St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-10-16

E0AASp W@ SAO SAoLk0 Va ACb4nR
Judge Chas. A. O,NeiIl, to the Grand
Jury last Monday, on the occasion Of
the consolation of that body for the
pending criminal jury term Of court.
Judge 0'NeilPs charge was oral,
but the manner of delivery showed
that he had carefully considered
every phase Of it.
He dealt with the violations of the
prohibition law, which he understood
existed in certain portions Of the par.
ish. He urged the Grand Jury to deal
with this law as it would with any
other law, and if evidence was found,
to report true bills.
He called attention to the miscegi-
nation law. If there Was any viola
tion Of this Law. said the Judge, true
bills should be returned.
He called attention to the resolu-
ton Of the Police Jury. q virtual con
demnation Of the present game and
fish law, and suggested that the
Grand Jury take it up. He referred
to the Police Jury resolution ais p
popular resolution"
Judge 0,Neill is 8 hard worker,
and an able iurist, end has
been putting in some effective work
during the past week.
appropriation suits have occupied
the time Of the court during the past
week, while the Grand Jury was at
work on criminal cases. Afour-week
jury term of court will begin next
Monday, after which some weeks will
be devoted to trying misdemeanor
cases, triable by the Judge.
The st. Landry Bar Association Of
st. Landry met Wednesday at the
courthouse, and a resolution was
unanimously passed commencing in
the highest terms the charge of Act
ing Judge 0Neill.
The following is the full text of
the charge:
Mr.. Foreman and Gentlemen Of the
Grand Jury:
You are about to enter upon a
task of much Importance to your
selves and to the community in which
you live.
THE law makes it my duty to
charge you upon the nature of your
responsibilities and the duties which
you have just sworn to perform.
Il am told that most Of you have
the good fortune to be men of family.
It greatly depends upon the Grand
Juries Of st. Landry parish whether
the civic and moral atmosphere shall
be such as your families ought to be
in.
IF you are not fearless, disregard
of favoritism and petty Influences,
in the discharge of your duties as
Jurors, your work will be a
failure, ~laW-breakers will 60 unac-
cused and ~unpresented, and the stan
dard of law and order in the Parish
Of St. Landry will become lowered
and degraded.
''The functions of the Grand Jurors,
n our scheme Of government have
been too often slurred over and un-
lerrated.
IF your work is p~erfunctory, or
superficial or biased, it will amount
10 an adjustment of the laws; for if
;he laws are not executed they are
virtually abolished; and nothing but
5he activity, the honesty and the im-
1artiality of the Grand Jury will put
INTO execution the mass of our laws.
What a Grand Jury does may
often be taken as q test of the stti-
Jude Of a community toward the law
t it is lax and winks at ofenses
hen the community itself has drifted
nto or toward that deploFable eondi-
ion, where I~awlessness has been
'ound comfortable, convenient safe
Ind profitable, and where gain and
iches reconcile some minds to in
Fortunately, throughout the en-
ire country, and especially here ID
louisiana, the trend is nov in the di-
Of enforcement of the
aw and respect for it. I am con-
ldens that, through the conscientious
,erformance Of your duties az grand
urors, You will maintain as high 3
sandard of law and order in St. Lam
Try parish as exists in any other par
sh in this State.
Owing to the sad illness Of your
distinguished Judge, a large volume
f criminal business of q serious ma
urs has accumulated upon the docket
f this court, and it is your duty and
nine TO clear this docket a. promptly
nd with as little expense to this par
possible.
Certain deplorable occurrences IN
Dpelousas have been given rather
1idespread publicity. and have re-
ected ZONE discredit upon the good
anne Of your town and parish. This
fair will, of course, have your
rompt and careful Investigation.
We must not imagine, however,
bat conditions in this parish are abb
ormal or perverse. If you older res
fants viii compare the tone of this