The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-02-19

It | enclose herewith my reply to a
= article recently published in you
y paper by Hon. Emile Vuillemot, Dis
: trlct Attorney of the Parish of Ibe
n ria, and would appreciate your givin
: 1T the same publicity as was accorc
: ed to Mr.. Vuillemot's article.
= Very truly yours.
I M. L. ALEXANDER.
e New Orleans, La, Feb, IS. 1921.
Editor, Weekly Iberian,
New Iberia, La.
9 Dear Sir
A copy of your very excellent iour
nal and the reprint of an articl
therein caused to be reproduced an,
I circulated by Honorable E. Vuillemot
the distinguished District Attorenv O
your Judicial District, have beer
brought to my attention.
| AS | understand the matter. tn,
Grand Jury of the Parish of Iberia
investigating the activities of the De.
partment of Conservation, in relation
to the subject matter investigated
did not bring in a true bill against
anyone.
AT the same time as parties inter
ested have used the subject matter of
the Grand Jury investigation as a
means of unfavorable criticism of
this Department, and of Mr.. f. A
Mcllhenny, of Avery Island, La,
am asking of you the privilege of
publishing this letter in your paper.
as IN the nature Of a reply by the
Department of Conservation of Lou
isiana to the criticisms made as to its
activities in functioning as the law
provides, and as to the actions of
Mr.. E. A. McIlhenny, who in our
humble judgment has done more work
for real conservation of game in
Louisiana than any other one dozen
men of our State.
AS we further understand the situa-
ton, the subject matter of game pre-
servation in Iberia Parish and the
relations of the Department of Con-
servation and Mr.. E. A. McIlhenny
thereto, were brought to the atten-
tion of the Grand Jury of that Par
ish by the District Attorney thereto.
We further understand that the ac-1
tivities of the District Attorney were
founded upon the following facts:
1st. He had received from a dis
charged employee of the Department
of Conservation long typewriter
attack on the Department of Conser-
walton, the motive inspiring the
writing of which being a desire to
get even with the Department of Con-
servation for his discharge and which
report, as to the maker thereof, was
further inspired by personal ami
mostly towards Mr. E. A. McIlhenny,
the maker of the report
sought to even scores of neglect by
Mr.. McIlhenny of a proper recogni-
Jon of his pseudo Importance in the
work of conservation in Louisiana.
End. This discharged employee of
he Department of Conservation had
distracted from the records of that
Department certain original official
ecords of the Department as affect
ng its conservation work in the par
shes of iberia and Vermilion, and
his without the knowledge or con-
ent of this Department. In the alb
ence of these documents, the Depart
nent is somewhat at loss in the
natter of its official records
3rd. The District Attorney for the
'arish of Iberia, due to reasons for
which we cannot account, has under
aiken to champion the cause of this
ischarged employee of the Depart
1ent of Conservation and has caused
his long swan song of complaint to
e brought before the Grand Jury of
hat Parish.
1t would further appear from the
ext of the report of this discharged
mployee of the Department of Con-
ersation that there were also other
Influences at work, affecting the ac-
ion of the District Attorney, in the
hape of the desire of other personal
nemies of Mr.. E A. McIlhenny to
ct even with him by shooting their
otis Of criticisms at him and at this
tate Department of Conservation.
The fact that the elements of per-
onal malice, self interest, offended
ensability, and professional pride
nter into the exposition of the facts
resented is patent from consider
ton of the record.
1t is the desire of the Department
f Conservation to eliminate from a
ubject of this character, as far as
ossible, the personal element, be-
ause the Department is concerned in
nings larger than those affecting
ny individuality. In fact the De-
is not concerned in the
'elfare of any discharged employee;
either is it interested in any petty
zeal jealousies that may exist. At
est, the Department of Conservation
as a hard road to travel in its en-