The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-03-25
4 PLAIN TALK.


the grand jury brought in an indict-
ment against Il certain party for keep
ing ali establishment for immoral pur-
poses within the suburbs of this town.
As this establishment had hourished
for some time past to the demoraliza-
of the community, every coed citizen
reioiced at the fact that the grand in-
ry had not failed in their duty as pub
lie fuuctionaries, and hoped. as they
had a right to do, that the evil would
soon be done away with.
On Thursday, March 10th, the case
came on for trial on the Indictment
found by the grand jury, when the
following named citizens we're empan-
elled as petit jurors to try the case /:
Henry Lejeune, Henry Boell, John S.
Barker, Glenn Hargis, Emile Adam, J.
A. Legendre, Tucker Adam, Abel He
bert, Alphonse Pitre, l.. S. Dansereau,
Ozeme Adam, and Augustin Bour-
geois.
Although the prosecution experience
ed considerable difficulty in extract
ing the truth from unwilling witness
es, it succeeded. in proving the guilt
of the accused to the satisfaction of
every III present in Court, not on the
jury; the judge charged The jury in a
clear and explicit manner, as to tie
law governing the case, and we might
add that the counsel for the defense
virtually admitted in his argument
to the jury the facts going to consti-
tute the ~otfense; the jury retired to
consider of their verdict, and after
five or six hours deliberations, return
ed into Court with Il verdict of not
guilty.
Better things had been expected of
the jury, and their verdict caused
great disappointment to all good and
law abiding citizens who wished to
see not only the laws enforced,
but the moral standard of the commu-
nifty also kept up.
We do not know by what process of
reasoning the jury reached their con
c%luslon, nor are we disposed to at
tribute to them improper motives. but
certain it is that under the evidence of
the case and the charge of the judge,
there could be 10 possible doubt of the
guilt of the accused; and the iury's
verdict was not only passing strange,
but n fraught with evil for the COM
munlty.
Not the least cause of regret result
ing from such a verdict is the fact
that some of the witnesses who testi-
fled before the jury manifestly sup
pressed the truth, and the jury's YER
diet was a quasi-sanction of such rep
rehensible conduct, and may lead to
the encouragement of this evil and
dangerous practice in. the future in
more serious cases perhaps.
If anyone ever doubted the demora-
llzlng effect upon the community of
such an institution as the one proceed
ed against by the grand jury, he
would have had only to be present in
Court and see the name in which
witnesses reputed honest in other res
poets, shamelessly falsiied their oatf,s
by suppressing and perverting the
truth, to be convinced of his error.
An institution that will produce such
decentralization among onr people in so
short a time, should be uprooted and
destroyed as speedily as possible, and
1t is much to be deplored that the ia
ry has failed to lend its aid in bring
ing about in a legal way so desirable
an end.
1t had as well be understood by the |
parties interested in this institution.
that the good people of the commune
ty have made up their mind that tho |
institution must go.