The star-progress., February 07, 1920, Image 1

About The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921

Image provided by: Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA

                
RAND JURY WILL MEET
*******
To Make Thorough Investigation of Election Fraud Chargés
& andrepont
Publishers
Book and Job Printers,
STAR-PROGRESS BUILDING
The
_THE_
OFFICIAL JOURNAL
—OF THE—
PARISH OF ST. LANDRY
VOLUME XI— NO. 16
OPELOUSAS, LA., SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1920
SUBSCRIPTION—$2.00 PER YEAR, IN ADVANCE
TO INVESTIGATE THE
CHARGES OF FRAUD
IN LATE ELECTION
Cnecial Session of Grand Inquis
itors Will be Called This
Month by Judge Pavy
GRAND JURY WILL BE
ASKED TO INVESTIGATE
Both Political Factions Deter
mined Not to Tolerate Any
Crooked Work
The St. Landry district court, the
scene of many Sensational suits in the
«cent and distant past, is expected to
produce much excitement in the near
future, when Judge B. H. Pavy calls
the grand jury in special session to
investigate the charges of fraud in
the recent election by certain voters
st Leonville, Port Barre, Arnaudville,
Notleyville and Coulee Croche.
In an interview with a representa
tive of the Star-Progress, Judge
Pavy said: "I will order the grand
jury to convene in special session on
the 19th oif February, for the pur
pose of thoroughly making an inves
tigation of the election fraud charg
es, recently published in your paper.
"The people of St. Landry should
not tolerate crooked work at election
polls and I for one will do all in my
power to bring' the guilty party or
parties to justice, putting aside all
political feelings in the matter. Who
ever wilfully voted twice, as was
charged, in.the recent election, it mat
ters not for whom he voted, should
surely have meted out to him the
full penalty of the law. I will see to
it that the charges are thoroughly in
vestigated."
The charges of fraud, published in
last week's Star-Progress, created
quite a commotion, it is said, in va
rious sections of the parish. Now
that the judge has decided that a thor- \
ough investigation of the charges \
must be made, the special session of
the grand jury will be watched with
much interest.
The charges were made by Ariel
Fontenot that voters had participated
in the election of January 20 who
were not qualified voters for the rea
son that they had failed to register,
and also that in several instances the
same person voted twice and in one
instance a dishonorably discharged
soldier had been allowed to cast his
ballot on presentation of his dis
charge papers. If the charges filed
by Mr. Fontenot are substantiated by
the grand jury, there is no doubt that
a sensational term of the criminal
court will ensue, as it is understood
that the two political factions of St.
Landry are determined that elections
must hereafter be held in strict accor
dance with the law.
be
it
FEDERAL COURT
GETS MOONSHINERS
Tkree Illegal Liquor Dealers
Get Light Sentence by Fed-
eral Judge G. W. Jack
The session of the federal court
fceld here Monday and Tuesday of this
week was a "tame" affair compared
V what was expected of it. Very
few cases were disposed of, the one
»ttracting the greatest interest was
of Len F. Briggs, Gulf Coast
Lines employe, who was charged with
Pression of illegal liquor. Mr.
Briggs was completely exonerated by
Ik# grand jury and several cases of
•kkkey, seized by federal authori
•***» ordered released to him.
Among other cases disposed of
»ere:
Side Jogn and Alex M. Guidry,
tilling liquor, thirty days in parish
jail.
L. Ernest Robinson, having a still in
, s possession, $100 and 46 days in
jail
HyK wm J. Cawlett, selling liquor
Without license, $100 and 46 days in
«ML
Lafayette roundhouse case was
§~*Bsferred and set for trial on May
18 * Lake Charles.
6. H. Cretin and Rev. P. F. Jan
*#» of Washington, were given their
watnraluation papers.
FAIR MEETING
NEXT TUESDAY
Organization of Parish Associ
ation to Take Place Next
Week When Farmers Meet
\
\
A meeting of much interest will
be that of the proposed St. Landry
Parish Fair Association, which will
take place in the police jury room,
on next Tuesday afternoon, at 2
o'clock.
