Lower coast gazette., 1914-10-31

Editor Lower Coast Gazette:
My attsnticn res been called to a
letter signed Citizen" appearing in
the ~"Plaquemines Protector Of date
October 2lt!l., which, from the nature
Of its personal attack upon ne, compe!s
me to make answer thereto. TIE writ
err Of he letter is c,thar ~misinformed,
or has Wiifully mlsstated facts in an
attempt to injuce me-. AM inclined to
believe TIE latter is the case.
1t is untrue that the jury commission
vas under the Judges who preceded
me selected from different sections of
the parish. The records at the Court
house show that with single exception,
since the yea- 1893, the jury commits
son was composed Of men living in the
Bird ward, Or near tie Courthouse. The
records beyond 1898 were not availa-o!a
at this writing. These records are onea
to the public and they Sow the fellow
ing facts as rega...s the selection OF
the ;lry commission by the late Judge
Robert Hinge. Judge Albert Estopinal
Jr., end Judge n. Il. Nune2:
Under the late Judge Robert FIingie,
Jury Commission from september 1893,
to August 1889: H. 0. Martin, Simeon
Rsgas, e. A. Schavot, G. V. Groleau
and Jos. Il. Yuraticl.. The three first
named were from the 3rd ward, G. V.
Groleau lived about a mile away from
tho Courthouse in the 6th ward, and
Jos. T.. Yuratich was from the 10th
ward.
In 1899 G. V. Groieau was replaced
by Felix S. Hingle, who livedin the Bird
ward, leaving four out of five Commits
s;oners rom the Grd ward. The Jury
Commission was then as follows: Felix
S. Hingle, E. A. Schayot, S. Ragas,
H. O. Martin and Jos. A. Yuratich.
In the early part Of 1900 Jos. a..
Yuratich was replaced by John w.
Booth, who lived just across the river
from the Courthouse ia The 9th ward.
MIR. Booth served a few months and
was replaced by Robert Brown, of the
Ord ward and Felix S. Hingle who was
elected to some ot,,.es Office was re-
placed by Pat Lac, also from the Ord
ward. Leo Martin Of the 5rd ward re-
placed e. 4. Schayot.
Therefore since August 1861, ell hvo
Jury COMMISSIONERS were selected from
the 3rd ward. This was under the IN.
cumbency Of the late Judge Robert
Hinsle. He died in June. 1904, and was
succeeded by Judge Albert Estopinal,
VINO served only five months. Under
Judge Estopinal the Ju.y Commission
ers were Leo Martin, S. Ragas, Pat
Lac, Rcbett Brown and John 5. itiE-
gle, aIifrom the Ord ward.
Judge N. Il. n!unez was elected III
November, 1904, and served until No.
vember, 1903. The only change Judge
Nurez made was to appoint the lat
David Gavoie, also OF the md ward, ir
the place Of Pat Lac, removed.
The 3ary Commission as presently
composed, Leo Martin, Leon Hing,c,
Louis bureau, Ar,le Martin and Zacf
Gravolet, are also from the 3rd ward
as those vino came before them, anl
they enjoy the full faith and eonadenc;
of this community in their work, not
~withstanding, ~"Citizen's" bese inain
uation that their votes are worth /;
mere cornmissionership. It might bt
we'll to mention that q Jury Commis
sioner is paid $500 per session lasting
a day. The Jury Commission sits twie,
a year, therefore, netting each Com
missioner $1,000. / mention this t
show how remunerstive the Office j:
ard how easy it would be to secure
Commissioners iron. places ike Venice
Buras and, the Ike.
i merely state these facts for tn.
benefit Of the public to, show the in
justice intended for me by the letter
appearing in the Protector" and BY
no means as ar explanation or apolog,
to Citizen"
Regarding the failure Of a grant
jury to convene, the reasons are O.
pubic record, and to ".Cltizen" or II
anyone else. showing good cause TO
inquiry other than politics, togethe.
with the Clerk Of Court, Ishall be glat
to assist in clearing up this terrible
calamity that has befailen us.
/ have written q letter somewha
similar to this to the Plaquemincs Pro
tector.
Yours truly,
R. EMMETT HIEGLE.