St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1918-05-04
HIGH COURT GUSTS
SHERIFF R. {. ODEN
OF ALLEN PARISH
Judgment Of Supreme Tribunal Sets
Aside Verdict Of Jury Rendered
In Trial Case
DECISION FOLLOWS AFTER
HOT FIGHT. BY BOTH SIDES
Special Election VIII Have to Be
Called to FIJI Vacancy Gre
ated by Officials
Loss Of Contest Il

4
handed down decision in the IA
nous case entitled A. v. Coco, at
torney general, versus r. e. Oden,
sheriff of Allen parish, setting aside
the verdict of the trial jury which
found DR.. Oden not guilty of the
charge of riding on a free railroad
pass in contravention of the law.
By this decision the office OF
sheriff of Allen is declared vacant
4ndd a special special e1e election viii have to
be called by the governor to fill the
vacancy thus created. AS the bal
ance of the unexpired term Is for
considerably over a year the COVER
nor has not the power to fill the va
cancy
Justice Sommeryille was the or
gan of the court and Justice O'Neill
dissented on the grounds that the
case was not brought correctly, stat
ing that it should have been brought
by the state on the relation OF the
attorney general This was but a
Itechnicality and the court did not
flet it effect the decision.
At the ineeptipn of the fight made
III Allen to oust Sheriff oden, It was
stated that if the trial proved sue
cessful in ousting the sheriff similar
charges would be brought against
other officials throughout the state
who also had been guilty of violat-
ing the anti-pass law. It now re-
mains to be seen If this threatened
action will be taken In view OF the
fact that the case against Sheriff
0den has terminated successfully
for the plaintiff.
The ousted official was charged
specifically with having obtained
and used free pass over the Iron
Mountain Railroad. When the case
was brought before the courts de-
fendant's attorneys asked for trial
| by jury. This move caused delay
| of some time until special jury
yenire could be drawn all the pre-
fliminaries having been arranged, the
stage for the hard-fought case was
set and the sheriff of the new par
lish faced a jury. It did not take
long to present the evidence for and
against and within ten minutes al
| ter the case was handed over to the
trial Jury verdict was rendered. in
the sheriff's favor, First blood haY-
ing been won by the official, the at
torney general Immediately took the
case to the higher court and de-
! cision was rendered as stated be-
/ fore.
The ousted sheriff is a native OF
st. Landry, a doctor by profession
and moved to Kinder many years
ago before the creation of the new
parish. He is accounted quite pop
luar and became candidate for
election at the last general election
There were some five or six can,
didates in the field and former
Sheriff Y. o. Reed and Dr.. oden led
the ticket in the first primary and
entered the second for the run-oyer.
Though Sheriff Reed led all con-
testants in the first primary, he was
defeated by Dr. oden by small
majority in the run-off,
! It is thought that there will be
field full of candidates for the oden'
succession and close friends Of for
mer Sheriff Reed believe he will be
"a candidate also. It is not known
whether the deposed sheriff will
also enter the lists or not, but It IS
presumed. he will.