The Progress., 1896-02-29

SHREVEPORT, La, January u, 1886. |
Judge A. W. o. Hicks, Clty-Dear
Sir: As the question of district at
torneys, sheriffs, constables and DO
licemen's rights and duties III refer
ence to -aiding places where it is.
suspected that unlawful gambling
and other violations of law are going
on, is now quite prominently before
the public, we would be glad to have
your opinion on the matter, as Your
well-known knowledge Of the criml-
nal law and procedure, will give 1t
great weight among the people.
Very respectfully, yours
The PRoGKEss.
To The PRoGREss: In answer to
the questions above propounded. l
shall coDfne myself principally to
the statutes of this State. Act No. II
of 1870, page 80, section 7, repealed
all laws and parts Of laws relating to
gambling "other than this law"
Section 4 of this repeating act,
page 80, the duties Of police and 9TH
er public officers relative to persons
keeping banking games and houses,
are thus defined:
"Be it further enacted. etc, That
it shall be the duty of the superin-
tendents and other officers of the po-
lice, or ally public officer to arrest
and take into custody any person
keeping any banking game
ar aiding or assisting in keeping the
same, together with all the tables
money or representatives of money
implements and other paraphernalie
which may be used in keeping such
banking houses, or in playing such
game, and take or cause them to be
taken, before any committing magls
trate, who shall commit said person
for trial, if, upon a hearing, there be
sufficient cause therefor. 1t shall b
the duty of the officers committing
such offenders, to take an inventory
of all money, or its representatives
tables or other implements or para
phernalia that may be seized an(
, brought before him, all of which
shall on conviction, be forfeited TO
the use of the parish in which the OF
Tense it is committed"
Section S, page 80 affixes penalt
on police officers who shall knowihgl
permit the infractlon of this law Q
knowingly allow gambling hons
to be opened or banking game t
, be played.
, "Be it further enacted, ETC., Tha
, any other officer of the Metropolita
Police, in the metropolitan dietric
or any parish of the State, who sha]
q knowingly permit the infraction c
y the law, or who knowingly allow
Q a gambling house to be opened, or
I banking game to be played in yiol'
ton hereof, shall be Immediately dl
missed from his Office and from tf
q police force. and it is hereby mac
o the duty of the Metropolitan Pollt
q Board to try any officer accused {
f. such delinquency without delay, al
is Oh conviction impose the penalt
It provided by this section. Nothing
this section is to be construed as +
Iieving the superintendent and 9th
II officers. from any other penalties, no
ID prescribed by law"
III Section 6, page 80 makes tt
10 keeping of gambling house,
10 playing a banking game a mlsd'
y me0nOr.
70 Section 101S Of the Revised ste
y utes defines the duties of district ,
torneys in relation to crimes al
N misdemeanors of which complsi
% has been made before the proper t
20 bunal as follows:
10 whenever the Attorney-Genel
ID or any district attorney shall be
D. formed that a crime or misdemean
d. has been committed, and that no CO..
" plant or declaration therefor b
been made before any judge or j
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