The Lake Charles echo., 1893-08-25
AM4TTER 81 HIgToRY.

ghich places men il office, who other
wise would never attain that distinction,
fHd on the other, man who has always
presented himself to the people for
their Snffrsgss. This fight is n matter
Of comment With us, for the reason
that we, the people, have been compelled
10 pay the bills. amounting to thousands
Of dollars, which have been worse than
thrown away, in a row which shonld |
have never been begun, q war born of
the malice and spite of soant dozen nj
petty officials elevated into Temporary
impurtauoe by the irony of fate.
We will give in as brief manner as
possible the particulars of this outrage
and beg that you give rs a patient
hearing:
In November, 1891, the police jury,
realizing that the stats election vas bnt
a few mouths distant, and that Sheriff
Reid wouId in all probability present
himself for the suffrages of his people,
gut their small but lurid heads together,
aud amongst hands Of them devised a
scheme which after two months' deiiber
4tlon- they felt sure would work. So III
5auuary 1892 they appointed commit
tge composed Of J W. Bryan. Vim.
Vincent, and A Perkins, for the pur
pose of investigating and examining
the books of the assessor and those Of
the sheriff and tax collector, So far 20
goUdo it is emiBeDtly pr per that the
governors representatives shOuid keep
= ciOse watch Cd the peoples represent
ative, and Sheriff r id made no CON-
lIaint. On the contrary, when Capt,
Bryan. as chairman of the committee
an January 26lh, 1892, opeand a CORES
OndeDoe with him demanding a state
uent embracing g settles Of years from
| May s, 1884 tWbish was prior to Reid E
rmenmbency) uptO and including 1892
Mr Reid Informed them ne was ready
to assist them in every possible manner
bat he pointed out to them the impOs
sihiilty Of helping them for the year
1892, a. no asssssn. .ents had been made
or rolls fled. He also explained t.
them that with has already OVerROrked
force, hs did not propnse to render
them another accounting for q period
4 seven years when be held quietuses
bearing the siguatuTeB of members OF
that identical body. Capt. Bryan aBd
Wm Vincent then called in person Oh
Mr. Re,d for the purpose of demanding
nis books. necOuuts, etc This wa
r.adiIv graDted bat b-fore DONG 6"
Mr Rrid in the presence of three o
four witnesses disclCsed to them, il
Language nnmi-takable that he was full
aware of the ulterior aud sinister motiv,
which uDderlay Ehis sudden zaat for To,
public service. He said, Gentlemen
10 NOvembrr you good gentlemen heIt
cancus for the pnrpO<e of devisinR
ooneeivinR and hatching scheme b
/ which my defeat at the coming election
+ may be secnred. Que of the parties {
T., that. conference remarked, i can gi7
essyon plan: Appoint q committee 4
q inVestigate his books and taICe care tB,
= your report be Of s5Anh character as wi
y necessarily drive him from the field
4 Now have not yet announced mYse
y a candidate for sheriff, here are Il
is books and / shall wait your repor
4 Any assistance you need in this dePsT
msnt is at yOnr service, and if this Il
d taz.cOllectOr's room, is not sufficient
" your needs, ] freely surrender to 81
" the shsrTtf's private room adjoining
a-t3-yThe committes did not seem tUundt
Of stand Or TO take Offense at the stingil
Vr charge conveyed in the sheriffs Ia
g. guage, bot following out some preyiO
ID idea or plans. they said:
e. well, of course you will allow us
D. carry the books to some plaee Of o
III own selection =
y, ''Eo sir They will remain hej
of There shall be no dOatofing of books
Of The committee then did the ID
e best thing in tbeir, ,poRes; they seleet
The sheriff room. Tbgged in the bOul
and began an investigation, covering
- 'eR hours daily for about three da!
1dI when MensrB. Vincent and Psrki
lfs srhreW up the sponge, bat Bryan Of 1
n third ward had got bis ideas tangled
a. and conldn,t tnrn loose for a VII
longer. Bat even he became satisf
At last apparently, and all Nas qa
~ the plottsr's camp till March /
De When without warning like an asaassi
IT. shot from ambush, inst in time TO
Nv the iOul. .slaudsr eiEealate and perme
IN INTO he most steladaa recssaaa in /
r parish, the damnabls reported 81 A
l2h shortage was hurried at sn
Lounded peoplei The bine-bot
81 lnseots OF calumny and lander bnzl
sle aVay on their filthy eFFand. Ay.blosi
ar and poisoning the minds Of the vots
ne iuoOniating them With the belief =
off rascality and thievery ran ramp
hy Ehroagb the 0olleclor's pfiiSs, and cf
y. peillDg eandldate for the sutfrAses
a. hs people. TO say, as he aanoun'
,uI himaef. mot gnilty I"
q Mr. Reid cansed the arrest Of this O
ssx mittse of three. and On being hrough
zoe trialtheir whole defense vas 'gedo
charge him with being defaultsr' shI
l.by egading the laE pn d techniealityl
Sas the charge against them was dismiss
il wbise the fiji bnxzsd ipdustrioasly ~
. q aud The slory Kept % aadipg q
sieflas 10 Il. Gill tie mud palace 8
higher than the pyramids. The
thing they denied IN ii the conrt ho
was reiterated % the streets. efepE