The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1895-12-28
Communicated

The writer has reached the conclusion that
the time has arrived when the people should
be fully informed of the status OF the body pol
itic and of the ills that threaten its death and
destruction rushing us as it were headlong
from condition Il peace and quiet into a
maelstrom of anarc,iy and socialism, bringing
in its train lawlessnl ss, disorder and crime.
To trace up the OF. gin hereof, and to fasten
measures, is the writer's purpose. with ma
lice towards none, with charity for all ," he pro-
poses to speak in the spirit Of this injunction ;
to detail the facts as he finds them, and let his
readers sit in Judgment upon the issues thus
presented.
We contend that the disturbing influences at
work in this community where Flaw secures
not life " is due primarily to want of its en-
forcement, and the belief prevailing in the
minds of the law breakers that their commission
of crime will, If not encouraged, overlooked
and sanctioned by some of the officers, will at
least obtain their protection from punishment
when apprehended More than this, officers Of
the law, deputy sheritfs and Justices of the
peace and the assessor Of this parish lead the
way in intimidating voters and prOclalIning
that such acts of lawlessness arc but prelude
to the finale to occur when the Regulators from
the adjoining parishes are to swOOp down upon
us, and desolate our parish, by methods not al
together unlike the rayages OF the Goths and
Vandals when invading the Roman provinces
It is useless to deny tnat TINS eonaiIon @ t OF al,
deceive not man; whilst the truth II boldly
proclaimed may bring about safer state OF
affairs.
If the sheriff of this parish is not both deaf
and blind, he must be aware OF the fact that
among the lawless element now disturbing the
peace are some people near to him both in their
official and personal relations. He must be
aware that his deputy sheriffs were among the
number OF those who deferred people from re-
gistering at the Grand Prairie precinct He
must be aware Of the fact that every, one Of
them belongs to an organization the purpose
OF which is to intimidate, brOwbeat fnd sup
press citizens in their right to vote. er n at the
assent to such q doctrine. Is he not aware
that his political friends openly proclaim they
will carry out this policy, II it cost rivers
Of blood "-and knowing an these things, why
over them say: "Thus far have you gone; but
no further dare you 60" A failure to do so
places our sheriff in the poslnon OF one VINO
courage sufficient to denOunce the same.
A time was, when he acted differently. When
Regulatorsm first raised its head In our midst
dust after his election for the first tme, he did
not hesitate to lead q posse to apprehend and
arrest them. Why does he not do SO now
Why not have gone to Grand Prairie and ar
rested every offender standing guard in the
door to deny voters their right to registers
Why has he not dismissed those Of his deputies
consorting with Regulators and lawbreakers9
instead Of laughing at its proposed violations !
A case in point has just been given US. A
former deputy sheriff Of Mr. Fontenot said in
his presence on last SATURDAY on boara DO M train
had gone to Grand Prairie on the 18th Of No
vember last with his Winchester rifle and had
brought along his dogs by way OF thlrd-to
all Of which the sheriff laughed. This same
party on being told that it was good thing he
was not In Opelousas at the time OF the killing
of Zacharie as he might be charged with the
offense, replied: +" He didn't care d-n." To
all Of which conversation the sheriff did not
object nor express his disapproval. Again, up
on being apprised OF the assassination OF Zach
arie he moved not step although the killing
was within mile of his office. He left on the
next day for Shreveport and on bis return re-
marked to gentleman OF unquestioned verac.
ity his unwil1lngness to ferret out the crime II
detective had been employed to do So II
such had been the case, why refuse assistance
from a trained officer when he had failed to
trace mn the crime9 His failure to succeed
ought have induced him to welcome with open
arms any assistance profered him. But no,
rather than accept help, he was willing to
have 20 unpunlshed q lot OF coWardly villains
as ever disgraced our parish
We venture the suggestion that II this officer
will 20 to work and openly deprecate the law
Iessness now existing, will dismiss from his
force every one Of his employees who aid and
encourage this state of affairs, will himself ap-
prehend all offenders of the public peace, will
discountenance the employment OF Regulators
to dictate to us the management Of our local
aifairs-doing all of these things earnestly and
sincerely-the dangers that low threaten US
If he fails to do so, the good people of this
parish will have to invoke some method BY
which the peace and quiet Of this community
will be restored. OBSERVER