The Opelousas courier., 1894-10-27
REPORT OF THE GRAND JURY

To the Honorable Judge w. G. Perrault. Judge
of the 18th District Court in and for the par
The Grand jury Of the parish of St.. Landry,
being now on the eve OF adjourning their pres
emit sitting, at this time beg leave to make the
In regard to the special cases of one colored
man who was lynched by an armed mob in the
neighborhood of Palmetto in this parish. beg
leave to report That they have examined the
magistrate as well as the constable OF the ward,
and all other persons from whom they had rea-
sonable expectations Of eliciting any 1nforma-
ton in relation to this matter. but after q Sc.
rious and earnest investigation we have been
ter as to the perpetrators Of this lawless act.
We regret to have to report that we have
in thus matter, but we respectfully suggest that
the acting District Attorney or the District Az
stances Of the case justify to discover and to
bring to Justice the authors of this crime.
In making this report we take pleasure in
completely exonerates the magistrate and con
stable of that ward from any completely in this
crime, or any dereliction OF dutyin the premises.
The Grand nd,s Jury : st would 10 l respeetaesy IN rep eer.
tain sections of this parish, to which they con
ceive it to be their duty to call the especial at
tention Of this CO.., in order order that tnat s Inc law as m Oh,
be legally necessary to promptly suppress THESE
violations of law.
The evidence brought TO our aIUeutlOu pIosSS
that within the last three months armed bands
of white men have been congregatlng In podles
in various portions OF this parish, ana nave Dten
riding around the country both day and night:
and in various ways committing miraculous ol
the public peace.
The evidence ELECTED shows that several col
ored persons have been taken by these iaWless
people from their homes and brutaLy Wnlppeu
and otherwise ill-treated for no oftense dlsclos-
ed against them; whilst others have been COM
manded to leave their homes under threats Oh
In some Of these cases we have beer, unable
to elicit sufficient testimony to JUSTIFY us IN
finding true bills against the supposed guilty
parties, while in many cases, OWING 70 mum,
| dalton practised upon those against whom these
| outrages have been committed, they have been
| intimidated from testifying before us.
| been that several colored people have been
| compelled to abandon their homes and crops,
| and are afraid to return for fear OF their lives
or the infection OF other bodily harm.
We regret to be constrained to report that
| much Of this lawlessness could have been pre-
| vented and avoided by a proper performance
and constables living in those sections. The
| evidence in all of the cases that we nave ex-
amined shows a riminal dereliction OF duty on
the part of these magistrates and constabies,
| and in several cases the proof goes to show that
even affidavits against the guilty parties nave
been suppressed with the cOnnivance OF these
officers, while still in other cases these very Off
GERS have been guilty Of c0nsenting to the COM
promising and compromising OF these felOnles
by and between the criminals and the parties
against whom these crimes had been committed:
We further regret to be compelled to report
| that some of these magistrates and constables
have even gone 80 far as to collect illegal fees in
| cases where these crimes have been cOmpro-
missed between the parties.
1t Is the intention 0fathis Grand Jury at some
\ future meeting to make a more thorough and
fuller investigation of these matters, and in all
guilty parties will be presented for trial at the
bar of public Justice.
We further beg leave to report that our inves.
LEGATIONS in many cases have fully disclosed
several sections of the parish have even lent
themselves to the unlawful purpose OF threat
with a view Of extorting a confession Of guilt:
We instance some Of these many violations OF
law and derelictions of duty on the part of off.
GERS whose sworn duty It Is 70 enforce ana
with the administration of justice in the par.
ish of st. Landry will take heed that such Grim
inals be brought to justice.
us justified it, we have found indictments, and
the parties now stand accused before your
court for trial: In many other cases however,
ton as to the condition of things hereinabove
referred to. has not been sufficient to authorize
the initiation OF prosecutions against these par
ties, the evidence however, raises a strong pre-
sumption OF guilt.
This Grand Jury now hereby puts on record
their firm determination insofar as it lies in
| Gn6lE pOW6I 10 put d sGOp W dill VI UucSc uuldW-
full practices, by promptly bringing the parties
before the court in all cases where the evidence
is sufficient.
The Grand Jury beg leave to further report
that the habit of carrying concealed weapons
is unfortunately a very prevalent habit in this
parish. In all cases indictments have been
found tDldans aga a1Is;te fn esl parties es a against Tn o. T rhe
Grand jury, however, have been informed that
in one case presented to the court at this term
for carrying concealed weapons, that OF an
has entered q nolle prosequi, and the officer
has been discharged.
We respectfully suggest that at the next meet,
Grand Jurors as to the rights of an officer, such
as a deputy sheriff or constable, to carry wea-
pons concealed on their persons, for the guid,
ance of the Grand Jury in their future investi-
cations of such cases. We have made no pre-
sentiments in several such cases that have come
before us, owing to the uncertainty we were In
as to the right Of these officers to carry conceal.
ed weapons. An early decision of the matter
will enable us to know how to act in future in
| such cases.
| Fontenot, Sheriff Of this parish, has shown his
respect for the law in this regard, by refusing
| commissions as deputy sheriffs to parties who
had applied to him for such commissions for
| the purpose OF being able to carry concealed
weapons.
We respectfully report that the habit of un-
lawfully selling liquor saS IT. to 1 minors t has st become me
| condemn the practice, not only as to the viola
| ton OF law but likewise as the fruitful cause of
the commission OF many deeds of violence in
the parish as well as many attractions of the
law In many other respects.
The Grand Jury deems it appropriate, and
hopes that it will not be impairment on their
part, to suggest certain desirable hanges in
regard to the trial of criminals incarcerated in
| the parish Jail. The attention OF the court is
called to a few instances wherein the parish
has been put to heavy expense maintaining
| prisoners in the public Jail for a long time, to
the manifest injustice to the criminals them
selves by being deprived OF a prompt and
speedy trial OF their cases. A few instances
will demonstrate the correctness of this view,
ated in the public Jail since Jan. 1st, 1898, with
out trial one John Gay was incarcerated May
g., 1891, broke jail Dec. 25, 1891, and was recap
tured Jan. 7th, 1894, and has been in jail ever
since; Rufus Stout was incarcerated May 6,
1893, charged with shooting with intent to kill,
and has been in Jail ever since. None Of these
parties have up to the present time been
brought to trial. Lewis Hamilton, placed in
Jail Aug. 1894 for violating q labor contract. was
only released Oct. 18th by order of the acting
District Attorney.
Many similar Instances might be suggested
In which the constitutional right of a prisoner
to q prompt and speedy trial Of his case seems
to have been overlooked, and in which the par
ish has been put to a very considerable cost in
maintaining these prisoners at public expense.
We are not fully advised as to the exact legal
remedy for q more prompt and speedy trial of
ticable legally, all such cases should be tried as
promptly as possible, especially where the par
ties are unable to give bond and are accused of
mere misdemean0rs.
We suggest to the Court that, if practicable,
such parties as are unable to give bond should
ate in this regard, not only as a matter OF econ
Omy for the parish, but likewise as a matter Of