The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1902-10-18
Grand jury Report.


To His Honor. w. F. Blackman, Judge Of the
18th Judicial District ccert, holding session
We, your grand jurors impauelled and charged
to inquire into violations OF law in the parish Of
lGnnt, would respectfully report that We have
dilligent inquired into az cases brought to our
have found u true bills, and NO bills in s. cases
While We dnd thet great deal Of lawlessness
prev'.ils along the Iron Mountain railroad, and
the Illegal trsfac IN LIQUOR, still We are giad to
state that the violations Of law within our parish
are altogether of Q minor char. cter. no charges
Of murder. manslaughter, or arson being report
1t is TO Be regretted that the greed of gain
should induce number 1T persons to forsake all
in the illegal sale Of Intoxicating liquors, thus
lowering themselves in thS minds Of all right
thinking people. by defying the laws Of their
bsuchine and injarins their felioW-citise ne.
The illegal sale OF liquor We believe to be the
greatest curse pour honorable court has at this
ms e Ssc, YIN ,h e 5s1i paris. ;Gd We would
euces for this offense that they Be- made AZ heavy
- your honor may 6ud consistent with Justice
and the gravity Of the case; tins deterrins. 9TH
trading on the vioee and weaknesses OF their fell
lows, ~ some have heretofore done with seeming
i~Iunity, and immunity from the law:
ed by your honor for 'hoodlumism" has had The
wholesome effect Of decreasing this nuisance
along the railways through our borders, and hope
travel in peecs without the fear Of insult and Of
Tense t. their wives and children from this ele-
We have had one or two cases Of "bulldoxips"
negroes reported TO the grand Jury, but We are
glad state that In case did It reach the acute
stage, OF develop a. far a. assault and battery;
turbed and intsrisred With In On iiIeesi msnner.
while peacefully following their own legal occupa
tIons sti " have not i.t that the srsyity Of the
to which II enforced b very severe without AFRO
eating to ourselves the right to palliate any such
Illegal acts or attempting to justify our own sc-
voice. influence and action shah always be against
unjust and oppressive treatment Of the colored
people In their peaceful avocations ~ We feel sure
the court win also do In its treatment Of all such
We have examined the jan and md 1t a. wen
kept ~ It can be under the imperfect conditions
The windows should BE- sniargsd to afford better
ventilation. We repeat our Recommendation OF
last April that the police jury should BY an means
have sink put In the center Of the four lighteot
20 .: to enable the jalor to keep thinss ina
. few dollars. and without IL the jail cannot be
kept nom becoming filthy and unhealthy. The
awning Of doctors bills alone In single year vnl
more than pay the cost Of the sink and NO further
time shobld be lost in putting It In.
The books Of the treasurer have been examined
and found neatly kept and correct. The balance
Just closed was IS 81 and the amount in the school
fund ~ ,cas o. A. shown BY bank book and state
ment.
The reports from the road overseers and appor-
tioners al rule. are meaRre and unsatisfactory;
and there are complaints a. to the condition of |
the roads and failure the part Of some overseers
to properly expend the money paid In BY the |
hands, 1t = clearly the duty Of the police Jury to
follow ny the working Of the roads, and In all |
eases where overseers fail to properly expend or |
account for money collected to report the same |
Tor investigation.
We have good reason to believe the Sunday Law |
10 being violated In some localities, but we have
not been able to get sufficient evidence to find any
bills for this o1enee.
We have good grounds to believe that irregu- /
arities occurred at some Of the precincts Of the
parish at the late primary election but nd It dit
tcuit to get at the matter, because the commits
'ioners and cleFks cannot be expected to testify to
heir own fraudulent acts and II is next to impos-
,ibie to get other witnesses knowing to the facts
rhe ballots Of freemen should be guarded with /
are and those guilty Of trning with their rights
'hould be punished.
Seven cases on our docket are referred to the
district attorney for Investigation a we have not
seen able to get the witnesses in time for exami-
aation, owing to the late hour Of docketing same
And now. having finished the matters entrusted
70 NJ to the best Of our ability. we thank thecourt
md its officers for their uniform courtesy and as
istAnce. and respectfully ask to be discharged.
H. g.. GOODWIN, Foreman.