The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1900-12-01
Morinas Dugas
A Record Breaking Jury.
They Can't Agree and the
Judge Say they Must.
They are Locked up and
Court is Adjourned.

One of the most interestin!
cases in the history of this parish
if not in the State Of Louisiana
is the jury trial trial in the case o.
the State versus MOrinas Dugas
charged with the murder of hi
nephew on the 9Th day of las
June.
Judge T. d. Foster on the 1Otl
day of November issued an order
to the Clerk of Court, "tO summon
the Jury Commissioners of Iberia
Parish to draw a petty jury
of thirty jurors to serve for the
week beginning on the 10th day OF
November, A. d, 1900, to try and
determine criminal cases as well as
all others where q jury may be re-
quired." This was done and the
lBER1AN only, published the venire
Oh the 18th of November.
On November 10Th, Judge
Foster convened District Court in
special session for the purposes as
above stated, and commenced
clearing the docket. Consider
able business was done that
day.
On November Goth, the Dugas
case was called up as fixed. The
attorneys, Captain Anthony n.
Muller, representing the State,
and Congressman Robert F
Broussard, Judge L. o. Hacker
and Messrs. w. F. Dunbar and L.
7. Dulaney, representing the
accused, proceeded to empanel the
jury. At noon the regular
venire of thirty was exhausted
with the result of securing six
"good jurors" Talesmen were
gathered in from the highways
and byways by the Sheriff. At
night court adjourned with ten
jurors in the box.
November 21st. Court convened
at 9 o'clock this morning and
from a new harvest of talesmen,
gathered in by the Sheriff, the re
naming necessary two jurors were
selected by 1880 a. m. The Dis
trict Attorney then proceeded
with the case by the reading to
the jury of the Indictment and the
law. The examination of wit
nesses next followed till late at
night.
Thursday, the 22nd, was con-
sumed in the further examination
of a long list Of witnesses, con-
Guiding at night, when all parties
we're glad of the disposition of his
Honor, the Judge, as manifested
in his order to adjourn court for
the night. All were worn and
tired with the exertion of the
day.
Friday, the 23rd was devoted to
the hearing of the arguments of
the attorneys on both sides. They
reviewed the case from beginning
to close, citing many authorities
and their Interpretation Of the
law for such cases provided. Late
in the afternoon the Judge deliver
ed his charge to the jury, clearly
defining their powers in the in
slant case, as well as reading to
them the law bearing upon it Al
Z o'clock the jury, with the indict
ment in hand, retired to their
room to deliberate and formulate a
verdict. A couple Of hours later,
the jury not having agreed upon a
verdict, court was adjourned tt !
the next morning.
Saturday morning, the oath,
after the opening Of conrt, the jury
was asked If they were ready to
report. Upon receiving . negative
answer the court proceeded with
other criminal matters. Up to
night fall the jury had not agreed.
They were then notified that . YER
dict was expee II them, and
that at midnight ed1ltt would be
adjourned till 4 rning Of the
3Oth Of Novemb( i Z, 9 and
III o'clock they ! ked i they