A. A. Mendoza, who has been se
lected as secretary of the organiza
tion, has sent out a number of no
tices to farmers and business men of
the surrounding country, extending
an invitation to everybody interested
in the move to attend the meeting,
Everybody is asked to be present, as
it is only through the co-operation of
the country people and the citizens
of Opelousas, Eunice and Washing
ton that a project, such as the pro
posed fair for 1920, can succeed.
R. Lee Mills, head of the St. Lan
dry Farmers' Union, and an enthusi
astic parish fair adherent, has been
chosen the president of the proposed
association. With Mr. Mendoza as
his chief assistant, and having influ
ential business men and farmers as
sociated with him, Mr. Mills should
make the 1920 St. Landry fair the
most successful in the state.
It is hoped that a large number
will attend Tuesday's meeting, as it
is necessary that the people of St.
Landry be united on this very impor-
tant project.
-o-
PERSHING WAY IS
AWARDED THIS CITY
BY M'DOUGAL
Chamber of Commerce Notified
of Official Routing From
Bun Vie to Opelousas
MEMBERS LOCAL CLUB
ASKED TO REMIT DUES
International Highway Will
Traverse Parish from North
to the South east Corner
Opelousas has won another vic
tory! It has been awarded officially
the Pershing Way by Secretary Her
bert F. McDougal of the Pershing
Way Association.
It was only a short while ago that
this city put in its applicaiton for the
Pershing Way. An informal meeting
was held at the police jury room last
month and a temporary local club
was organized, with Frank Dimmick
as president and L. A. Andrepont as
secretary. Mr. McDougal of the na
tional organization was in attendance
at the meeting and informed those
present that if St. Landry would con
tribute its quota of members within a
week that he would officially award
Opelousas the highway which will
connect New Orleans with Winnipeg,
Canada.
It can be said to the credit of the
business people of this city that Ope
lousas went over the top in the mem
bership drive in less than two hours,
establishing a record for the Pershing
Way.
There are many details to be at
tended to before Opelousas can rest
easy on the Pershing Way. All sub
scribers to membership must send in
their dues of $5 for the first year to
the Opelousas Chamber of Commerce
without delay. The money must be
collected within the next few days
in order that Opelousas can "cinch"
this very important international high-
way, and it is requested that those
who /have enrolled themselves as
members of the Pershing Way Asso-
ciation send in their check without
delay. New members are eagerly
sought and the campaign for mem-
bership will be resumed within a day
or two. All business men who have
not already enrolled as members are
urgently requested to apply for
membership at once.
-o
—Mr. and Mrs. Frank Momhinveg
of Crowley spent several days here
the past week, guests at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Veltin.
—The many friends of Mrs. E. L.
Loeb and daughter, Miss Lena, will
be delighted to learn of their recov
ery from the flu.
h.3
THE "TRUCE THAT FAILED"—SCENE AT THE CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES FROM ESTHONIA AND
SOVIET RUSSIA
Held at Dorpat, which sought to end the war between Esthonia and Soviet Russia, the truce failing at the last
minute by disagreement among the delegates regarding frontier protection. Seated a tthe table, left to
right are: Military and Political representatives of Latwia, Military representatives of Poland, Dr.
piin Fsthonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Unblia. Litvinoff's secretary.
Antono
I
;
I
MARDI GRAS BALL
HERE ON FEB. 17
Ladies of the Episcopal Church
Will Give Annual Benefit
Entertainment
For several years past the ladies
of the Episcopal church of this city
have been entertaining at/a Mardi
Gras hall for the benefit of their
church. With the passing of the
band auditorium, it was feared for
a time that these good ladies would
be unable to find a room large enough
to accommodate thp usual large
crowd. But the Barrilleaux audi
torium was established in the mean
time and now affords a splendid
place for the dance.
The entertainment will take place
Tuesday evening and night, Febru
ary 17, Mardi Gras day. The after
noon will be taken up by a children's
fancy dress party, prizes being offer
ed for the most suitably dressed cou
ple on the floor.
