The Donaldsonville chief. [volume], June 07, 1873, Image 2

About The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current

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nonnal snnbill !gidf,
Three Dqilars jYear.
pfcial Jqurnal Town of Dqnald4nvil.
LINDEN E. BENTLEY,
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
Saturday, - June 7, 1873.
Mr. E. C. Hancock, one of the edi
tors of the New Orleans Herald, was
assaulted and beaten by two unknown
men a few nights since, but was for
tunately nqt severely injured. The
city press is unanimous in condemn
ing the cowardly assault in the most
unqualified terms.
The Messrs. Hunsaker of St. James
parish 'seem to have gotten ipto
trouble all around. lion. 0. F. Hun
saker, formerly Senator from this
District and ox-President of the St.
James Police Jury, has been discov
ered to be in arrears to the parish
$1800, which amount be has just paid
into tl}e treasury in satisfaction of the
claim. UXr. D. S. Hunsker, ex-Tax
Collector of St. James, is also in ar
rears some $1400, and rwe under
stand that be has prqmised to make
the deficiency good. And finally, Hon.
J. W. Hunsaker, ex-Parish Judge and
ex-Presiden of the School Board,
has been arrested, charged with em
beralement of school funds to an
amount which we hear variously es
timated from $4000 to $11,000. He
has given bonds to appear for trial,
and our latest intelligence regarding
the matter is the report that he will
be released from the charge upon
paying the amount of his defalcation
into the parish treasury. The St.
James treasury is to be envied.
TO THE PUBLIC.
Enrro C~m r :
In view of the contemptible insinu
ations leveled at me in the Leader of
May 31 by some party or parties who
have not the manliness to let them=
selves be known to the public but
must needs sneak into print under
assumed titles, I desire the use of
the columns of your paper to make a
brief statement of facts.
The motion of my counsel to quash
the indictment presented against me
by the Grand Jury for alleged em
bezzlement of school funds, was made
withqut my knowledge or consent,
and the object of it was merely to test
a point of law, my legal advisers de
~laring their intention of afterwards
pseonding my request for the appoint
ment of a competent accountant to
.xamine my books and receipts and
point out to the court the ridiculous
blander that was made by the Dis
trict Attorney in his information
against me.
'The fair minded correspondents of
-e Leader did not choose to take no
rce of the fact that the case against
a.,owas called up three times before
~he District Court on the day pre
peeding the close of the session, but
was postpgned each time because the
District Attorney pretended that he
was not prrep1ret-to take up the case.
When the 1Boar.l of School Direc
tors holds its neSt session I shall ask
the appointment of a committee, to be
selected from its own members, the
;ecent Grand Jury, and the leading
merchants of Donaldsonville, which
shall be requested to enter into a
thorough examination of the tax rolls
and delinquent lists of 1870 and 1871,
aid of my payments to the School
Treasurer with a view of ascertaining
the truth or falsity of the charge again st
me, and make a report of such exam
ination to be published in the news
papers of the parish.
The total amount of school tax lev
ied in 1870 was $1483, of which
$1108 35 was collected. The amount
levied in 1871 was 82631 03, and of
this $2034 25 was collected, making a
total of $3142 57 collected, and a de
linquent list of $971 46. I hold re
ceipts from the Treasurer of the School
loard for $3140 57, leaving me in
Alebted $o the school fiund in the enor
pWQus sup) of $2, which I am ready to
pay upon demand. These tigures will
be verified by the tax rolls as the Dis
triit Attorney or the sneaking corres
pdents of his paper will shortly be
forced to acknowledge.
In rgard to the statement in the
report of phe Grand 'Jqry that I was
paid a thousand dollars for furnishing
a cop- of the tax roll of 1871 and no
such roll is on file in the Recorder's
office, i will simply s4y that the roll
was made and was offered to the for
mer Recorder~ Mr. Younger, but that
"lficial refsed to give a receipt for
the 4ame, ihence I declined to leave it
in his lice. This roll is now in the
iands ofthe present Collector.
ConsFious that I am innocent of the
pffense 4ttjh which I am charged, I
shall Cake steps tp have my character
vindicated most completly, and I shall
hold all traducers of my name to a
strict accountatilityr for their coward
Y slanders. HrAS. . SMITII.
