Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1915-11-27
MANDAMUS SUIT.

rest Of the evidence in tho suit
of the rejected candidates again
st the Parish Committee wa
heard and court adjourned witt
the understanding that counsel
arguments would be heard il
Gretna the following day, Satur
day.
Taken all in all, those presen
were favorably impressed, ever
according to the testimony Of
plaintiffs own witnesses, that tht
Parish Committee had based its
action on the law in the case and
consequently we predict that it's
action will be affirmed by the
judiciary.
AS to those plaintiffs whose
notifications did not contain the
appointment of a campaign man
ager either by themselves or
alleged agents, their own counsel
virtually admitted that they had
mo case at alp. We,mpst re-
member that in this class are six
or seven who. presumably feel
ing the hopelessness of their
position, did not Join in the
Mandamus proceedings at all.
Three or four others who actually
Joined in the suit had no more
standing in Court than the above
mentioned individuals. The only
distinction We can see is that it
took those three or four petition
ers a little more time t0 find out
that any legal effort would be
fruitless.
Now, as to the notifications
which contained a so-called legal
appointment of campaign man.
ager, the evidence adduced by
these petitioners had all the ear
marks of simon-pure fabrication.
Apparently all the witnesses
were not coached or rehearsed
enough and unfortunately for
their cause some of them let
the cat out of the bag. Much
effort was made on their part to
show that the words Il am my
own campaign manager" were
written on their notifications with
their authorization. Some autho-
rized Mr. Bodin to Wiite the words
and yet all, except one, were
written by Hart Jr,, The doctrine
Of agency there was somewhat
stretched. Then it was testified
that at a meeting Of the Hart
faction in Reserve this question
of law was discussed and it was
finally understood" by the can
didates present that Secretary
Bodin was going to patch up the
notifications so as to contain the
words Il am my own campaign
Manager. Yet some of THEIR
WITNESSES actually took the
stand and testified that they
were present at that meeting and
Nothing was said AS to the me-
cessity of appointing a campaign
manager. That SPILLED the
beans. Some testified that those
words were written upstairs in
the Sugar Belt Club, others said
it was done downstairs in the
office. Even among the witnesses
who agreed as to the place where
the writing was done, there was
no semblance of unanimity as to
the circumstances surrounding
this act.
Finally it leaked out that as soon
as the meeting was over
every body left. AS to what was
really going or. in the room down
stairs it was brought out by compe
tent testimony that the Deputy
Registrar was in there registering
sympathizers of the Hart clique.
Witness testified that he regist-
cred there. En- passant we
might ask how is that for a
sample Of law violation2 Fear
not! L L'Obseryateur, the reformer
will not raise its humble voice
against such a practice.
In the midst of this mass of con-
tradictions. plaintiffs counsel an
nounced that their case was clos
ed. Defendants. not having the
burden of proof, naturally called
up few witnesses but they gave
straightforward testimony all
through subjected to severe
cross-examination.
Saturday, at 10 O'clock, the
case was argued at Gretna. After
arguments were closed, the Judge
took the cases under advisement
and stated that he would endeaver
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