The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-03-05
LAW ENFORCEMENT DEMANDED.

and sure punishment of crime, and they ;
are to prevent injustice being done to those
falsely or carelessly accused of crime. In
recent years the courts have given 80 much
attention to the second part Of their func-
ton as to create the impression that they
are concerned for that alone. Indeed, so
many technicalities are interposed between
the accused and the punishment deemed
fitting for his crime according to the pre-
cedents and statutes, that it would seem
that judicial procedure was designed to
prevent the infliction of penalty. Thelegal
advantage remains with the accused, and
not the people, and legal advantage and
technicalities, reinforced by "maudlin
sentimentality," counts for much, and
harms, rather than protects, society.
1t is the theory of the law that it is better
for ninety nine guilty men to escape than
for one innocent man to be convicted, and
it is a theory that seems to be stretched to
its limits in this country. Justice in Louis
lana is virtually manacled and hobbled by
ali kinds of judicial legerdemain, and she
can neither strike freely nor move fast.
Criminals with money or influence can de-
Law their trials almost indefinitely and tire
out the courts and people by variety of
legal trickery or strategy.
Judicial procedure in criminal cases ap-
pears to stand in need of good deal Of
reform in Louisiana, and it would be better
that the reform should come from within
than without. Unless judicial procedure
be soon amended to the purpose of simpler,
swifter and more certain justice, the fabric
of our judiciary is likely to be severely
shaken by an outraged peoples Impotence.
Futile proceedings in behalf of law en-
hIin hos
for years been viewed with anything but
satisfaction by the mass of people, hence
we are not surprised at the great indigna-
ton of the people of Shreveport at the
farcical ending last Sunday of the So called
Little trial, which, as is too often the case,
resulted in the acquittal of the murderers.
At an indignation meeting held in that
city Monday night, attended by three
thousand citizens demanding the enforce
ment of the law, strong resolutions were
adopted denouncing the "deplorable and
intoerable situation in Shreveport and
Caddo Parish; the Littles we're ordered to
depart and not return, and Judge Land
was asked to forever bar as jurors the men
who acquitted the murderers; which re-
quest was made an order of the court.
The meeting was addressed by judged. C.
Pugh, Ex-Governor N. C. Blanchard and
Rev. NJ. E. Dodd, whose speeches are given
in part as follows:
Judge J. c. Pugh was the first speaker,
who said:
'.Three -fourths of the business men in
this city to-day, if hailed into the court
house, would disquailify rather than serve
on the jury.
.'You have heard from all parts of the
State. and as far away as 200 miles from
this city, that no value was placed on hu-
man life in Caddo Parish. You may shoot
down man in broad daylight and be
caught in the act with the smoking weapon
in your hand, and if you can bring a
woman into the case you may be reasona-
bly, sure of an acquittal.
If this meeting accomplishes nothing
else, it will give the people of this parish to
understand that we must have law and or
der and that regardless of the question of
sex.
'sIt is the duty of the citizens, as much
as it is the duty of the judge and district
attorney, to insist upon the enforcement of
the laws, and unless there is cooperation
of the two forces law enforcement will fail.
.'You may imprison the man who steals
from you, but the man who steals his way
into the jury box is beyond reach.
IL Is the Quty VI every WHITE man IN
this parish this night to pledge himself to
give the district attorney and the Judge his
hearty and cordial help in enforcing the
law.
s'Not one judge in five has any concep-
ton of what reasonable doubt is. A
reasonable doubt is nothing but misera-
BILE subterfuge upon which juror hinges
his responsibility and salves his conscience
.sYou have heard it said that it were
better that ninety nine guilty men escape
than that one innocent man be punished
but tell you that the ninety mine guilty
ones have already escaped. There are
men in this city to-day who violate the law
openly. Men who have been convicted and
\ght to be on the parish farm or in the
hitentiary, are daily walking the streets
ii Shreveport Something is wrong wher
condition of this kind exists, and wha
we are here for tonight is to determine
who struck Billy Patterson
Every community is judged by The
the standard under which its citizens en-.
force the law. The South American people
are ahead of US in practically everything
In the city of Havana, where visited, if thu
poorest wharf rat of that city is run dowr
by an automobile and killed, the driver
no matter what his station, is hailed into tn,
courts and made to answer. There are NJ
delays and technicalities about the pro
ceedings. The people there have respec
for the law.
when the people of Caddo make VI
their minds that they are going to hold th,