A OARD.
To the Public:
[ deis it necessary, in justice to
myself pnd the gentlemen who are so
curities upon my official bond, that
an explanation should be made of the
causes and motives :which combined
to procure my indictment by the
Grand Jury of this parish upon the
charge of " embezzlement" in my ca
pacity as Tao Collector of Ascension.
The specific charge made against
ns:e in ~p "information" filed by the
District Attorney is, in effect, an al
legation that I collected $947 in cash
for State licenses and entered the
amount upon my books as having
been collected in State warrants of
the class until recently receivable in
payment of licenses, the market value
of which ranged from eighty to ninety
cents on the dollar.
To begin with, tlhe reader will per
ceive that even if I have been guilty
of the misdemeanor with which I am
charged, there is no actual deficit in
the funds collected, and no loss to the
State has or can result from the irreg
ularity. But I do not wish to be un
derstood as advancing these facts in
palliation of the alleged offense ; that
offense, when committed, is a direct
violation of law, and no valid excuse
for its commission can be given.
Secondly, the very amount, $947,
shows a flaw in the indictment, as the
State licenses are all of denominations
divisible by $5; this mistake may
have been the result of a blunder on
the part of the brilliant niathenmetician
who footed up the various amounts
which are assumed to have been un
lawfully converted into warrants, or
it may be that $947 was guessed at as
being about such a sum as might have
been so converted, or, again, perhaps
the odd digit was added to give the
indictment an air of truthfulness.
Thirdly, I have never held in my
own right a single warrant of the class
that were receivable for licenses, nor
have I been interested, directly or in
directly, in the purchase, sale or any
manner of speculation in those securi
ties. I am prepared to establish by
the most positive evidence that every
collection made by myself is entered
correctly upon my books, and that
every warrant I received came direct
ly from the hands of the license or tax
payers or their agents authorized to
settle their dues to to the State. If
any speculation in public securities
has been carried on in the Collector's
office-if warrants have been substi
tuted for cash collections-then my
former deputy was guilty of the irreg
ularity, but I do not believe he has
committed such misdemeanor and I
am confident of his ability to vindi
cate himself from even the suspicion
of having done so. The only State
warrants I have held or possessed
personal interest in since I have been
Tax Collector were issued to me by
the Stats Auditor on Friday, May 23,
for my services as Supervisor of Iteg
istration during the elections of No
vember, 1872, and February, 1873, and
these I disposed of to New Orleans
brokers at a discount of forty-six per
cent. If I had been in the habit of
appropriating to myself portions of
the public money paid nme by tax pay
ers and repl)lacing the amounts with
warrants, I should most naturally
have "cashed " these warrants issued
to me instead of selling them at such
a heavy rate of dlepreciation from falce
value.
The grounds upon which the indict
ment against Ime is based are simply
these:
Several persons, whom it is not
essential to name here-a couple of
whom are merchants in I)onaldson
ville-have acted as agents for the
payment of licenses for a numbner of
the business men of the parish, receiv
ing cash with which to discharge these
license dues but giving State warrants
therefor to the Collector. The Grand
Jury summoned a portion of the bus
iness men referred to before them for
the ostensible purpose of ascertaiining
what description of legal tender was
given for their State licenses. I have
good reason to believe that the testi
mony of these parties was that they
paid cash, but that the spokesman of
the Jury purposely omitted to ask
them to wchom the cash was paid. If
this had been done,T assert confident
ly that not even a shadow of founda
tion for an indictment against me
could have been discovered. The
cash was paid to agents, and the agents
gave warrants to me, so I amn simply i
charged with the responsibility of
speculations with which I had no con
nection whatever otherwise than as
legitimate receiver of legal tender for
obligations to the State, and in which
I had no interest except the ten per
cent. commnnissio allowed ine by law
for the collection.
