The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-10-07
NUMBER 9
IN :.
TAX LEVY CONTESTED.

Residents es New River Drainage
District Declare $175, 900 Bond Is.
sue Would Not Have Carried Had
There Not Been Gross Irregular.
tiles In Election.
Suit was filed in the district court
OF Ascension parish on Friday, Sept.
22s to set aside the special elee.
ton held in the New River Drainage
District Aug. 1 last at which a prop N
osltlon was voted by a majority in
number and amount OF the property
taxpayers participating therein to is.
Sue bonds to the amount of s175 900
bearing five per cent interest and
payable within 40 years. said bonds
to be secured by a 5-mill ad yalorem
tax on all property subject to taxa.
ton within the district, and an IL
cent acreage tax on all lands situa-
ted within the district The majority
III favor of the proposition was 16
IN number and $24 ,405 in amount.
The nominal plaintiffs are W. T.
Ficklin. Thomas G. Parker, Vincent
Babin. Belonie Babin, Ernest Young,
John Moore. w. r. White and Alfred
| Braud, who charge in their petition
such gross Irregularities and illegal-
ties in the conduct of said special
election by the officers, commission
ers and clerks as to amount in law I
to fraud, and as to have prevented
a fair and free expression Of the de-
sire OF those property taxpayers, quail
| flied to vote, who We're opposed to
i said tax and the issuance OF bonds
| The petitioners further charge that
Illegally qualified voters were deprived
of the right to vote; that numerous
persons We're Illegally permitted to
vote; that persons We're illegally left
loft the pretended poll lists and de-
prlyed Of the right to vote; that
large majority of the property tax
payers were and are opposed to the
! levying of said tax, and that but for
1 such illegal frauds, illegalities and ir-
/ Irregularities and the denial of the
right to vote to a large number OF
duly qualified prope: ty taxpayers, the
i result would have been against the
levy of said drainage tax. 1t is aver
4 red that officers OF election refused
4 to permit persons to vote whose
furnished by the registrar of voters;
that the list was incomplete; that the
8 list contained the names Of persons
4 mot qualified, and that the registrar
. of voters did not furnish the commis-
sioners of election proper list of
81 taxpayers, together with the valEa-
a tion of each taxpayers property as
NJ shown by the assessment rolls made
n It fs u fIafsea that Aifs h5iitaI Bi1bfil
& and Mrs Ozeme Bo,iraue. property
. taxpayers, voted against the tax but
their votes were not counted. Alces
: Braud, Alces Babin, J. G. Mife, Ellie
: Diez, L. j.. Babin, .sol1y Boudreaux
T. A. Leblanc, Elphege Poche and
! Isidore Triche voted for the tax, u
: is aVerred, and are not qualified
voters; likewise, L. P. st Amant alle
!, Misses Eta and Winnie St. Amant
: who are not property taxpayers.
The petition further alleges tha
I w. r. White, Alfred Braud, A. White
= : Harrison James, Belonie Babin, Vim
] cent Babin, Thomas G. Parker, w. ]
= FiekIin and John G. Moore, of TIL,
eighth ward, and Joseph Alfred Boul
aeois, Cyrille Gautreau, John B. De
= aoteau, Ernest Young, p. Christoph
Braud, James Woods, p, r, Rogers
a, ID. Fl. Freeman, 6 w. Rice an
James Lanoux, Of the seventh ware
q, all property taxpayers and dnly qua
a, flied voters and electors residiH
within said drainage district, offere
Il. to vote a1afnst the tax and were y
e, fused the right to cast their ballot
as were also Mrs. Iepherin Canbr
m Mrs. f. NJ Babin and Mrs. A,
Einchen, women taxpayers resldlT
within the district and entitled
30. vote at said special election
Judgment is prayed for to set asst
OF, said "Dretended special election
,g- said New River Drainage District
and the petitioners further ask tn
hi the list furnished by the registrar
elk voters. the tally sheets Of said ele
p. ltion. and all the returns be examine
and that there be a recount by Il
court; that all illegal ballots be
iected; and that said special electie
proclamation, special tax and pi
tended PRONUNCIATION of said speel
election be decreed illegal. null a
- void
The case will come up for trial
the regular civil term Of distr
,ly, court to be convened next mon
Attorneys g.. r. Vega, Of Donaldse
VILE, and George S. Guion, OF :
poleonville. will represent the pfa
4. tiffs and petitioners. and Attorn
C. C. Weber, of this city, will defe
a. the suit in his capacity of attorn
w. for the board OF commissioners OF
New River Drainage District.
Tai .---.
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