St. Landry democrat., 1886-02-27
(COntllulIit;Ltetl.l

Association which was published u
your issue of the 18th ult. and which b
claims must "surprise every reader II
its style and TENOR
In the outset | will merely remarl
that NO "luuendoes or lnfereDcts," az
Intended against the Judge or any othe
Official, aud as tar as Judge HudspetI
Is concerned ! have always considered
him just and upright Judge and llav'
always SD maintained, whenever have
been thrown in company which wer'
maintaining an opposite opinion Bu
am not SO foolish as to suppose for I
moment that Judge Hudspeth with al
Of his superior abilities, lis Il lur,st, hl'
nice sense of honor, his candur, and hi:
able aud honest decisions, can, Hna'det
remedy the evils of which suffering
communities complain. He mast
| not only have the aSsiSth "ce Of other off
cials, but the support of an able corps
of Lawyers, commonly called the Bar
and above all he must be able 10 drh"
| from the body OF the ciclRugc an lHtettt
! gent and honest supp0,t.-'i wautltg
or THESE aids failing him. the laws ioN
ever perfect cannot be eufulc Il to the
protection Of life and property in ANY
community. | will not take Issue witt.
| anu that our Parish is not a> we'll GOV
erucd ais other parts of the South OF
| South West" for HAT is 10 argument
10 prove that our Parish affairs could
not be materially improved But when
he goes so far as to state that the "Dub-
lie records and history OF the country
''fiatIy colitrHdict' WHAT he calls NV as
,, sertions-"tltat crime is rampant and
the laws Intellectual I" protect life and
property" then | take ISSUE with him.
and perhaps he lcfer> To the matter of
"frittering away the public funds in
frivolous trials p
Let us glance at the last first. Every
person knows who reads the papers,
and whether he is around the Court
House or not, does not matter, that IL
large part Of the Criminal Calendar is
occupied with petty eases, miSdemra
nors. assault. assault and battery, petty
larceny, &c, &c. Such cases as should
be rriahle and decided by magistrates,
at a nominal cost to the Stale, and
thereby saving vast amount uf the
peoples money. 1t such were the ease
vast amount OF bnsiEeS> which now
occupies the attention Of the Grand
Jury would be done away with. the trial
be had where the offence was committed
and saving among other Things the trou-
blc and expense of ompellins witnesses
to travel often many miles to attend
Court ut Opelousas, TO hang around TIN,
Court House day after day, often week
after week sometimes continued from
year to year, while the witness mullrnS
the wreck OF his business at home.
How much did it cost of the peoples
money, because some body saw Il negro
boy bathing in the pellucid waters OF
the Teche How much did it cost to
find ont who stole five fence rail, il
Prairie Hayes the trial of which was
continued from day to day through two
terms OF court? | have heard it c>tinat-
Ell all the way from $500 to $500. How
much did it cost to fluid an iudctmen,
against black woman two years ago.
who at the time WAS living on my plan
tatiou, for petty larceny, who has had
one or two tree rides to Town ibut who
was always back next mornin. ready
for business and who is still at large
and never has been tiled and probably
never will be: presume could ex-
tend the list mich further so a., tu make
it interesting reading. but space forbids
and must let each reader do tEu. task
for me to suit himself.
AS to the other part which the Judge
takes exceptions to, | think that the
public history" not only If this Parish
but OF the State at large will sustain me
in the exhibition OF tho huge Octopus
which is descriptive of the state OF our
society. will ask the Judge il liz. has
fiugers and toes enough To count the ;
of murders and homicides COM
Inittad in this Parish alone, since his !
term of office commenced. Saying moth !.
ing of shOotings, stabbings or minor
crimes. Ii the Judge as he would seem |
10 indicate is responsible for all this |
crime, or rather responsible for its linn-
let HIM make answer why, |
within these few Years, more murders |
ind hOmicides have been committed in |
;liis Parish. with its fifty thousand ju-
labitants than in the wlloi. State Of |
.Ow;t with more than Il million aud a
ialf Inhabitants Tor the last twenty
ears 1t he thinks this health, and |
condition Of society let him
ay so. Then how many of these muir
lerers have been hunge How many
ave been convicted Of any crime 1t
S posi- hle that so many OF these. hives
lad to t'e; sacrificed tol self defense
)ne OF these men who claimed he had
o Kill another IN Il rough and tumble
lght or be himself killed, told me the
awyer charged him $500 to fix his case
hd that IL never got out ut the Grand
ury room. What, do law, ers practice
Il the Grand jury roon | have heard
said on the street that attorneys some
lines tell the Grand Jury that the State
ecognlzes Il compromise. What, is
be law such that II man can purchase
be penalty OF crime with Il money con-
Iteration
How much then would it. have cost
he friend OF Judge Hudspeth who,
'hile Justice of the Peace, came ont
, my plantation. with II blutigt.on and
-v"lver, to kill me ms he open
: hoaeted he would do. Then again it :,