The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-10-16
GRAND JURY REPORT.
Jennings, La. Oct. IA, 1914


judicial District Court, Alfred M.
Barbe, Presiding
We, your Grand Jury, beg to submit,
this, as our final report:
We regret that we find ourselves un'
able to make favorable report, as did
the last Grand Jury. upon the amounts
of business brought to our attention
We have examined thirty'three cases
of which we have found fifteen true
bills, fifteen no true bills and three re-
ferred back to the District Attorney for
further attention.
A great number Of the cases brought
to our attention were of miSdemean.
or nature; namely, that OF flooding the
public roads. We went into each OF
these cases very thoroughly and, while
we find that the public roads have been
flooded, from the information we re-
ceived from the different witnesses ex.
amined; we find that the Police Jurors
of the different wards are not using the
facilities at their command to provide
for proper drainage of the roads under
their supervision. In this matter we
recommend that the Police Jurors Sc
cure the services of the Parish Survey
or and with him to visit the various
localities at which the roads have been
flooded and, under his direction, that
the proper and necessary drainage be
effected upon the public roads. In the
matter OF the flooding OF the public
roads. In the matter of the flooding
of the public road near Welsh, in the
case entitled State VS.. Jake Roberts,
we find after examining numerous
witnesses, including the Police Juror,
that the flooded condition OF the road
which obtained there was caused by the
present drainage system, which con-
sists of a ditch through the John
Campbell farm, being entirely made
duate and we recommend that the
town authorities OF Welsh be request.
ed to provide other and adequate
means of drainage at this point.
In the matter of violations OF the llq'
uor law which we have gone into very
thoroughly and we find it difficult und'
er the existing statutes to secure suf'
fiCient evidence for an indictment,
we have, however, brought in one true
bill on tets charge.
Another matter which was brought
to our attention and which we consider
of most vital Importance to all individu'
ais and interests in this parish is a
practice which we have found to exist
among the rice buyers representing
various mills; namely, that OF entering
into secret agreements among them
selves whereby they agree among
themselves not to pay more than
agreed prices for certain lots OF rice
and, after said lots have been sold to
one of their number, dividing the rice
among themselves in accordance with
!. their previous agreement. From the
evidence obtained we have reason tG
believe that such conSpiracleS do exist
and are entered into for the purpose Of
buying rice at less than its actual value
This matter was brought to our at
tention during the last hours of this
session of this Grand Jury and we have
not been able to complete our inVestI
cation of same. It is our intention tt
:, look into it further and should we no
have sufficient time in which to con
plete this investigation we recommend
that the incoming Grand Jury be in
structed by your Honor to take thl
case where we leave 1t.
The report takes up other matter
and concludes with an expression o
: its appreciation of courteSies extends
!, by Sheriff Fuselier, his court deputies
n and the officials of the Court.
al 1t is signed by j. W. Armstrong
foreman; and M. E. Conndlly, Clerl