The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-08-11
LAYS The LAW
BEFORE POLICE JURY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE)

lie records, and the proper and orderly
administration of justice; and not the
present makeShiftS, wherein and by
means of which the transaction of the
public business and the administration
of justice is not only Inconvenience
but interfered with at great and I'm.
necessary expense, and the public re.
cords endangered by fire.
That a total assessment of the Par.
iSh of Jefferson Davis for the year 1913,
as equalized by the state board of equal
ization is $5,47O,545; that the Parish of
Jefferson Davis has sufficient revenues
with which to provide for the COnStruc.
ton, erection and completion of good,
sufficient, and permanent courthouse
and jail on the site now owned and
dedicated for such purpose at the par.
iSh seat, in the town of Jennings; and
1t is the mandatory duty of the said
Police Jury to make an appropriation
for such purpose and to assess and
levy tax sufficient to provide for the
payment thereof in the manner and
form prescribed by law.
That the inaction of the said Police
Jury with regard to the adoption of
proper ordinances providing for the
construction, erection and completion
of good, sufficient and permanent
court house and jail and the assess.
ment and levy Of tax for the payment
thereof, is in direct violation of its
duty and contrary to and against the
mandatory provisions of the law in
that behalf and unjust and detrimen.
tai to the public interest and to that of
the citizens and taxpayers of the Par.
iSh Of Jefferson Davis and Of the State
OF Louisiana as whole.
inSanitary, unfit for occupancy and
wholly inadequate and insufficient for
such for use; and that by reason there.
of prisoner in the custody of the
officers was recently taken from the
said jail and murdered; and that prison
erS under indictment for criminal as
sault. forgery and other felonious
crimes have escaped therefrom; that
the said temporary structures are mere
makeShiftS.
That the mandatory provisions of
the law impose upon the Police Jury
OF the duty of providing a permanent
and substantial court house and Jail, of
such character and proportions as will
furnish ample Accommodations for the
transaction of the public business, the
protection and safekeeping of the pub.
THAT co.relatorS with the district
attorney herein are residents and tax.
payers of the Parish of Jefferson Davis
and that they are put to great incon.
venience and additional expense as tax.
papers by reason of the refusal and
failure of the said Police Jury to pro.
vide court house, with proper offices
therein for the transaction of the pub.
lie business and for the protection
and satekeeping of the public records
and Jail for the safe keeping of pris.
OnerS; that the public records should
be kept in suitable fire.proof vault in
the court house, and the failure of the
Police Jury to provide for their Securi.
ty subjects your co.relatorS to the
hazard of their destruction by fire and
consequent Inconvenience and expense
incident to restoring titles to their real
property; that the prisoners have to be
transferred to jails of other parishes for
Safekeeplng, resulting in additional ex.
pense and great inconvenience.
THAT REALTORS have no relief by the
ordinary means, and it is necessary in
order 10 prevent denial of justice that
a peremptory mandahus issue from
your honorable court, in the name of
he State of Louisiana, addressed to the
Police jury of the Parish of Jefferson
Davis, State of Louisiana, to provide
for the construction erection and com.
pletion of a good and sufficient court
house with proper rooms for jurors,
and with offices therein for the parish
officials, equipped with seals, books and
appurtenances for the parish and for
the various officers thereof, on the
site dedicated to and owned by the