St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1918-08-03
PORT BARRE PEOPLE
ADOPT RESOLUTIONS
ON Recent KILLING
Tragedy in Little Village Last sat
urday Brings About Sig
Mass Meeting
DEPUTY sHERiFF WALTERS
sLAys MARSHALL FORREST
DeplcrahIe Tragedy Occurred en-
Front Gallery Of saIoon-Re-
ports state the Dead Nan Was
Shot in Eack

A tragedy occurred at Port Barre
last Saturday afternoon which has
according to reports, stirred that
little village to its foundation. Mar.
shall Forest is dead as the result OF
bullet wound from the pistol OF
Deputy Sheriff Davis Walters and the
latter has been put under arrest The
Clarion knows nothing Of the affair
except hearsay and has no intention of
preiudging the guilt or innocence OF
the accused man.
4 mass meeting at the citizens of
Port Barre was held Immediately
following the killing, set Of resoln-
items adopted and copy brought to
The Clarion office with the request
that they be published As furnished
this newspaper, the preamble and
resolutions, with the attached sigma
tIres, are as follows:
Port Barre. La, July 27, 1918.
Following the killing OF Marshall
Forrest, BY Davis Walters, a resident
of Pert Barre, an event which occur
red on the evening of July q, 1878,
on tne front gallery of the A. y Chr
mier saloon building, tEla people asad
citizens of Port Barre requested the
mayor, Hon. F. q. Deiean and the
members Of the board Of aldermen
to call a mass meeting at 9 p. m. for
the purpose Of publicly discussing
aforesaid tragedy
AT the hour OF p N. large and
representative assembly of citizens
had already met at the town hall
and the meeting having duly been
called to order by Hon. A. E. Res
weber, who was nominated chairman
OF the meeting by the mayor and citi-
zens, the following resolutions were
prepared by the clerk at the request
of the citizens:
Be it resolved, that, whereas, a
most depIorabIe tragedy has taken
place within our midst, and at
place and hour such that more
than usual public attention has been
drawn thereto, that we, the people
and citizens OF Port Barre. deplure
this event because of the especial
features involving a killing by one
who was a duly appointed officer
and representative Of the law OF q.
citizen and resident of the communi-
ty VINO leaves behind him a widow
and family of minor children, and
surrounding whose death by violence
at the hands Of one Davis Walters.
who, being an officer Of the law, as
aforesaid, was of such nature az
to demand immediate public atten-
ton.
We hereby do petition our Honor
able District Court, represented by
Hon. b. Fl. Pavy, presiding Judge,
and also Hon. r. Lee Garland, pros
ecuting attorney for the parish of st
Landry, that this killing Of a citizen
under negpIfcabIe circumstances by
an officer of the law be investigated
at once by a special session OF the
grand Jury, and that should returns
of said investigation by the grand
Jury Indicate the commission OF a
high crime. that this case receive
Immediate attention in our court and
that speedy and legal end be at
tanned thereto with the least posi-
bile delay consistent with the prog
ress Of justice.
We further depIore most sad and
apparent shortcoming IN the iudig-
ment, taste, propriety and good prac-
tice of our high sheriff, Mr.. Darius
VI. Fontenot, sheriff of St. Landry
parish, who in moment of uIt-
guarded action appointed and conf
rnissiened as an officer OF the law
one who yaII the rules and customs
was not only incompetent but insuf-
ficient 60 serve such q purpose and
whose reputatiaa and general be-
havior du-iag time long known has
so thoroughly demonstrated the rea
sonahIeness of this criticism as co
forego and prevent any form OF ezs-
cuse ON the part OF our sheriff for
having been so careless anG derelict
ta his bounden duty to the peapIe.
We feel that no criticism, however
severe. could be too drastic when
aroused by such great and sufficient
causes.
tcontinued on Page Eisstl