The Mardi Gras ball will take place
between 8 and 12 o'clock. Masked
couples from Opelousas and nearby
towns will be in attendance and if
former* Mardi Gras balls given by the
church ladies are to be taken as an
indication of the size of the crowd,
there is no doubt that Barrilleaux's
auditorium will be crowded to its
full capacity.
The public is cordially invited to
participate in the Mardi Gras enter
tainment. Charges of $1 for gentle
men and 25 cents for spectators will
be made. Music will be furnished
by a string band secured for the oc
casion.
CITY DECREES PUNCH
BOARDS AND SLOT
MACHINES MUST GO
Council Passes Ordinance Pro
hibiting Gambling Devices
and Law in Effect Monday
USERS NOTIFIED THAT
PRACTICE MUST CEASE
Numerous Punch Boards and
Slot Machines Cause Body
to Take Drastic Action
Opelousas, of the land of the free
and the brave, suffered another re
form wave last Tuesday night, when
the city council, at its regular month
ly meeting for February, adopted an
ordinance prohibiting the use of slot
machines and punch boards. These
gambling devices, in the opinion of
the city fathers, must go, and their
death warrant has been signed and
the execution will take place Mon
day .when the new law goes into ef
fect..
Punch boards and slot machines
were in evidence in many places of
business—in some of the most re
spectable business houses in the city.
Their popularity was increasing to
such - an extent as to incur the dis
pleasure of the city administration,
and as St. Landry apparently swung
into the reform column in the recent
election, the municipal authorities
probably thought that -the tima was
ripe to inaugurate this reform in the
capital city of St. Landry.
Many cities in Louisiana have bar
red the slot machines and punch
boards—in many of them merely the
law is against their usage and as so
many laws adopted on the spur of
the moment are never enforced, the
punch boards and slot machines con
tinue to live and thrive. The local
administration, however, according
to Mayor Mike Halphen, will enforce
the mandate of the city fathers, and
on next Monday, if.any of the vari
ous gambling devices enumerated in
the ordinance are still in use, the
proprietors will be prosecuted.
PARISHTO SEND TWO
BOYS ON TRIP IH
NORTHERN STATES
Police Jury Appropriates $300
to Defray All Expenses of
Worthy Young Men
JURORS TO SUBMIT THE
NAMES AT NEXT MEET
Each Member to Give in Five
Names to be Placed in Hat.
Two Drawn to Win Trip
By a vote of 11 to 2, the police
jury last Tuesday morning voted to
send two St. Landry boys on the ag
ricultural tour of Iowa, Illinois and
Wisconsin, as proposed by Hon. T. H.
Harris, state superintendent of pub
lic education. The amount appropri
ated was three hundred dollars, which
is thought to be sufficient to defray
the expenses of two worthy country
boys on the educational trip through
the leading agricultural and dairy
states of the Union.
Supt. W. B. Prescott and A. A.
Mendoza, local federal agricultural
agent, appeared before the police
jury and asked for the appropriation,
stating that they were anxious that
St. Landry should send the largest
delegation on the Louisiana Special,
which will leave New Orleans the
middle of August. It is proposed that
at least ten or twelve boys from this
parish should take, this trip, which
will be of vast benefit to the young
men who will go.
Messrs. Prescott and Mendoza have
been meeting with much success and
encouragement in their efforts to
have St. Landry well represented on
the northern tour. The banks and
business men of the parish have been
contributing liberally and it is said
that St. Landry will send a strong
delegation on the agricultural special
this coming summer.
THIBODEAUX IS
A GOOD RUNNER
Newly Elected Sehrif Honored
by Re-election as President
of the Fire Company
There is ndfjjfeig around the fact,
Charles Thibodeaux is "some run
ner." He has been a "runner" for
twenty-odd years in some way or
other. He is now the sheriff-elect of
St. Landry parish, and last Thursday
night his friends of the Opelousas
fire company honored him with're-elc
tion as president of the thriving com
pany. Mr. Thibodeaux has served in
the capacity as president of the fire
boys for a year and has splendidly
administered the affairs of the com
pany.
Dr. B. A. Littell, vetera nmember
of the compnay and an active fire
fighter, was once more chosen chief-;
Joseph Lafond was selected as the
new captain; W. H. Burgess was se
lected lieutenant, and the two relia
ble workers, W. A. Robertson, secre
tary, and Herman Bodemuller, treas
urer,, were duly re-elected. Vincent
Garbo is the new steward; A. S.