Now I comec to the mtoti\v- whi:h
actuated the parties who were instru
mental in procuring i11y indictment:
which, I ame. certain, were personal
and political dislike and prejudice,
and an itching desire to have mIe sus
pended from oflict in order to 1)rocure
the appointment of some person who
would prove more subservient and
agreeable to their desires and tastes
and perhaps make his occupation of
the office a pecuniary advantage to
themselves. The investigation of the
books and accounts of my office was
ordered by tole State Auditor up
on information furnislce4 by a certain
individual who had asked me to vio
late the law by cashing some of his
State warrants and returning the same
as having been collected for taxes. I
refused to do this, and perhaps my
refusal was the means of strenghten
ing his expressed determination to
"' break up that Bovee-Smith-Kline
Bentley ring" that would not pay him
tribute. The conviction forces itself
upon me that he wished to entrap nie
into cantravention of my duty by cash
ing his warrants, and infbrm the Au
ditor of my Ilisdemleanor. I believe
him capable of such treachery, low as
it is. I have no reason to fear a prop
erly conducted inquiry into my otfi
cial conduct, and I should not presume
to criticise or blame the D)istrict At
torney for the legitimate and straight
forward discharge: of his duty in the
prosecution of such an investigation;
but I protest against the prostitution
of his prerogative authority to the
gratitication of his personal spleen.
I charge that the investigation of my
official accounts has been directed in
an unfair, undcrhanded manner, with
the deliberate intention of deceiving
the public mind, and I denounce as
libellous and untrue the imputation
that haIs been cast upon mne by an in
coimpetent Grand Jury, under the
guidance of an astute trickster, who
was undoubtedly aware, while elicit
ing the testimony of merchants, that
in nearly four-fiftJhs of the cases the
cash which they declared they had
paid for licenses was not paidtl) to thil
Collector but to agents authorized to
settle with him.
Aside fromn other facts, the circum
stance of the " true bill "' against me
nIot being presented until twenty-fouir
houlrs before the adjournment of the
District Court, thus precluding tlhe
possibility of a trial during that ses
sion, would seem to strengthen the
firm belief that I have expressed that
the purpose of indicting me was mere
ly to procure my suspension from of
fice pending the ceirt vacation.
I shall probably recur to this sub
ject again shortly, and give some fur
ther particulars in relation thereto.
Respectfully, L. E. BEINTLEY.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WVAsmIxToNo. D. C., May 31, 1873.
E.uITroR CIIEFr
In a small village in the State of
Illinois was born the noble organiza
tion known as the Grand Army of the
Republic. A few brave men had re
turned to their homes after many
years of hardship, privation and dan
ger, spent in the defense of the noble
flag they loved so well, bringing back
with them vivid recollections of the
iallny deeds of heroism they had so
often witnessed upon the bloody field
of battle. They bore with them sad
remeembrance of men who stood shoul
der to shoulder with them when the
air was being rent by the missiles of
death, of having seen those men sink
down by their sides, pierced by the
deadly Iulle:ts, the life blood oozing
from their wounds. And all for the
priceless boon of liberty. Among
tlhemselves were many who were
ma'imedl and forever disabled. Empty
sleeves were seein at every corner, to
remind them of the ravages of that
horrid thing we call war. And while
their miniiiids contemplated the scenes
of the past in which their comrades
had been swept down by the fiery
blast, and they knew their voices
could never again be heard in song or
merry jest as in days of yore, they
cast their eyes about them to behold
the tearful eyes, the sad faces and the
dark weeds of mourning of those
whose hearts had been broken with
grief on account of the loss of more
than comrades. They witnessed the
sorrow of the old man, bowed down
with the weight of many winters,
whose sons, his support. in the autumn
of his day, had left his side to rally to
the defense of his country whose flag
had been struck down by traitor)l
hands ; of the aged, trembling, croning
old woman, whose thoughts ran back
to the day when her boy, her idol, her
prile, lherjoy, had kissed her wrinkled
brow and bade her good-by-e, his last
good-bye ; of the heroic sister who had
with her own hands bnucl!b-d the
sword-belt about the for:m of tile
broihc :-ci mm,14f, alld tr ,:u +11 Ii -~.
faced maiden who bore in her heart a
love greater than that for fathei or
mother, brother or sister, for one
whose hapd will never again clasp
hers, whose low voice, to her so musi
cal and tender, will never again re
pert the words she sq much loved to
hear him speak; of the pale wan
clheeked wife who had suffered the
greatest loss of all, the loss of him
who was to her more than her owp
life, of him in whom was wrapped
up her very soul and all that is most
beautiful true and good in human na
ture; and they also beheld the half
wondering, half- doubting grief of chil
dren who could scarcely understand
why that dear, kind papa should nev
er come back again to romp with
them, and bring them toys and make
time so jolly and nice.
