The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1886-01-16
DISTRICT COURT.
Second Week of the January Term-Ee-
port of the Grand Jury, etc.

Second Week of the January Term-Ee-
port of the Grand Jury, etc.
The second week OF the January term OF
District Court opened last Monday, the 18th
| inst, with Judge Duffel on the bench, the
| District Attorney and other officers at their
respective posts, and all the second week
Jurors in attendance excepting Raph-
ael M, Babin, who was reported sick. an
Raphae! BoErque, who has left the parish.
Sessions Of court were held every Gay up to
Saturday, bnt at the close Of Fridays bust
ness the tribunal was adjourned until Mon
| day morning, the 18th inst.
| The Grand Jury concluded its labors on
| Tuesday, returning q true bill against
Louis Wild, Lazar Rodeillat and Charles
Duke for inticting wound less than may
port of their deliberations:
REPORT OF THE GRAND jury.
To the Hon. Henry Duffel Judge OF the Twenty
second Judicial District court Ill and for
the parish of Ascension:
The GRIND Jury duly empanneled and sWof.i
fer this term having comp eted thor laboIs
beg leave to submit their final report 10 this
honorable court, viz:
We haze examined carefully the criminal
docket Of this parish and found true bills
for rape, one case; for oppression III Office, o. G
case; for robbery, two cases; for INJECTING
wound less than mayhem, one case; one case of
assault and battery we ignored. Under the
special charge made us by your honor, we have
examined into the habit of carrying concealed
weapons, and find that the habit prevails to a
great extent and we call upon the numerous
Justices Of the Peace TO strictly enforce the law
III all IN all such cases.
We have Investigated thoroughly the workings
of the Justices Courts IN this parish, and md
OF them to be grossly at variance with tire
law relating thor eto-the result of dissrac@fnI
Incompetence, greed and criminal negligence
on the part OF the magistrates.
We found only two magistrates. justices
Kirkland and Gar'g, who kept a proper record
of their business.
The other Justices of the Peace submitted as
records matter bearing no dates and~qulte un-
intel ligible, thus thwarting US in detecting and
exposing all unlawful proceedings that our ex-
animation of them leads us strongly to believe
that they are addicted to. We respectfully call
your honor's attention to the necessity of a
minute record of all their proceedings being
kept by each of them, properly dated, as rem
edy against all improper performances OF their
duties.
Moses Fortune, Justice of the sixth ward, we
fond very corrupt. We not only found two
true bills against him, but found that he did
not consider it his duty to keep record Of his
transactions To better give your honor an idea
Of this party's gross and wlliful mlsconception
his records which he styles his 'own private
property We have carefully and impressive
iy instructed these magistrates as TO their prop
er official conduct, as have done our predeces-
sors from time to time, and have very little
faith III Il good result, as such teachings have
been treated with supreme indifference by
many OF these same officers Ill the past.
COURTHOUSE AND JAIL.
We find the books and records in the Clerks
and Recorders office well and Systematically
Kept. The Clerk and his efficient deputy
courteous in the discharge of their duties, They
experience much difficulty during rams In keep
ing their books and records dry on account of
q large leak III the courthouse roof Immediate
ly over the Clerks Office. We believe, however,
this difficulty will soon be at an end, as we I'M
derstand the initial steps have been taken to
build new court house and we have no doubt
that before the end Of the present year our etfc-
lent and public spirited Police Jury will have
erected 4 building that will not only be mod
ell of convenience and safety, but an ornament
to the parish.
We find the jail scrupulously clean and tie
prisoners well fed and cared for. We find lii
the cells one under sentence OF death, i've con-
fiued for minor offenses and one for insanity.
sHERIFFs OFFICE.
We find the Sheriff and lax CoiloctoT'S de-
partment III good condition.
PARISH TREASURER.
We find the books of the Treasurer kept in a
neat and correct mannes-tIie balance Of funds
on hand in the treasury as shown by his state
ment annexed, being :s3i 81 for parish and
SCHOOL TREASURER
We submit the statement of the School Treas
urer showing balance OF !; 1919 95ig on hand.
We congratulate the people OF the parish on
completion Of the Ascension Academy AID the
establishment of an excellent school with
daily attendance Of I'D pupils now III charge Of
Prof. u. C. Terrell, who IL accomplished ed
ucator and is assisted by three efficient lady
teachers. This excellent institution Is the re-
suit Of a donation made to the parish inaiiy
years ago for the purpose OF pnbiic education.
The proceeds of the sale OF the property orig
inatly donated. with the rentals for the past
twenty years. assisted by It's share OF the pupiIc
school fund, should keep tins institution open
nine months OF each year, thus aIoriIng an oi,
portunity to the children OF the parish to
an education without cost.
PUBLIC ROADS AND LEVEES.
We report the pubic roads generally good
except on the front OF T.. Godcau1 Hard
Times" plantation In the slxtL ward WHERE
t,Er II. l.. Biistrup. the lessee Of sad place,
has caused to be constructed across the pubic |
road a deep trench walled up on each side TO a |
considerable height above the level of the road
and bridget over, thus making passage diff |
cult and dangerous in bad weather. We petit |
ton the removal Of this and enJoln better at |
tention to the roads of that ward on the part OF
It's syndic. Also, call attention to the roads
of the upper part OF NTH ward that have |
been neglected by its syndlc.
In connection herewith we would suggest to |
the parish authorities a measure of vital Ilnp"r
lance and convenience to a great body OF our |
citizens "a want that has long been felt, VIZ: |
The completion of the public road undertaken |
ana laid out by the parish some time back, from
Darrowvllle to V. T. Landrys New River |
We consider ii a bounden duty the parish owes
the great bo;iy of its tax payers who reside !
in the New River district to complete this |
route, which, at very little expense. would |
sivo them short and practicable route to the |
parish capital, thus relieving them of a long |
and sircultous journey they maize to get here, |
which in winter often becomes Impossible to |
perform.
The ieyees are, as d whole, very good, and we
caution all Dad overseers to protect them from
the rootings of hogs. and suggest to the Police
Jury the raising of all parts Of lcyees that have
baen worn down by constant crossings OF same,
and :lle immediate closing OF all gaps cuts
IL them
THE DONALDSONvILLE WHARF.
Upon Il statement made to US by the present
lessee Of the wharf OF its periious condition, we
made personal investigation OF it and found
it to be exceedingly dangerous to life and LIMB,
and in its present condition no heavy frelgsits
should be placed thereupon. A part of it has
fallen III. doing considerable damage Other
parts threaten like disaster, the siils and sup
ports all being in very advanced stage Of de-
cay. We feel it our sacred duty to condemn the
whole structure as unsafe and unfit for bust
ness. Tie fact that the Town Council of DON
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