The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1902-10-18
Grand Jury Report.

blSiIlCt tOuTb--HbiuiuS StSSiouS III
and for the Parish of Iberia, Louisiana.
We, your Grand Jury, for the
parish OF Iberia, beg leave to
submit this, our final report:
We were called together on the
10Th of September last. We
having on that day no quorum,
adjourned to 23rd September and
again having no quorum, when we
adjourned to Sept. Goth. On the
Goth, we again convened, with ten
members present, a quorum.
After examination of the wit
nesses appearing before us, we
found II true bills--and found 16
no true having taken full
action in all violations that were
brought to our knowledge or that
was known to us.
We have examined and cnquir-
ed as to the condition of our pub.
lie roads and find them in good
condition.
Have enquired into the condi-
ton of the public schools, and
find the attendance large and
schools in prosperous condition,
owing nothing.
We find that there does not
seem to be the same zeal OH the
part of the officers in enforcing
and prosecuting all offences, and
that some offences are not taken
cognizance of when others Of no
greater gravity are promptly act
ed upon--thls should not be.
Every offender should be prompt
ly brought to the bar of justice
and it is the plain duty of every
officer connected with the crimi-
nal administration of justice to
cause the arrest of every person
committing an. offence, be the Of
fence slight or grave.
| There is no excuse or justifica-
ton for any officer not taking
official cognizance of every infrac
ton of the law. His oath of office
requires him to act in every in
stance the law demands it and
the public expects it. 1t is not the
place Of an officer to undertake to
] discriminate between offenders,
and every offender should be
, promptly arrested without regard
to the character of the offence.
We specially call the District
i Attorneys attention to Art. lois
of the Revised Laws which pro
t vides that he shall, whenever i'll
formed that crime or misdemean
> or has been committed and tha1
) no action has been taken for tn,
arrest of the guilty party ex officit
. inquire into the fact by causing
D all persons that he supposes t
0 have some knowledge of the fac
f to be summoned before SOM
G Judge or Justice of the Peace tina
!, their depositlons may be taken
G |or, when this is unnecessary t
the ends of justice, he should ex
+ ercise the right to file informa
e tions, and thus avoid the imposi
/, ton of heavy expenses on TIN
d Parish by throwing on the Gran
e Jury the burden of examining a
Q misdemeaDors If this were al
q piled to Sunday Law and kint
e red offences, the taxpayers woul
k be the gamers
4. We would further request tha
d the Sheriff and his deputies an
j, the Police officers and constable
II throughout the Parish prompl
O. cause the arrest Of every violate
n of the law, be the offence of wha
If ever nature Or character. III
a. public looks to them more part
Il cularly for the yindicatiOn OF Il
,t laws-unless they be vigilant, IL
" partial and alert in the enforc
H. ment of every criminal statute
IS the State crime will increase al
Of become rampant, as a minor often
" invariably leads to one OF magr
s, tude. Every offence that goes U
IN inuninhAd reanlfs in making q