The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-05-17
and particularly

my anu IllloappI opl I1tiAlS GNU AiASSo
ly paying out of the public funds to
]. n. George & Sons, the Alexandria
Gravel Co., Col. w. l.. Stevens and
other parties in violation of the con-
tract in each instant and contrary to
the laws of the state.
In article IS of the petition in the
Injunction, the defendants in this
suit allege:
Petitioners furthre show that re-
lying upon information and belief
and predicating this allegation upon
such information and belief they now
ailege that there exists al unlawful
conspiracy and combination or con-
SpiraCies and combinations to all OF
which the police jury and the engi-
neer are parties, whereby the public
moneys and funds are, to the knoWl-
edge of these officials, and servants
of the public, illegally disbursed and
expended, all to the great injury and
damage of the tax payers in general
| of Jefferson Davis parish, and eS-
peeiaIly and particularly to your petit
TONERS Relein.
In article A of the injunction suit
the defendants in this suit allege:
petitioners further show that the
said police jury has paid to the said
| j. N. George & Sons a pretended
ella III for loss Of profits on alleged
long hauls and because certain div
sions or roads requiring short hauls
were not built and constructed, as
called for in their contract, the full
sum of $16,000.00 and purpose to
pay the further sum of approximately
| Twenty thousand dollars $50, 000)
to the said ]. N. George & Sons, with
out any consideration whatever, con-
trary to the law and in violation of
their official oaths Of office"
In article Al of the injunction suit
the defendants in this suit allege:
petitioners further show that be-
cause of the wrong, collision and
fraud of the police jury and the en-
gineer with the contractors for ma
.erial and roads, they are entitled,
after a hearing herein, to writ of
Injunction, upon petitioners furnish
ing bond, ordering and restraining
the police jury of the parish of JEFF
ferson Davis from paying out any
more of the public funds on the con-
| tracts herein referred to, to either
Col. w. L. Stevens, the Alexandria
Gravel Co., j. n. George G Sons, the
Healy Construction Co.. or to any
! other person, firm or corporation or
association.
The above quoted allegations con-
stitute the basis for this suit. After
the filing of exceptions to the present
demand, which were overruled, de-
PENDANTS answered.
In this answer they admit that the
plaintiff herein, Arthur T. Jones,
during the letting Of the contracts
and the construction of the roads,
was member of the police jury and
that the allegations quoted above
were made by them, charging con-
spiracy, fraud, etc. They allege that
they had probable cause for making
the allegations; that they were made
without malice and in good faith;
that being so made and as they were
addressed to a court, and were peril
nent to the suit that they are priv
LEGGED in law, and being privileged
can not form the basis for a libel
suit.
The defendants in their answer
give a full outline of the facts, which
they contend were in their possession
at the time the allegations complain.
ed of were made, and which they aver
gave them probable cause to make
them.
They concede there was an error If
charging that the Alexandria Grave
: Co. had deposited the check Of ovel
IS, 100000 with its bid, and admit
! that none was required, and inferen
: TALLY, that there was no accounting
to be had of the supposed check
They aver, however, they were let
into error by the statement OF TIT
chairman of the Finance commit
tee, at a public meeting, that he die
/ not know what had become OF TIM
t check, and by the statement of tn
Treasurer, and of another member o
the police jury that they had not seel
g it, thus strengthening their belief il
i it's existence by not denying that
= was ever received or required. The
t further aver that this belief wa
: further strengthened by the fac
I that in all other calls for bids on thi
: work the deposit of certified chez
i was required of.the bidder, wherea
/ as they afterwards discovered, non
a was required for gravel.
They aver probable cause for max
ing the allegations on the groun
e that no bond was required OF tn
j: gravel company, whereas the cor
e tract called for one, and further be
: cause the gravel received was ,belo'
It specifications, and was being improl
l. erly laid, and the specifications
e other respects were not being prof.
} erIy carried out.
= They also aver probable cause II
d making the allegations complaine
e of, because an unlicensed englnet
= was employed who was not properl
h dischasg1ng his duties; because
t, conversation was heard in the Bent
re Hotel, by dictaphone, which the
aver, implicated two members OF II
IS police jury, Hathaway and Trem
is because it was publicly talked Q
is the streets of Jennings that the poli'
10 jury had paid George & Sons 10
re profits and were to pay them ST
80 more. These reports, they aver, Il
e. police jury made no denial of. :
a. They aver that the police jury pa
a. no heed to their protests and henc
e. in order to protect themselves, al
as the tax payers in general, they MAJ
Dr. the above quoted allegations, wit
I'd out malice, sand with probable eaus
to believe in their truth.
IL NH .Lo,a n No Tho chief facts :