St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-12-18

AND INFLUENCE-ExTENTA AND CHA
EACTER OF HIS AUTHORITY.
LAKE PROVIDENCE, La, J
December 4. 1886 {
Editor Daily States:
When you were younger by a quartz,
of Il century and used to ride the beau.
tiful gray pony in what is now Yves,
Carroll when you were q gay yOupe
deputy sheriff you may remember in
your trips to the upper end of the
parish to have seen a small place known
IA the Shepherd place, about ten miles
north of Pin Hook (now Oak Grove)
which belonged to an old Baptist
preacher named Shepherd. This place
is where Major Mckay was murdered
on last Sunday night. Many years ago
soon after the unpleasantness,' old
Parson Shepherd shook the dust OF that
section from his feet and went to Texas,
do not know when Mckay became
the owner. Mckay came to that Dart
of old Carroll parish during the war.
where from do not know, but he has
remained there ever since. He was
about sixty years old, Judge He was
a clever man in both the English and
American sense. He was a uuick.
smart business man, and was also kind
~ disposed, amiable and accommodating.
| never heard Of his having a personal
difficulty, and but for his connection
with others he would doubtless have
passed through life unharmed and nm
harmlng. But for great number of
years he has been in the employ of
SIMON wITK0HskI,
who has lived in that country, on Bavou
Macon hills, for over thirty years, ex-'
cept few years during the war, when
he lived in Mexico. He (Witkowski), is
man of more than ordinary financial
ability, and had he confined himself to
the legitimate business of money
making would perhaps have been very
llch. But he is vain, fond of notoriety
and has OF late years affected politics
He has three stores at different points
and has for long time done a furnish
ing business and many people are in
&ebted to him. He is said to be unscru-
pulOus III his charges and dealings, and
once in his clutches the victim never es-
capes till he has surrendered to him all
of this worlds goods. Hence be is now
the owner of a large number Of places
in West Carroll that formerly were the
homes OF now impoverished families |
In politics he is Democrat and did ex-
THE CARPET BAGGERS
Being very ambitious he has run for |
Office several times and finally succeed |
ed in being elected to the last legisla-
ture. As the parish representative, he |
has the ear Of the governor and he has |
thus succeeded in placing large nnm-
Der Of his followers in office. Like
many other latter day politicians and
office holders he knows no other use
for an office except to derive personal
benefit therefrom, and when he attends
a convention he echoes the sentiment,
not for the offices p While he is per
Fectly willing to trade in politics, to
give and take and enter into compro-
misses without reference to principle, he
never loses sight of Simon" and by
lis will, his money and his PERSISTENCE
GENERALLY COMES OUT AHEAD.
Strong will, shrewdness, cunning aud
/ disregard of the means to accomplish
ID END, are his characteristics. In his
to office he has not
consulted the wishes of the people, nor
he interests of the community at large,
Tor has he had in view the worthiness,
honesty or competency of the appoint
es, but has selected men from his fol-
owing, upon whom he could rely to do {
us bidding. Thus he has succeeded in !
llling many of the important Offices in
Vest Carroll with his men to the dis .
'uSt of the better class of the com
nunity. In his business and in politics t
e needs the officers, such as justices of |
be peace, constables, returning Off a
crs, etc., and he needs men of |
DESPERATE CHARACTERS
nd has them about him. 1t is noto- l.
ious fact that when he has had occa- :
ion to sue man, he had his Justice J.
nd his constable and his body guard to I
0 the business and it was done to his y
king. a
He is by far the largest taxpayer in 4
,e parish and therefore needed the as
essor and he has him. What with his
lanipulation of elections, his political
lfiueDce and his force of pensioners to
0 bis bidding, he has risen to mnch
'cal Importance and at the same time Il
as made many bitter enemies among II
re better class, who have grown tired "
his insolense Of Office" and Of the il
her class who have grown desperate s.
ON poverty and misfortune, which Il
ley have attributed to Witkowski, but r,
,ubtless h
IN MANY INSTANCES wRoNGFULLY. X
Lately one of his stores Cat Oak n
rove) was burned. The work of an a,
said to be man whom q, o.
'itkowski had had in his employ for n
7enty years, but whom he lately dis n
arged. This man has filled several
'aitions of Importance by Witk0wski's
sistance. He has been constable,
stice of the peace, notary public and b.
now a police juror by recommends pt
IN Of Witkowski. These places have OF
en- conferred not because of his gi