The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-05-17
I1CF 0VE2Toi RENDERS JUDGMENT
IN LIBEL SUIT OF A. L JONES,
,;4od Of Fraud and Dishonesty $4,000 Awarded
''4'' as Damages Text Of Opinion
Follows.

Overon rendered The judgment last Saturday in the case
ln0 T Jones VS. Number 1870 J. o. Modisette ct ais
@ sui was instituted by Mr.. Jones against j. o. ModSete
wilkins NJ c. Holt, T. c. Mahafey, Chas r. Houssiere G.
ph and H. Hoag on account of certain alleged lbeIous
pnbished by the defendants in a rather noted Injunction
the District Court by these defendants against the Police
81 IN October 1917
NV and Judge Overton, in very carefully written opinion
@ Judgment in favor of the plaintiff and assesses damages
NO0 In fixing this amount as damages the judge takes
to cav. "ThS acquitaI of fraud and dishonesty ought to
~ awards correcting the injury done and ought to be
Ella in mitigation of damages"
re-. nnF was represented by Messrs Mccoy Moss of
Charles Hon. E. D. Miller of Jennings and John T. Hood of
nm while the defendants represented by Hon. S. Pugh
a prev and Messrs Modisette Adams of jennings
N account of the prominence of the parties involved and the
nooy given to the of action the attracted
@ non moi only throughout the parish but throughout the
@ The case also of note because there other suits
no against these defendants arising out of the
adion MeSSrS Arthur Guidry T. S Walker j. S. IRENE,
arrantel F. A. ArCeneaux Dolce BurgeooiS and Yves Pe
e of the Police Jury who targets of the libel
B a statements that in the tried all have similar suits
% An agreement had been reached among counsel that
n one ease would be tried and the judgment rendered in that
IN onA be entered in all the others by agreement.
This suit is the elimination of train of litigation to which
Jury has been subjected practically all instigaed by so
M citizens committee of jennings and in connection with the
don of the system of parish improved highways. The
h purpose has been the correcting of certain defects and
g the of constructing the public highways, but in
nnd of many is nothing less than revival OF the old fac
t between Jennings and the western part OF the parish
pe no body of officials has carried public work
face of such obstacles that done by he Police jury in the
sa Of building the improved highways The $5OOOOOOO bond
sold and the contracts were awarded III the latter part OF
@ under very advantageous terms to the parish Soon after
contracts let the government entered the European war
Immediately the cost of material rapidly advanced and labor
@ almost unobanabe at any price. The government called
Transportation facilities into its service and on this account
Parish suffered because of its inability to deliver SurfacIn8
m All contractors began to lose heavily the contracts
gu nlo thus making the situation difficult to handle
The police jury also confronted with the obligation of
g on highway work in every ward OF the parish IN order
m out The provisions of resolution adopted by the Police
former administration pedgng to each of the nine wards
pro rata hesg6od roads bond issue funds based upon the
mnh taxes paid by each ward Then almost simultaneously
train OF law suits various alleged defects in the man.
handling the road construction work The result has been
constant haaSSmen of the Police Jury since the contracts
sNRA
Notwithstanding all this it is but justice to say in behalf of
Police Jury that after ALL the people beginning to realize
5 the parish has gotten value received for the money spent
@ obstruction The parish has completed approximately
n with Suracng material already spread. There is now LII
% enough gravel for approximately 1O miles more In al
m this there are approximately Is miles of road which has
graded and ready for surfacng material All the con-
@ bridges the entire length of the east and west highway
nave been completed and yet there is approximately $5OOOOOO re-
sn Of the bond issue fund By way OF comparison OF coS
may said that the remaining portion OF the east and WeS
V will be constructed under the supervision OF the State
RE department. approximately 712 miles This work con
~ only the laying of Surfacing material the earth work
@ bridge work having already been completed The estimates OF
highway department for this work figures approximately
per mile 1t will thus be that the work done hereto
@e mas not been extrayagant waste.
once Judge Overt0n has rendered the Judgment In THIS case
Y &sdants have filed motion for trial. basing the
s Tor The trial upon the allegation that the judgmen
court was oppressive and unjust and contrary to the law
evidence and without proper appreciation ana uhuef
4uS o. Inc law submitted by the defendants. i, b
"a account Of the general interest in the suit the Journa
pN8aas Inc full text of the judgment m4t