New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1902-10-18
GEAND JURY REPORT.

To the Hon. the Nineteenth Judicial Dis.
trict Court, holding session in 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 23d September
and again having no quorum, when we
adjourned to September 29th. On the 29th
we again convened, with ten members
present, quorum.
After examination of the witnesses ap.
pealing before US, we found seventeentrue
bills and found sixteen no true bills, hay-
ing taken full action of all violations that
were brought to our knowledge or that was
known to us.
We have examined and inquired as to
The condition of our public roads and find
them in good condition.
Have inquired in to the condition 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 on the part of the officers in
enforcing and prosecuting all offences,
and that some offences are not taken cog
nizance of whenothers of no greater gravity
are promptly acted upon, this should not
be. Every offender should be promptly
brought to the bar of justice and it is the
plain duty Of every officer connected with
the criminal administration for of justice
to cause the arrest of every person com
hitting an offence, be the offence slight
or grave.
There is no excuse or justification for
any officer not taking official cognizauee
of every infraction of the law His oath
of office requires him to act i'll every in
stance, the law demands it and the public
expect it. 1t is not the place of an officer
to undertake to discriminate between Of
tenders, and every offender should be
promptly arrested without regard to the
character of the offence.
We specially call the District Attorney 5
attention to Art. 1918 of the Revised Laws
which provides that he shall, whenever in
formed that crime or misdemeanOr has
been committed and that no action has
been taken for the arrest of the guilty
parties, or officer inquire into the fact by
causing all persons that he supposes to
have some knowledge of the fact to be
summoned before some judge or Justice OF
the Peace that their dispositions may be
taken; or, when this is unnecessary to
the euds of justice, he shonld exercise the
right to file information, and thus avoid
the imposition of heavy expenses on the
Parish by throwing on the Grand jury the
burden of examining all misdemeanors.
If this were applied to Sunday Law and
kindred offenses, the taxpayers would be
gamers.
We would further request that the
Sheriff and his deputies and the Police of
ficers and constables throughout the Par
ish promptly cause the arrest of every
violator of the law, be the offence of what
ever nature or character. The public
look to them more particularly for the vim
dication of the law, unless they be vigilant,
impartial and alert in the enforcement of
every criminal statute of the State, crime
will increase and become rampant, as a
minor offence invariably leads to one of
magnitude. Every offence that goes un-
FURNISHED results in making the admins
tration of criminal justice a vain parody
on justice.
We thank the Court and IFS officers for
courtesies shown us, and now, ont his 11th
day of October 1902, our duty being
complete. we beg to be finally discharged
Respectfully submitted,
G. c. LAUGHLIN,
EOrarn