christian
name is Cornelius, and many call him
Curly for short to this last question,
the witness replied well, de truth is,
| Mr.. Curley, thought she hadn't paid
her poll tax, and you jes stopped her. to
lcollect dat Sometime after this the
sheriff seized d pony fer poll tax due by
"a certain person he alleged the pony
was not his, that he had sold it to his
Ineighbor- naming the same individual
4 who had testified as above. The sheriff
/ went to him, and lie confirmed this
st atement. As he also owed poll tax
. the sheriff served notice Of seizure on
him, and held on to the pony. The two
defendants then held private consul
tation, and the second one informed the
| sheriff that though he had bought the
horse he had not paid for him Their
said the sheriff will hold him for the
tax Of the first. But said the second
defendant, the price was thirty dollars
! and Lave paid half off oh, well then
/ i id the sheriff, that is just the thing
III WIN seize one half the animal for your
tax and the aher half for his. The de-
fend ants held another private consul
tation, and paid the amount of their
taxes and costs on the spot.
One small dose of Bailey's Salin,
/ Aperient will Immediately cure SOU
lstomach, heartburn and sick headache
1t is pleasant and charming in taste
and for constipation among all who
Head q closely confined life, it is mos,
admirable remedy. Fifty cents PEE
bottle.
/ ra,r., third daurhfor n