Those things they remember and
these thing they beheld, and the
scenes of the past and of the present
led them to join themselves together
as a band of brothers, that the frater
nal feelings engendered in the camp
and on the weary march might not
die out, and that the duties of the
future might not )be neglected. Their
feelings were shared by all those
brave men, " rough but gentle and
truel" whose experiences were like
theirs. From such seed grew up the
Grand Army of the Republic. It soon
spread to every village ahd hamlet
throughout the loyal North, and to
many places in the South. The deeds
of charity done by the Grand Army
have never been and never .will be
told. Many a poor widow has knelt
in her silent closet to thank Him who
knows all things for the barrel of flour
or the ton of coal brought to her door
at a time when only God could
know the anguish that wrung her
heart to see her little ones shiver with
cold or to hear them plead for bread.
The (Grand Army was organized for a
noble lpurpose, and nobly has it done
its duty.
Among the many things for which
we have to thank this noble organi
zation is the beautiful custom of
strewing the graves of fallen heroes
with fresh, sweet flowers, by which
we acknowledge their service, their
valor and their devotion. Yesterday,
the thirtieth day of May, was set
apart by the Grand Army as l)ecora
tion )Day, and gloriously have the
loyal people of the land responded to
the call of the veterans to assist in
offering the sad tribute to the memory
of the dead who died that ie might
be free men and free women. It is
not possible that the world should
forget such men or their deeds. It is
not possible that a freedom-loving
nation should neglect their final rest
ing places.
Four miiles west of the Capitol on
the opposite side of the majestic 1'o
tonmac is Arlington lHeights. Natiue
has here been lavish of her beauties.
Noble forest trees interlock their
branches and the noon-day sun never
ventures more than a glance at the
modest wild flowers growing beneath
their shade. The air is always fra
grant with the sweet they give forth.
No wonder that the wealthy and aris
tocratic family of Lees should have
chosen this place for their home.
Now it has become a city, but a city
so silent and void of life. In its streets
no cry is heard. The visitor lpasses
through it with slow and noiseless
tread. Only the birds in the boughs
of the huge oak trees are cheerful.
They warble forth their sweet tones
only to make us feel more keenly the
sadness that comes over us when in
the presence of the lifeless heroes.
On a high ridge overlooking Wash
ington City and the Potomac river is
the Lee mausion. In its rear is the
National Cemetery, in which reposes
all that is mortal of fifteen thousand,
eight hundred soldiers. Of this num
ber four thousand are colored, two
hundred and fifteen are confederates.
At the head of each grave is a plain
white board, on which is painted the
name, rank, company, regiment and
date of death of him who rests beleath.
The boards at the head of confederate
graves are similar to all the others,
except that near the ground, half-hid
den by the grass, is painted in small
and modest letters the word "Rebel."
The wall inclosing this cemetry (210
acres) is constructed of red Seneca
sandstone. The grass is nicely and
evenly mowed and the graveled drives
and walks are kept in the neatest
order. A great many graves tare marked
by handsome monuments, erecte} by
personal friends. Only forty -eight
otficers are buried at Arlington. The
highest in rank is Maj. D. F. Cole, of
the 107th Colored Infantry. A hand
somne lItonulnlent marks his grave, bear
ing the in-cription "D. F. Cole, Major
lo7th Colored Infantry, died at Point
of t il.s. 1ar. l ld. Jatm: li ml . Ir;..
aged 27 years-Florecnce" T-his mon
ume*t was erected to his memory by
a young Jly o whomn he was be
trothed.
A fine large monument of granite
standing near the mansion bears this
inscription : " Beneath this stone re
pose the bones of two thousand, one
hundred and eleven unknown soldiers,
gathered after the war from the 4.es
of Bull Run and the route to the Rap
pahannock. Their remains could not
be identified, but their names and
deaths are recorded in the archives
of their country, and its grateful citi
zens honor them as of their noble army
of martyrs. May they rest in peace.
September, A. D., 1866,"
At the entrance to the cemetery is
a grand arched gateway forty feet in
height, built of stone, over the top of
which is inscribed the following stan
za:
"On fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And glory guards with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead."
