The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1905-02-16
PERHAPS This view Of snowhalling may

had been reversed? Suppose the snow
batcrs were niggcrS, and the snowflake
had been white men, Suppose the ma
in the wagon had been white man re
Sistiilg the assault Of negro snowballers
The mob had no right to modest an
ono on the street. and when Jttdg
Hicks witnessed such a scene. faile,
10 intervene, he was derelict in hi
| duty as a citizen and as a Judge
| Had he enulated the example
of a gentleman Of our acquant
ancc he would not now be regrettlng
perhaps, the unwarranted. TN ustifiablt
md incxcusahe advice given to Leggo
You ought to have killed the nigger.
The instance to which we refer was
At the cornc" Of the First National Bank
where a number OF boys had gathere
a stock of snowballs, pressed as hard as
stones. which they were hurting at ne
groes on foot and in wagons and vehi-
cles. A few words addressed to these
boys was sufficient and they dispersed.
Not only did Judge Hicks, in his Of
fetal capacity, dismiss Leggio. who was
ready and willing to plead guilty to the
violation Of the rlinM,ce-~discharging
firearms in the city limits-b but he com
mendcd Leggio, AS it he was hero, for
the violation Of law and encouraged him
10 greater crimes by telling him. You
ought to have killed the nRger."
This is monstrottsi
Who is Leggio that he should have
received from the Judge Of the City
Court this great and exceptional mark
Of distinguished consideration
Such outrageous conduct. such words
Is were uttered by Judge Hicks. may be
aippantly styled "A Much Ado About
Nothing but will this authority and
apologist for Judge Hicks tell the peo-
pie III its columns what would be some
thing which would not be " AMuch Ado
About Nothing?" Is it "A Much Ado
About Nothing" when a Judge. from the
bench. sitting in his official capacity. to
try judicially and legally man at the
bar. on charge for which he is called
to trial to declare: you ought to have
killed the nigk ?"
Was it "A Much Ado About Nothing
for this same judge to have discharged
The prisoner who had expressed will
ingness and readiness to plead guilty to
the violation Of she ordinance prohibit.
ing the discharge Of firearms in the
limits Of the city?
Was it "A Much Ado About Nothing
for this Judge to have reprimanded the
officer for having filed the charge
against Legsio, in terms and tone which
called City Attorney Peasants to a spon-
taneous defense OF the officera And
would not this officer have been amen
able to discipline and, perhaps dismissal
from duty. had he not filed the charge
against 1.eggio. who had admitted. his
guilt?
Grant that the affidavit of dischargine
firearms was not suited to the case, as
viewed by Judge Hicks, in his capieity
Of citizen. could not Judge Hicks, in
the official function of his office, have
or directed which charge
should have been made by the officer?
As there was only one charge pending
md the accused was ready and willing
TO plead guilty, by what authority could
this Judge deny this plea and release the
who had conceded his guilt
md, tell him. "You ought to have killed
the nigger9" =.
Is the Judge of the City Court, as was
Louis x3Kking Of Frarce, "the states'';
but even this king who declared II am
the state would never have uttered such
words, and if any judge OF his
realm had been guilty of suel1 utterance
that Judge would have been hustled to
the Bastile. beyond the shadow Of a
doubt. s.z
'fYou ought to have killed the niger"
is what Our morning contemporary re-
gards as "A Much Ado About Nothing
Had Leggio killed the negro, Leggio
then would have been justifable because
the man he would have killed was not
ii white mans This is the only logical
conclusion which can be reached, the
only Interpretation which can be placed
on the startling, outrageous utterance
Of Judge. sitting in court. in his official
4
And this is styled by our morning con-
temporary as "A Much Ado About Moth
ing
As the Journal has we'll said: "'The
question the people OF Shreveport mast
answer is. Are we willing to longer trust
our liberty and our property in the hands
Of man who holds such sentiments and
who expresses them boldly from the
beneh?'
The Caucasian for one will answer.
No. en,phatiealiy No. The declaration Of
Judge Hicks IS an incentive to crime
an encouragement to law breakers. It
Is an invitation to kill the nigger. It Is