St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-09-07
The Law Must BE Enforced.

in refusing the application for bail il
the case Of the Coulee Croclle prisoner.
on last Saturday, Judge Lewis made {
few well timed remarks, which it woulC
be we'll for the iawless element TO heed
After reviewing titc evidence which he
thought was sufficient to deny them
bail, he dweit feeiingly upon the pain.
ful necessity which compelled him to
remand them.
He held the privilege of bail, and the
right to ones liberty, to be blessings of
inestimable value, OF which accused
parties ought not lightly to be deprived
but when men resort to midnight
raids and shot guns and take the law in
the own hands when the Courts are
open and ready to administer justice,
they must not expect leniency at the
hands Of the Court. 1t was not the
duty of the Court, nor it's officers to
make laws; but to enforce them and SO
| long as he sat upon the Bench, he was
going to execute it AS it was written.
Continuing, the Judge said, "quite an
erroneous idea prevails among unin-
formed people regarding offences of
this nature. They attach little, if any
Importance to going out at night, armed
with dangerous weapons, entering and
breaking into dwelling houses, if neces-
sary to carry out their purposes, whilst
the law denounccs tho same in un-
measured terms, and attaches the death
penalty to Offences of this kind-It reads
as follows:
Whoever, with the intent to kill, rob,
steal, commit rape, or any other crime,
shall in the night time, break and enter,
or having, with such intent, entered in
the night time, break dwelling L1.use,
any person being lawfully therein, and
such offender being, at the time of such
breaking, or entering, armed with
dangerous weapon, or arming himself
in such house with dangerous weapon,
or committing an actual assault upon
any person, lawfully being in such
house; any person present aiding, as
sisting or consenting in such burglary,
or accessory thereto before the fact by
counseliug, hiring or procuring such
burglary to be committed, on conviction
shall suffer the punishment of death.n
The reason of this, remarked his Hon
or, "is because the law aims to protect
the citizen to the fullest extent in the
peace, quiet and enjoyment of his
home.n
In this, as we'll as in all civilized coun-
tries ga mans home is his castler and
the law extends to all citizens high and
low, white or black, an assurance that
this right shall be held inviolate.
In conclusion the Judge gave the pris-
,ners and bystanders clearly to under
stand, that law-breakers such as these, |
must not expect any leniency at the
lands of the Court. The law must be
and obeyed. The officers of
his Parish stand pledged to such en-
'orcement and were going to redeem
hese pledges. He hoped this case would
each those of our people, who are in
lined to be lawless and insubordinate
o the law, a lesson-and have them un-
lerstand that they cannot violate the
aw with impnnity.
"It is painful to pass judgement upon
'ur fellow men, and especially SO in this
ase wherein, am narsnaded, that some
it least, OF the accused were missa.t,> >u
~ evil ceunsels, but painful as it may +
,e, they have violated the letter and
pirit Of the law, which it is my duty to
,nforce without respect TO persons"