The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1920-01-31
CHARGE MANY FRAUDS
IN SEVERAL PRECINCTS
Continued from Title Page)

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voted "early and late,' the records
showing that Cleus Sicily voted twice
when only one by that name was
qualified. The following voters are
charged with having voted illegally
at Leonville without being registered
Terrier David, Leopold Carriere, Ru-
.dolph Quebedeaux, Curley Guidroz,
Willie Mistrot, Chenille Stoute.
Scores are charged with having
voted without having their poll taxes
paid.
Among the frauds and Irregular
ties charged at Port Barre are the
following illegal voters, for the rea-
son that they were not registered:
Danny Lanclos, Adam Richard, Lu-
cius Guillory, Fred Nezat. That the
tally sheets show that one hundred
and seventeen votes were cast at the
Port Barre precinct, when the voting
list, giving the names of those who
voted, show that only one hundred
and fifteen appeared to vote and did
vote that after the votes were count
/ ed, four votes were left or found on
the table where the ballot box was,
and no explanation was made or Of
fered by the commissioners of cleo
ton when their attention was called
to the fact that the tickets were there.
At Coulee Croche two were found
to have voted twice and several who
had not registered participated in the
election.
Edmond Comeau and Cleophas Co.
meau voted twice. In the event there
are two voters by these names at
Coulee Croche, the records show that
only one Edmond Comeau and only
one Cleophas Comeau is entitled to
vote. Ardeus Guilbeau, Lissan Bras
seur, Ignace Brousseau all failed to
register, and yet they were allowed
to vote.
A dishonorably discharged soldier,
who had been sentenced to the fed
eral penitentiary, it is alleged, voted
at Arnaudville on his discharge"
papers. His name is given as Hugo
Richard, who is said to have thrice
deserted from the army. J. A. Hig-
ginbotham, Raymond Marks, Ulysse
Dugas and Clovis Bernard are among
charged without being registered and
who were allowed by the Arnaudville
electior officials to participate in
the election.
Mr.. Fontenot has asked that the
democratic committee instruct an in
vestigation of this matter, but the
committee by majority voted not
to investigate the matter. According
to law, the district attorney is given
the power to make an investigation
of these irregularities, and in the
cases of Hugo Richard, Cleophas Co.
meau, Edmond Comeau, Theovide
Robin and Sleus Sicily, have them in
dicted and prosecuted for willful vi
olation of the election law
The protest filed by Mr.. Fontenot
was done in the spirit of fairness and
justice. It was not the desire to
throw Mr. Thibodeaux's majority
aside and have the committee select
him as the nominee for sheriff, but
it was his spirit of fair play that
prompted him to act in this matter
and to have an exposure made of the
election frauds in St. Landry. 1t is
hoped that the district attorney will,
in justice to the independent, free,
fair-minded voters Of the parish, have
these charges Investigated and if
there is any ground for prosecution,
no pity or mercy should be shown the
offenders Of the election law.
The deeds committed by those who
voted twice should not be tolerated in
any civilized community. This matter
ceases to be political-it is a subject
which should be threshed out with
| impartiality and fairness, regardless
of consequences, and in our estima-
ton the district attorney owes it to
the people of this parish to see that
1 charges of election fraud should be
cleared up. If there has been fraud
committed, Baton Rouge is only sixty
miles from here. and st. Landry has
court of justice. The violators
should be prosecuted to the fullest
possible extent of the law.
Miss Tucv Cronchet. after spend-