Upon the apex is a large stone bear
ing this inscription :
"Here rest 15,815 of the 315,555
citizens who died that their country
might live."
Dear reader, I would love to give
you a full description of the ceremon
ies at Arlington yesterday. I know I
can find no more acceptable theme.
This being one of the largest national
cemeteries in the country, and being
located near the Capital of the Nation
a very great interest is centred here,
and there is scarcely a reader of my
letter that will not be anxious to hear
how the day was observed here. But
a complete history of the ceremonies
would require a great deal of space.
The morning of yesterday opened
clear and bright. As early as ten
o'clock the grand cavalcade began to
arrive, and by noon, the hour for the
beginning of the ceremonies, there
were fifteen or twenty thousand per
sons on the ground. The grounds
were profusely decorated with the
national colors and huge wreaths of
flowers. The monument to the un
known was literally hidden with flow
ers. I'resident Grant, the heads of
departments and a large number of
prominelnt officers of the military and
civil departments of the government
were there. At precisely twelve o'clock
abattery of thirty-seven guns belched
forth its deafening roar. The Marine
Band, famous the country over, opened
the exercises by executing in faultless
style a choice selection of Music.
Prayer was then offered by Rev. Dr.
O. H. Tiffany, D. D., pastor of the
Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal
church of this city. The national
hymn, " To thee, Oh, Country," was
then sung by a choir of five hundred
voices. After which an original poem,
" Memorial," was recited by its au
thor, l)r. E. A. Duncan. The choir
then sang the hymn "Peace on Earth,"
upon the conclusion of which the Rev.
T. DeWitt Talhnage delivered an ora
tion worthy of publication in every
journal in the land. I will be excused
if I make one brief extract.
" In all time to come let the mem
orial day be kept. Strew flowers on
all the martyrs' graves. Strew them
on the heads that ached, and over the
hearts that bled, and over the feet
that blistered on the march. Oh, ye
throng of departed heroes! stoop
down and breathe this perfume of a
nation's thanks. Stoop down and
take this kiss of a nation's love. Stoop
down and hear this shout of a nation's
redemption. Speed on the day when
war itself shall be buried-the grim
old breaker of hearts. Carry him out
on an old rusty shield. Bury his
sword with him. Heap on stones and
broken chariot wheels. Let widows
and orphans clap their hands and
shout, and let the winds howl his re
quiem : 'This is the second death.'"
A chorus of male voices then sang
that thrilling song, "Comrades in
Arms," after which the Marine Band
played another air, which completed
the exercises at a stand. At the tomb
of the unknown gathered the orphans
from the National Soldiers' and Sail
ors' Orphans Home, where they sang
with an effect that will never be for
gotten by those who-heard it a hymn
entitled '' Soldiers Memorial Day."
After this Mr. J. P. Irvine recited an
original poem entitled "Unknown."
While the Marine Band was playing
the procession was formed with Presi
dent Grant at the head. Marching
over every part of the cemetery they
deposited a flag and a wreath, or a
bouquet of flowers on each Union
grave. When this was done there was
to be seen one vast field literally cov
ered over with flowers. Before the
eye was one great sea of flags flutter
ing in the breeze. Such a sight is not
often to be seen.
'lhu$ ended the ceremony of decor
a;ting the graves df the local dead who
sleep at Arlington. Reader I can do
l' Ibetter that lsr my letter here.
i\t.:R'T"
ADVEUTI$E3I ,
Piere NjCantgif Vs. Theh
In the United States Clreit C t .=..
Fifth Circuit and Dietrit etf. d
No. (i96.
By virtue of a writ of selal
me directed in the above
proceed to sell to the hij t
Saturday, the 5th day af
at twelve (12) o'clock ., at
inl the town of D o
Mpesiop, the folowing
viz :
A certain tract of lad s tma .
parish of Ascepasi opatn he il
Mississippi river at the pIee
the name of the +'New Rive
and lying pameth sides of Net w
ded on the upper line on the
New River by lands of Niel E
ard on the left bank by lakL
Etienne Reine ; and on the Iowsr
right bank of N.w river by la nd
to Vincent Paul Lnudry iad
name of the " Sheraa. .trst,"
left bank by lands belongs to
nonx. Said tract ecstaai~
superficial acres.
