The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-04-28
THE EFFECTS OF PROHIBITION IN
RAPIDES.

III COhloli uity w VIC Ao'A""S
luton of the Police Jury, introduced
by Judge J. r. Thornton, District At
torney J. G. WicklifFe submitted the
report below. 1t shows clearly just
what prohibition has done for our Pa
rish since its adoption in July, 1884:
Resolved, That the District Attorney of
this Judicial District is hereby requested
to submit to this body written report as
to the practical result of the prohibition
of the sale of Intoxicating liquor in this
Parish, with reference to the enforcement
of the law in the Courts, the estimate OF
the cost to the Parish of prosecutions, ana
the effect of the prohibition as to the IN
creased diminutiOn of those crimes when
are frequently committed by parties while
under the influence of Intoxicating liquors.
REPORT OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY JOHN {.
WICkILFFE.
To the Honorable the President and Mem
bers of the Police Jury Of the Parish o.
Rapides -
GENrLEMEN-I beg leave to acknowl-
edge the receipt of copy OF the resolu,
ton of your honorable body, passed April
Goth, 1886, Ga copy of which is hereto
attached requesting me to report TO you
the effect of "prohibition upon the crlml-
nal docket of this Parish, and an estimate
of the amount that the prosecution for VI
olations of the prohibition have cost the
Parish of Rapides." In response to that
resolution l beg leave to submit the fol-
lowing:
As to the effect of prohibition upon
crime do not pretend to give an opinion.
/ simply submit to you the following sta
tistics, taken from the criminal records OF
your Parish, showing the number of cases
disposed of April l, 1882 to April l, 1884,
and from April 1, 1884 to April 1, 1886, the
prohibition ordinance having been adopt
ed in May, 1884. Offenses against proper
ty are not so influenced, consequently an
increase of indictments for offences against
property would simply show an increase
of vigilance on the part of the Grand
Jury. For the two years preceding April
| list, 1884, there were the following number
of such cases disposed of: Larceny ~,
horse stealing /, tresspass 3, robbery l,
killing stock 1. Total 20. For the two
years following April 1, 1884, there were
the following number of such cases: Lar
ceny go, false pretenses l, trespass d, horse
stealing 3, robbery l, killing stock |, for
gery 1, arson l, cruelty TO animals l. To
| tai AZ. An increase of Ia eases of Ofenses
against property, showing in my opinion,
an increased vigilance of Grand Juries.
In the two years preceding April LIST,
| 1884, there were disposed Of the following
cases of offenses against persons: Assault
and battery 12, assault with weapons in
tent to kill 10, granddaughter 4, murder Is
assault with intent to murder 8. Total 81
In the two years following April 1, 1884
there were disposed of the following case:
of offences against persons: Assault ant
battery 8, murder4, assault with intent t.
kill II, wounding less tdan mayhem l
Total SO. A decrease of q cases agains
persons, although there was an increased
vigilance on the part of the grand juries
/ beg leave to particularly call your at
tention to the crime of murder. Befor
prohibition Is eases, since prohibition
cases-decrease II cases. Prior to tn
massage of the prohibition ordinance eac]
Gaand Jury of your Parish had reporte'
f to it and examined about 100 cases. I'll
last Grand Jury had reported to it and eS
amined Is cases. Prior to the passage
the prohibition ordinance each Grand Ju
ry returned to the court an average OF
t indictments. The last Grand Jury rf
turned to the court 80 indictments; c
those ten were for selling whisky, whic
should be deducted in order to make
fair comparison with indictments retnrne
u prior to prohibition, leaving net 20 il
d dictments since as against an average {
= so indictments prior to prohibition. l
y considering the above figures beg leay
to call the attention of your honorab
: body to the fact that the figures for til
e two years since prohibition includes
large number of crimes committed befol
prohibition, but which were not dispose
: of in the court until after prohibitions
q As to the manner in which the law h;
been enforced, 1 beg leave to report
IL follows: Since the adoption Of the prob
l. bition ordinance there have been trie
Is and verdicts rendered in Is cases, wit
~ the result of II acquittals and convi
tons or about So per cent of the cas-
tried have resulted in the conviction
the accused. The crime of larceny is II
u only offence in this Parish in which t
u percentage of convictions is higher tn;
L. this. / therefore say that the breach
te the prohibition law is punished in t
~ same proportion rs the breach Of any OF
IL er law, except that against stealing.
u to the cost of the prosecutions for VIC
10 tions of the prohibition ordinance, l III
that the expense to the Parish at this tel
of court for prosecuting parties charg
n with violating the prohibition ordinan
to be rs follows: Paid to witnesses $26.
VI paid to Jurors $108; paid to District Att
OF ney SIS; total $4,000. Number of ca
,e. prosecuted at this term Is; average cost
no prosecuting each case, Sill 47f; total nu
% Der of cases tried against those chare
nc with violating the ordinance since
X adoption, %; at an average expense
Ise $11.47a each, makes the total cost of
the whisky cases tried since the adopt
of the prohibition ordinance $252.45,
II. less than $3.50 per year.
" In conclusion permit me to say tt
Ill none of the foregoing is "gnesswork.
M The figures and facts are all taken fr
I'M the public records of your District Co
bo which are accessible to all, and may
~ verified by any one who will take
ne trouble to inspect for himself. In cal
96 lating the per centage of convictions
,se whisky cases / have used 18 as the nj
i, Der of cases disposed of, while in estil
- ting the cost of the prosecutions l h;
1, used % as the number of prosecutions
This is explained by the fact that in +
cases there was mistrial the jury be
he unable to agree.
10 have the honor to be, gentlemen, V
for respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN C. WICKILFFE,
nv District Attorney Twelfth Judicial
la trict of Louisiana.
me |
vi Notice to Masons.
not