St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1911-03-11
SHERIFF SWORDS RE.
SENT'S LAWYERS
PETITION
0nelo1sas. La March i 1o11

the petition of Lastie Pitre,
colored, through his attorney. T.
Austin Fontenot, which the pub
lie will readily understand.
TO the Honorable the Judge OF
the 10Th Judicial District
Court Of the State Of Louis.
lana, holding sessions in and
for the parish of st. Landry.
The petition of Lastie Pitre, a
resident of the parish of St.
Landry, respectfully shows:
That he has been incarcerated
in the Parish Jail on suspicion of
being implicated in some of the
robberies confessed to by one
Willie Morris, also now incarce-
rated in the parish jail; that
while no charge as yet has been
made against your petitioner by
the Sheriff or other officer your
petitioners attorney, L. Austin
Fontenot, Esq, was informed by
the District Attorney that a
charge for burglary was contem-
plated and application for bail
wouldhave tobe made tocover that
accusation; that your petitioner
then caused to be made an appli-
cation to this Honorable Court
asking for bail, which was ac-
cordingly granted, and in the sum
of five hundred dollars; that your
petitioner then rendered Mr..
August A. Crouchet and [. Aus
tin Fontenot as sureties on said
bail bond but that the Sheriff of
the Parish of st. Landry, Marion
L. Swords, refused to permit
them to sign said bond for the
alleged reason that he had to
have an abstract showing what
property they owned; that the
said L. Austin Fontenot and
August A. Crouchet are good,
competent and sufficient sureties
and that the refusal of the said
Marion L. Swords, Sheriff, was
simply in furtherance of his plan
of persecution by which he re-
fuses your petitioner the right to
see counsel.
Your petitioner further repre-
sents that the said Marion L.
Swords, Sheriff, has issued in
structions and orders to the
keeper of the jail, to permit no
one to see petitioner and actually,
~unlawfully, arbitrarily and mali
ciously refuses petitioner to see
his counsel.
Your petitioner further repre-
sents that he is entitled by law.
to be bailed out on the sureties
offered; that he is entitled by
to the right to see his coun-
sci at all reasonable hours, and
that the said Marion [. Swords,
Sheriff, should be ruled to show
cause on a day, hour and time to
be fixed by this Court why said
sureties offered by petitioner
should not be accepted, and why
petitioner should not be permit
ted to see his counsel at any rea-
sonable hour he may desire.
Wherefore, petitioner prays
that this Court issue q rule to the
said Marion L. Swords, Sheriff of
The Parish of St. Landry, COM
him to show cause, if
my he has or can have, why the
'ureties rendered him should not
oe accepted; and why and for
What cause, if any he has or can
lave, why petitioner should not
,e allowed to see his counsel; and
hat, after one hearing, the said
'ule be made absolute, and that,
Lccordingly, the sureties rendered
he sheriff be declared compe-
ent and sufficient, and that your
while incarcerated be
'ermitted at all reasonable hours
he right to see counsel; and that,
fter said rule be made absolute,
{ the said Swords, Sheriff, re-
use to obey the mandate of the
curt that he be dealt with ac-
ording to law. Petitioner fur
her prays that the service OF
his rule be ordered made by the
'oroner of the Parish, Robt. NJ.
Petitioner further prays
or costs and general relief IN
ne premises.
BY his attorney.
L. AUSTIN FONTENOT.0
I addressed the following letter
} each member of the Opelousas
ar, which speaks for itself:
Opelousas, La, Feb. 20, 1911.
Ir. - City: [
Dear Sir. The burglaries COM
lifted in this community, Parish
nd State, call for the most min {
te investigation, and as Chief !
Of this Parish I would !
specially ask you to refrain J
ON communicating with any of
le prisoners supposed to be con-
ected with these burglaries,
It'll a thorough investigation is
I'd.
I will notify each and every
ember of the bar at the same
>ur when they can see any pris-
lers that may call for them.
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