2nd. Another pareel of las
the same parish and neu l
both sides of New rhl., em
the right bank of said river
herein above described, mad .a .
by lands belonging to Simon
below on both sides of amid river
erty known as the "Dorersi
said parcel of land contatg
five superficial arpents.
3rd. Another tract of lad
asnre parish and ueigh
the upper line on both aids e
by the parcel of lahnc4
described and on the lowerili
bank of Ne* River by lads
V. 4. Gauthreaux frare ad ea
by laand belongi to a Nare m
said tract containimgng about
ficial acres, together with the
improvements on said tracts u
land and the standing L
cattle on said iadng
and the arming a sqg
thereto belonging, as pera.av a
Terms-Cash oa the s. ..
United States Umnesls (oss, or
leans, May 24th, lhS3.
S. B, PACKARD, U. 5L·,
OHN S. DUNHAM'8
WEAMT P@nWRggg
for PURITY and STRBiIGTgI a I
EQUALLED. All hoasekeepu eesw! p
them like them. Try them! TeaV p
has them I Sold by all Wholsql
in New Orleans.
HL H. WI·IiMks
Boot and Shoe M
Donaldsonille, La.,
In the building adjoining the s1l
Respectfully announeas to his friet 4
the public in general that be is 'd is
make boots and shoes of the y .
terial to order, and guarantees all 114
to give satisfaction. Termas aerid .
SEWING ACA I
I am. also the agent for the 4
LYON. the HOME SHUTT LR,[ ks
WILSON SHUTILE Sewing .iRll
of improved pattern, which- I a
prices varying fro.a
"r s to se.
Perons- of limited means es. pse a
machine by paying part eash dra, t hl
ance reoeirahbe insmaly insmaluIb .
SEWING MACHIlNS WR.PA D
at reasonable rates. A1ggi ary e3ears
pay. GIVE ME A CALL.
my3 H. LH. WILLiM
MARX TRISRAT.
WHOLESALE AtD RETAIL DEALt! I
DRY GOODS,
GROCERIES.
BOOTS & SHOES,
HATS & CAPS,
SADDLERT,
BUGGIUS,
CAu ',:I e,
Corner Mississippi and letsaISWie
Domaldtsomvlge, 1A.
Special public attention is aild to t
large stock of saddlery, harness sad
constantly kept on hand at Mr. rad
tablishment, and for sale at gpetl
REDUCED PRICES.
ja4-ly Call and examine his Goods.
R BEAUVAIS,
Attorney & Comnseljr at I.5,
ADDRESS :-Convent P. 0., S.JaIII
RESIDENCE :--Longiew. St. Jam SParL
Practices in all the courts of the Fu.rth
Jndicial Distriot-parishes of St. J -, S
John the Baptist, St. Charles aadAseiI
and in the Supreme Court of this S.1 s
New Orleans. a
LAW AND NOTARIAL OFFICE
. IN. & . Wm. Simna
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Donaldsonrille, La.
Practice in Ascension, Assumption USd
James. ireBtT
H ENRY C. DIBBLE,
Attorney & Coustaelor at l$W,
AND NOTARY PUBLIC,
170 Common Street( Up stairs),
mh8.ly NEw ORLtBA4
J. D. AUGUSTIS, L. DI)EProoI
St. Charles P. O., La. Edgard P. 0..
Aurgirstin & DePMoowee
ATTORNEYS AT LAW.
Wil practieo in all the parishes of the i
Judicial District, and before the . -
Court of the State.
For Sale!
STHE ".JOHNSONIAN I`STITUE. J'
Lots upon which it is sittasted sa d
for sale by consent of the Bishop of teI
cese and the vestry and presiding itn
of the (hurch of Ascension.
'For terms and conditions apply to
E. N. PUGH, Trr
D)onaldsonville, March 15, 18.3
Donaldsonville Boys' SckQL
A PRAcrTICAL nSuokL
for Buys from six to twenty yea s4
Hours from 9 A. K to 4 P. ].
Arrangements for board will be a -pe
private families for scholars living at a
auc,.. F.r particulars address
IV. v Bt'FORP.