The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-10-05
Grand Jury Report.

To the Hon. Geo. Wear Judge of the Fourth
judicial District Court holding session in
and for the Parish of Grant. La
Your grand jury selected and sworn to
serve at the present sitting of your hon.
orable court, beg leave to submit this,
their final report:
We report that we have examined into
all violations of the criminal laws, within
the limits OF the parish of Grant, in 80
Tar as they have been brought to our
knowledge, and the result of our labors
have been the investigation of 156 cases
and return herewith 81 true bills. A
great many OF said bills are for INSIDE
mean0rs while considerable number are
for high felonies. We regret to report
that crime is materially on the increase
in Grant. and AZ crime is increasing 30
rapidly we feel that unless the law-abid-
ing citizens OF the parish OF Grant lend
their assistance to the officers of tie law
in inforcing the law that the criminal
element will reign supreme.
In this connection we desire to extend
our sincere thanks to the law and order
league at Pollock for the assistance which
they have rendered us in a great many
cases, and recommend that such league
" W 0~1sAS"A AZ OvOAy OOA4mQulOys
We further report upon the examina-
ton of the criminal records of this parish
we find that for the thirteen years prior
to 1892 there had been reported but SOC
indictments whereas since that time true
bills and informations have been return
ed In the court to more than that num-
Der. We do not understand this wonder
ful increaee in crime unless it Is the in
PRODUCTION OF lawless element by the
railroad IN the eastern portion Of Grant
parish, or the fact that your Honor has
been 30 very lenient in imposing the PEN
altles OF the law upon offenders in all
cases OF misdemeanors. We feel sure that
the district attorney has been very vigor-
GUS in the prosecution of all cases, and
has succeeded in convicting q great per
cent Of the numerous bills that have been
returned into court, and in consequence
Of the great increase in crime, we recon.
mend that your Honor will, in the future,
impose more severe penalties with the
hope that such penalties will tend to de-
crease crime in the parish of Grant.
We further state and call the courts at
tention to the fact that at the last sitting
OF your honorable court, your Honor i'm.
posed Jail sentence on one Ancy Pruett,
but suspended said sentence for time on
the account Of him being exposed to the
measles and upon investigation we find
that said party has never served out said
sentence, but is still at large as though
no such sentence had ever been imposed
upon him. In this connection we further
state that where person is convicted of
q misdemeanor he is not taken into custo-
dy by the sheriff as is required by law,
but is allowed to depart from the court,
his bond is cancelled by the YER
dict of the jury.
We further report that we have exam
med the condition of the public roads
throughout the parish and find that they
have been worked with few exceptions
and all persons who have failed to do
their duty as either overseers or hands,
have received attention by our body. In
this connection We will state that the
Colfax and Boyce road, a few hundred
yards below the town Of Colfax, is so mar
row from the river bank to the fence, as
to make it dangerous for the travelling
public. We especially call the attention
OF the police jury to this matter and re-
spectfully request them to take action to
have the fence moved.
We have examined the condition of
the parish Jail, and find it very filthy,
caused from an insufficiency Of water
and sewerage. We recommend to the
police jury that they improve the Jail in
this particular: we further recommend
that on the account of the softness of the
brick OF which the Jail is constructed that
1t would b advisable to give the Jail
coat Of cement ON the outside to prevent
dampness penetrating it's walls.
We further recommend to the police
jury to build q more convenient and
suitable privy for court purposes and
that they make suitable appropriation
to keep the present privy IN the court
house yard CLEAN an same is very filthy
and q very great nuisance in its present
condition. II is too filthy 10 90 into a.