Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-07-17

OF History IN Regard q the DefaIca
tion Of Sheriff Powell, Of East Care
roll Parish--oros Neglect 81 the
State and Parish Authorities.
The police jury Of East Carroll par
ish, La, have retained Judge W. G.
WHY as additional counsel 10 prose-
cute the claims Of the parish against
the late defaulting sheriff M. s. Powell.
The committee appointed TO inyeatl-
gate bis books, Messrs. Henry Good
rich, VIM. Rons and v. M. Purdy,
ended their work Tuesday last and
pronounce him indebted to the parish
$14,640. He owes the State an amount
equal to, If not greater. than this.
The fact that Mr.. Powell served one
term out and was reelected and served
one year In his second term, and had
no settlement at any time with the
State auditor or police jury, evidences
the fact that they at least have a very
loose way Of doing business IN Louis
lana. The fact that Mr.. Powell had
no settlement with the auditor at the
close of his first term prevented him
from having a settlement with the
parish the police jury on this account
refused to release his old bondsmen
which they did on general
principles, having no sus-
picion Of there being anything wrong
with his accounts (nor was there until
some two months after he had left for
New Orleans), and there ID some talk
Of holding the old bond, jointly with
the new bond, for the amount Of de-
falcation.
Although there has been no settle
ments with the parish, Sheriff Powell
has always managed to pay demands
made upon him BY the police jury, and
this has allayed all suspicion. The
parish let out, some time last spring, a
lot of repair levee work, amounting to
about $1,000, for which a special tax
was levied and collected by Sheriff
Powell. He then went to New Or
leans, and was there when the con-
tractors closed their work and applied
to the police jury for their pay.
The police jury met, but the sherit
being absent, they were unable to get
the money, so they adjourned "
from week to week awaiting his re-
turn, and it was then that suspicion
began to gain that all was not right.
Powell suddenly disappeared from
New Orleans, and nothing more was
heard Of him until a registered pack
age, addressed to his family. purport-
ing to come from the St. James hotel
in St. Louis, arrived at Lake Proyi-
dence. The package was not addressed
by him, but 1t soon became publicly
known that it was from Sheriff Powell.
Up to this time it was thought that
he had been foully dealt with, and
his brother had gone to New Orleans
to investigate the matter, and while
there the registered package arrived at
Lake Providence, when his brother
was notified to return home.
i The district attorney, who was q
friend Of Powell, went to St. Louis,
but was informed at the ST. james
3 hotel that no such mar as he described
had been there, and thus ended all
, trace of him as far as the public know
! Sheriff Powell was one Of the most
popular men in the parish, sociable and
generous to a fault and this calamity
brings regret and disappointment y
the entire community.
The New Orleans City Item accreditl
! the East Carroll Banner with saying
; NJ. S. Powell, one Of the most favored
! Of the administration ring politicians
has left the State in default thousands
Of dollars. No greater shock has ever
: been sustained in this community thar
produced by the fall Of M. s. Powell
The confidence in him was 50 great
: that the blow has fallen astonishingly
: on his friends. He entered public lift
an upright man he left it a ruined
politician, and the politicians who have
used him as their tool and carried
: elections by the use Of the State ant
parish money are particens criminii
, with him. For two and three years
past the police jury have not demand
ed proper settlements Of the sheriff.