St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1902-11-01
OPELOUsAs, La, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER l. 1902
Final Report of the Grand
Bury.
70 Hon. E T. LEWIS JUDGE:

To HON. Il L. LEWIS JUDdE'
Your Grand Jury would respectfully
submit this their final report:
We have carefully examined into all
matters presented for our consideration,
and have returned bills in such cases
only where in our opinion the evidence
| is sufficient to procure CONVICTION OH
| final trial.
We desire to call your Honor's atten-
ton to the fact that we are impressed
with the belief that our parish Is spot
ted with illegal grog and tippling shops,
where Intoxicating liquors are daily
| sold under various pretenses, the most
common being that the dealer is acting
as the mere medium of delivery between
the vendor and the purchaser. RMS
pretension is too flshy to strike Us with
any force. We are constrained to doubt
such philanthrophy, and are compelled
| to look for the motive of such dislnter-
ested generosity. We believe that the
spirit of profit and gain is the moving
| spring of these acts of self-saerlhce, ana
| that the parties so engaged are violating
| the law.
We have presented but a few cases,
and regret that many whom we believe
guilty of this offense will go unpun-
| ished. because of seeming indisposition
of persons to appear as witnesses against
| their neigh bors and friends, as also the
utter impossibility OF procuring any
evidence from those who consider them
selves beneticiaries of this system. We
recognize it to be the duty of every c1tl.
zen To inform against all yiolators or
| the law, but until our people are eda-
Gated to this standard OF citizenship,
we must resort to other means OF seeur-
| ing the required evidence in such cases.
We would respectfully suggest the en-
pioyment. by the proper authorities, OF
SOME skilled detective, unacqualnted 10
| the people of our parish, to ferret out
these violators of the law and procure
| the evidence sufficient for their convlc-
tion, We believe that by this means
sufficient revenue can be collectea Irom
those evading payment OF license 70 war
rant such action, besides providing an
| effective means of suppressing this evil.
We would respectfully call to the at
tention of our parochial officers, the
| statute prohibiting the sale OF liquors TO
/ minors We deem it OF vast Importance
| that this statute should be rlgIdly en-
| forced. and will at our next session
make this matter the subject OF special
Investigation. In this respect we would
ask the cooperation of the ofneers
of the various municipalities and wards
where whisky is sold and would urge the
necessity of giving this matter their es-
Decial attention to the end that they may
be in position to give, when called up
on, definite information as to such vio-
lations and violators.
We ascertain from our Investigation
that most homicidal acts ana crimes
against persons are committed at puoilc
gatherings in un1ncorpofated to@lis H.n
| and wards not under immediate police
supervisor. That young men take ad-
vantage of these occasions to settle their
nriyate grievances, real or lmaglna-
ry or to parade themselves as bad men
and hullies or "le toreau des hommes.'
We would suggest that the Police Jury
I adopt an ordinance, il practlcabie, re-
erines in unincerporatsd towns, villages
and wards of some special deputy shefltl
: or constable, for police duty at salo
: gathering; the compensation OF such
!. / officer to be paid by those at Whost
: house such gathering takes placer a. a,
$ a private residence; II at q pupLlc i,l nari
by the owner thereof and If in the open
8 ing, by those who have called thu
: gathering together, and to provide +;
Y penalty for such gathering without th'
I presence of such an officer. We beilevt
q that the presence of such an officer ant
e prompt action on his part, will do mucs
c to suppress homicide and shooting al
frays and make of these gathering
j. what they are Intended to be-places
d amusement and pleasure, where - res
e fpectahle people may gather lot theA
V social entertainment.
e We desire to commend the system re
:. Gently adopted of working on the pupli
roads and works persons sentenced .
l. terms of Imprisonment in the paris
a iail. In our opinion q continuation Q
# this will impress upon the mind OF Tn
A. violator in petty offences, in most III
"a stances, that he cannot violate the laN
j. with impunity, and that a conviction
1, tor crime means punishment ratne
= than a recreation; to impress upon TN
"a |youthful mind that this must ten
If to make OF our young men pette
and more usefnl citizens. While "
= recognize that it Is doubtless humiil
e iating to fond parent to see his chil
" working upon the public ROADS an
.e works, yet we must bear In nina tha
:, hat leads to felon's cell. "As the TIN
II twie is bent, SO shall the tree grow
e. Unless our young men are taught !
a. fear and respect the law whilst thel
Il characters are being formed, we canho
hope to make of them law-abidlng an
useful citizens in after years.
We desire therefore to commend Tn
course of Your Honor in sentencing va
l. lators to incarceration in the paris
prison. to be worked on the PUBLIC roae
W and works. as also the action OF the e
r. lice Jury in making provision 10 carr carr
this into effect. We hope ana kno
n that as far as lies in Your Honors poN
1,
~ count of social caste or posluoH, VI
i law being no respector of persons Al
that all will be dealt with alike. dt
ST regard being had to the eircumstanc'
Ii, of each case. .,,.ee -,
~ we are informed by our Sheriff tn
is already during the present year SON
- s1 IA has been collected from fines to
~ credited to the public school fund. "
do not desire to be understood as disi a.,
as yoring the imposition of lines, as wen
% imprisonment to term In the paril p,ai
imposition of both penaltles Is aeselh
ar 10 have q most salutary effect.
IL We have examined into the condition
the public buildings, and find the Cou
n House proper in good condition ana We
- kent. The annex, however, to the sou
ao az the Court building, occupied as 4
lice Jnry room and Clerks office Is gra
ually receding from the original hull
" ing, to such an extent as to MAKE It's =
nd cupancv almost dangerous. we Wou
respectfully direct the attention OF o
ad Police Jury to this part OF the pup,
oh building, for such action as they Gee
oo nroner. The Jail we have carefully e
Is amined, and whilst we are not dispos
To criticise the action OF any person
vi hody. we cannot refrain from commei
,o- mo unon the condition of this Instl'
ton We find confined therein an
fortunate woman awaiting transport
, n tion to the insane asylum. Her COM
tion is pitiahle and depiorabie aha !
DIV iaiI no place for her confinemeht.
rIr yeeommend that she be transterFeu
some more suitable place Where s
pc can be given proper acoomInoaasio
,tv thereat.
.;as~ o,ronst asince the time ma