Brown, Sr., and Simon Stelly were ap
pointed members of the house com
mittee to serve jointly with the chief
in taking care of the company's prop
erty, pending the creation of a per
manent house committee.
Resolutions were adopted to pro
vide'for the serving of a gumbo to
the members on Thursday, March 4,
with compliments of the newly elect
ed officers and for the installation of
officers on the same night. A com
mittee, composed of J. A. Budd, Vic
tor Stelly and A. S. J. Campbell, was
appointed to arrange for the annual
banquet to be held on Thursday, April
1, next.
The company now counts 98 mem-
bers, of . whom 48 are pledged active
members and almost? ail of the lat-
ter are fully equipped and trained for
fire-fighting.
-o
CARD QF THANKS
I desire to extend many thanks to
my many friends throughout the par
ish for their splendid support in the
recent primary. To my successful
opponents, congratulations and best
wishes.
PAUL W. LAFLEUR.
—Dr. R. A. Mayer of Pecan Island,
Vermilion parish, came up last Satur
day to spend several days with home
folks in Opelousas.
_Prof. W. C. Perrault, superin
tendènt of education in St. Martin
parish, was here the first of the week
on a visit to relatives.
—Judge Basil C. Taylor of Pal
metto was here Monday and Tuesday
of the present week.
—Sheriff R. Lee Wiggins and Ar
thur Dardeau of Ville Platte were
business visitors here the first of the
week.
—J. Emile Pucheu of Ville Platte,
the efficient clerk of the Evangeline
parish police jury, was an Opelousas
visitor last Sunday.
BOYS TO MEET
NEXT SUNDAY
Farm Youth Who Desire to
Take Trip Asked to Meet
"Dad" Larcade That Day
"Dad" Larcade, member of the
police jury from the first ward, who
is to select five names of worthy
farm boys eligible for the agricultu
ral tour of the middle West, asks that
those who are eligible for the trip
meet him at the court house in this
city on Sunday afternoon, at 3
o'clock, Febraury 15. First ward boys
I are the only ones eligible to be
; placed on Mr. Larcade's Udfc, but
all youths are invited.
I A. A. Mendoza, v/ho is looking af
ter the boys in St. Landrÿ, will be at
the meeting, and probably others will
speak to the youths and explain the
objects and purposes of the trip. Any
boys who can afford to pay their own
expenses on this trip are cordially in
vited to attend the meeting and learn
the interesting feature of the tour.
The meeting will prove valuable to
those wo go to the middle West next
August.
Every member of the police jury is
entitled to submit five names of eli
gibles for the trip. Out of the total
number of eigthy names to be sub
mitted, two names will be drawn and
the lucky boys will be sent to Iowa,
Illinois and Wisconsin at the expense
of the parish.
Mr. Mendoza expects that other
members of the police jury will emu
late Mr. Larcade's example of se
lecting his boys and similar meet
ings as the one to be held on Sun
day afternoon will be held in other
sections of the parish.
BOTH SHAFTS ARRIVE
AND ERECTION IS
BEGUN AT ONCE
World War Veteran and Con
federate Monuments Get
Here Same Day
CONTI
TI!
kCTOR LOSES NO
THEIR ERECTION
In Two Weéks Court House
Square Will be Graced by
Two Beautiful Shafts
After considerable delays, the two
monuments dedicated to the memory
of the St. Landry soldiers of the war
of 1917\and the war of 1861, arrived
on Monday morning and Albert Weib
len, president of the Albert Weiblen
Marble and Granite Company of New
Orleans, who is on the scene, lost no
time in beginning the erection of the
two monuments on the bases long ago
prepared for their reception. His
job will be completed in two weeks,
he told a representative of the Star
Progress.'
The Confederate monument will
grace the northeast corner of the
court house square, while the World
War Veterans' monument will stand
on the southeast corner, and both
facing Court street.
