The Opelousas courier., 1904-01-16

building be erected to take the place
of these eye-sores. There was nc
provision of law at that lime by
which a legal tax could be voted, and
SO the publie-spirited citizens sub
scribed to a voluntary tax. About for
ty thousand dollars were raised, and
to-day the Shreveport High School is
the pride Of the city. Judge Blanch-
ard refused to pay that tax, and he is
now kept busy on every stump ex-
planning why he did not do-
ATTORNEY FOR COTTON BELT.
The Judge denounces those who tell
it abroad that he refused to sub
scribe to the tax, unless they imme-
diately afterWard follow up the state
ment with his lame C If then,
he insists on Juggling in this payment
by him to the Cotton Belt, why does
he not in all fairness tell his hearers
all the facts connected with the mat
ter? Why does he not tell them that
his law firm were attorneys for the
railroad company? That its con-
struction into Shreveport meant for
him not only a large increase in the
value of his property here, but a eli
ent corporation which would richly re-
pay him in fat salary the small
amount of his pro rata of the bond?
SUED HIM.
He tells the people that he was sued
on the bond, together with other sign
ers, and forced to pay. We have
looked up the record, st. Louis South
western Railway VS. w. B. Jacobs ct
al, and find that he is correct. He
was of the defendants, and re-
markable to state, his firm were the
attorney for he plaintiff, the epeti-
ton being drafted in the Judges own
hand. His brother-in-law, Mr.. Bar
ret, ably defended Mr.. Blanchard, but
Attorney Blanchard was successful in
the lower court, and after a fight in
the Supreme Court, succeeded in af-
frming the judgement against him
self, defendant Blanchard, and the
other signers of the bond.
GOT IT CHEAP.
The Judge has never given the ex-
act amount Of his Judgment. It was
$5,901.07, with a few mdhths' inter-
est, of which sum he, was condemned
to pay o~ne-eleventh, or $536.46, but we
have never heard him state that he
actually paid this amount, and it
would only be fair to presume that his
partner, who shared with him the at
torneyship for the railway company, .
divided with him this ex-
pense. Had Judge Blanchard and the
others not signed the bond the rail-
way would not have been constructed
into Shreveport, and he would there
have made nothing out Of the at
torneyship. We think $536.46 a very
small price. There is not a lawyer in
Shreveport today who would not give
double that amount to add the Cotton
Belt to his clientele.
AHEAD ON THE BOND.
But while Defendant Blanchard in
this suit Of the railway company, fled
by himself, was condemned to pay
1~ne-eleventh of S., 9o1. OF, it is only
reasonable to assume that Attorney
and his partner received
he usual 10 per cent of the amount Of
he bond for prosecuting the suit. In
,ther words, this n suit alone should
lave brought him ont more than even,
md we would not hesitate to wager
hat il the Judges partner did not
Jay half the amount due the railway
company on the bond, that he allow
ID the Judge to make it good out Of
he first fees or salary received. As
matter Of fact, did the Judge ever
,ay the railway company anything ii
Didn't he simply let the Zee
or service in prosecuting the suit
.gainst himself and the ten other
of the bond offset the amount
Iue as Judgment debtor?
This however,, was not the first snit
i which the gentleman appeared -
ttorney for the railway corporation.
he d that the tax voted by the
of Shreveport fell short was that
be owners Of three Of the large plan
in Bossier parish refused to
onate d right of way through their !
ands, and demanded compensation.
t became necessary for the Cotton I
) institute appropriation proceedings I
gainst them, and in these suits the !
Judges firm appeared a counsel. The J
egregate amount awarded BIZ The iu-lt
EH4I