The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-07-27
JORDAN is FOUND
GUILTY BY BOARD
AND DISCHARGED
Continued from page y

OpClOu5dog Aoe'B July SNt 1890
To the Honorable Mayor and Mem
bers Of the Board of aldermen of
Opelousas:
Gentlemen: Referring 70 the
charges filed againt me by your may
or and in my capacity as superinten-
dent of the waterworks and electric
light plants, beg to say:
First. dispute the right of this
board to try me on the said charges,
to have suspended me or to finally ex'
pei men from office.
(a) Because this board is with
out jurisdiction in the premises.
(b) Because there is no valid ordi'
nance under which these proceedings
can be had the ordinance sought to
be used as basis for the same, hav-
ing been passed long after the alleged
offenses were committed, and OF
which l am charged.
(c) Because l have a valid ana
binding contract with the city OF Ope-
lousas. and which does not expire I'M
til May %. 1922, and which contract
can not be abrogated or effected ex-
cept through the medium of the pro-
perly constituted courts of this coun-
try. the offenses Of which am charg-
cd even if proven being insufficient
in law to justify an abrogation OF my
said contract.
I'd Because the proceeding is
plainly intended and contrived to de-
stitute me from office, cancel my
franchise and abrogate my contract
with the city, and this proceeding IN
der every rule of law and equity
should have been preceded by a per-
Torrance on the part of the city, or
an offer to perform on thespart OF the
CITY. of its obligation under the con-
tract. That said city can not claim
a default when it is itself in default
by refusing or neglecting to pay me
the back compensation due under my
contract, and which amounts to ap-
proximately $615.OO.
/ therefore ask for dismissal OF
the charges and of these proceedings
for reasons set forth above.
But in the event this Honorable
Body insists upon proceeding with the
trial of said charges and an adjudica-
ton hereunder, / beg to protest
against any such trial before this
body as presently constituted. for the
following reasons:
(al Because a majority of this
body has already passed judgment on
the question of my dismissal, and no
amount Of evidence, in my behalf,
would change that prejudgment es-
pecially is it unfair, unjust and illegal
for his Honor the Mayor. the alleged
aggrieved party and the prosecutor
and chief witness to sit at this trial or
take any part therein, and this same
objection applies with equal force to
Aldermen Sicily. Dejean and Mouret.
(b) Because there is no charges OF
incompetence or breach Of contract
levelled against me. and this body
could not legally or morally destitute
me Of my office in any event, and in
the absence of such charges or proof
in support thereof.
But, assuming that this Honorable
Body will adopt the course which
majority has already committed it.
self to in advance Of the trial, / deny
the verify of the charges levelled at
me by the mayor. affirm that, so
PERSISTENT and continuous have been
the interference and intermeddling on
the part of his Honor the Mayor. with
the affairs Of the power plant and
the employees thereof, all OF which
were under my Jurisdiction, that l ap.
pealed to lderman Clark, Alderman
Daniel and Alderman Dejean for relief
from this unwarranted and unjustified
Interference, which greatly hamper
ed and disorganized the department
under my supervision; and, the said
aldermen advised me that had the
right to resent and stop such inter-
ference by ejecting his Honor from the
plant building, forcibly If necessary;
and, Notwithstanding that in the pres
enee Of the city officials notified and
warned his Honor that his interior
ence and intermeddling with my de-
partment would have to cease, he con-
tinued to interfere and Fintermeddle
and 70 actually discharge and employ
labor under my supervision and con-
troll, and without consultation with me
and without my consent.
The mayor was not exercising any
supervisory control at the time over
my office, had lodged no complaints
against me before my superiors, the
members of the city council, and was
simply carrying out a preconceived
scheme to harass, annoy and impede
me, so that / would resign, and he
could take over control of this import
ant department and, in my belief, sub
ordinate it to his political purposes.
l deny that I assaulted the mayor in