The Confederate monument was
planned several years ago by the
worthy members of the local chapter
of the United Daughters of the Con
federacy, and after many appeals for
funds to public bodies and patriotic
individuals and citizens, sufficient
money was at last realized during the
last year to assure the erection of a
monument to the memory of the St
Landry heroes who fought and bled
for the Lost Cause from '61 to '65.
To Hon. E. M. Boagni, chairman of
the famous and efficient St. Landry
Council of Defense during thé late
World War, is due the major portion
of the credit for the beautiful shaft
erected in memory of the St. Landry
soldiers who participated in the re
cent World War with the Central
Empires of Europe. He headed the
movement that secured sufficient
funds to justify the erection of one
of the prettiest granite shafts in this
section of the state. While his task
was not an easy one, Mr. Boagni wa3
successful in obtaining the funds ne
cessary in what is regarded as a rec
ord-breaking time.
a
a
— F. C. Briggs of Houston, Texas,
was here on business this week.
(
DISTRICT VOTES FOR
BETTER DRAINAGE
UNANIMOUSLY
Without a Dissenting Vote, the
Bellevue District Favorable
to Big Bond Issue
DREDGING TO START
ABOUT FIRST OF MAY
Commissioners Decide to Push
Work in Draining Fertile
Section South of Here
a
of
re
ne
There is no doubt that St. Landry
has realized the advantages of drain
age, if the many bond issues voted in
the last year are taken into consid
eration« The Bellevue and Coulee
Croche District, comprising a port
tion of the first and second wards, is
the latest t<? come to the front with
a bond issue sufficiently large to as
sure the dredging of the important
streams and laterals of this district.
On Wednesday the taxpayers of
the district, by unanimous consent,
voted the bond issue. Already the
commissioners have gotten busy with
a view of pushing the good work
along. Bids are being advertised for
and the contract for the dredging
of many miles of stream will be let
out within the next few weeks. The
bonds will be sold without delay, and
by the first of May dredge boats will
be on the scene and the lands of the
district, considered among the most
fertile in Louisiana, will be relieved
of all surplus water.
Fifty-two votes were cast in last
Wednesday's ele< tion, representing
more than $200,000 of assessed val
uation. There was not a semblance
of a vote against this progressive
measure.
J. Franklin Schell, who has headed
every drainage movement in St. Lan
dry, and who is now being called up
on by taxpayers of St. Martin and
Acadia parishes for assistance, is
given the major portion of the cred
it for the wonderful victory achieved
by the progressive citizens of the
Bellevue and Coulee Croche Drain
age District. Mr. Schell worked in
cessantly on the project until the pro
mulgation of the results of the elec
tion was made.
The district comprises some sixteen
thousand acres of lands. With good
drainage this land will probably be
the most, valuable in the parish, and
with this knowledge the taxpayers «f
the district lost no time in boosting
the bond issue to such an extent as
to get a unanimous verdict on a pro
ject whichf a few years ago, was
thought hopeless. >
The bonds vjjiU be sold, it is under-
stood, within the ijext thirty days. All
legal objections will be eliminated in
sixty days, and as there will be no
contest, the money for the bonds
should be received by, April 15, thus
giving the commissioners ample funds
for the operation of the work by the
first of May.
-o---
CARD OF THANKS
To the People of St. Landry Parish:
I desire to take this means to most
heartily thank the people for this
mark of confidence. Their loyal sup
port given me in the recent primary
election for the state legislature. I
désire to reiterate the promises made
by me during the campaign, that 1
will faithfully co-operate with Hon.
Jno. M. Parker, governor-elect, if in
my opinion he is advocating legisla
tion in the interest of the people of
the state, and particularly that of St.
Landry parish. \
Yours truly,
ALEX. LAFLEUR.
LIVE STOCK SANITATION
The shallow well, when close to the
habitation of live stock, is a very un
safe proposition as it is so liable to
contamination with animal excre
ment and other filth, if not suitably
curbed, or- otherwise protected.
Every care should be taken, there
fore, to exclude surface water from
passing into wells, if we value the
health of our animals.— Dr. W. H.
Dalrymple.
—Senator J. R. Domengeaax and
William Pellerin of Lafayette were
in Opelousas Monday.