The Opelousas courier., 1886-04-10
49, 80 e3-H.s1
cast Of Criminal Justice il
the Country.
". o States, March 10.

framing some provisions by
which the costs in criminal cases
would be reduced.
The costs of trials for ofenses,
betty aud great, absorb more
than one-haIf of tie entire taxes.
I'D some of the country parishes
the tibet who steals q chicken
worth fifty cents. from the fling
Of the affidavit. through lndlct-
ment. trial, conviction, and de-
livery TO the warden OF the
nenitentiary or Jail, costs the
honest people not less than $50,
and frequently more than $500,
Ninety per cent Of the crImi-
mails IN the country parishes
come from the colored popnla-
zion, which does not pay more
than 10 per cent of the taxes.
The greatest expense consists III
the fees for Justices of the peace,
constables aud attendance of
witnesses. A large element of
the colored population use the
law for the purpose Of crafty
INC private malice. The most
frivolous complaints, the most
unblnshing perjuries start the
machinery Of justice for the alb,
sorption Of the peoples money.
There should be some limit to
this easy method of swearing.
Scarcely fifty per cent of the
aAidayits filed with justices of
The peace stand the test OF in
vestigation by b Grand Jury, or
Az followed BY an Indictment.
The fee system is a constant
bait for extrayagant cost bills.
There should be some restraint
al this unlimited wholesale
swearing paid for by the State.
Again, in the most frivolous
Gases oil trial nj the district
courts, the accused will FREE
auently summon witnesses
whom he knows I entirely
ignorant IF the cause III which
thew are subppnaed. Witnesses
come long distances, draw mile
are and per diem amounting to
from fifteen to thirty dollars,
when they were summoned for no
other purpose than to assist q rel
alive In outside work rather than
by evidence from the witness
box. There should be u limit
to the number of witnesses paid
for by the State.
The cost of conveying prison
ers to the penitentiary is an
enormous tax. This could be
remedied BY all act providing
that the lessees of the penitell=
tiary shall receive the convicts
at tile various parish jails.
We annex the budget Of ex-
penses for the parish OF Bossiel
as a fair sample Of all the coilii-
try parishes in the State.
Sheriff s costsi Il crinaiaaal cases. 10000
pnI;ce ;,1rors 500Ol
psrish Treasurer. 10000
rasts Ell crin,in,l rases. 5000 on
n~enitentiar, ... 5000
Tax coIlectnr 600 OK
Roads and bridges 2S5OU.
LevBee s-.~.. sJusus
jufoTe, two IovV.u
Clerk Police Jury l40
District Attorney-. y Y
1asaasar 500 0t
gshaais 100 OF
pTfnter 25O.0l
Miscellaneous - l250.0s
Total. Si7, 490O
It will be seen by this tabl,
that nearly one half of the Ell
tire parish tax IS needed 70.
costs iii trying. feeding AM
transporting criminals. Nov
add To this parish expense ths
proportion I'll the State taxe'
for salaries Of judges and dis
trict attorneys, aud II will b
seen that it actually requires D
per cent or more of the entire
sums realized BY TAXATION f
care for the worthless and dc
PRAYED element Of society, VIII
pay Id portion Of the taxes
The burden Il increasing an
nually. aud the people who III
economizipg n every other field
should turn their attention z
this all imporfasit question. n
country can hope To prospe
where fifty per cent of the take
IRE needed for the costs of crimi
mails and only . per cent Of tIlos
taxes can De spared for schools
The planet Mercury II now /
bis best position for observation
ANY careful observer can fin
the most sWifI-footed Of th
planets about Q deg north {