Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1858 — Judicial Dignity in Louisiana. [ARTICLE]

Judicial Dignity in Louisiana.

A correspondent of the Brandon (Mias.) Republican gives the followiag specimen of how justice is administered and judicial dignity sustained in one of the Parish Courts in Louisiana. He says: Speaking of the Grand Juries reminds me that the Parish Court is now in session here, his Honor, Kiah Rodgers, presiding—old Kye—or “Ky,” they usually call him. Old Ky was passing sentence on a prisoner and delivered himself as follows:

“Prisoner, stand up! Mr. Kettles, this Court is under the painful necessity of passing sentence of law on you, sir. This Court has no doubt, Mr. Kettles, but what you were brought into this scrape-by the use of intoxicating liquor. Ths friends of thia Court all know» that as thar is any vice this Court abhors, it is intemperance. When this court was a young man, Mr. Kettles, it was considerably inclined to drink; and the friends of this Court knows, that this Court has naterally a very high temper, and if this Court had not stopped short off, and stopped the use of intoxicating liquor, I have no doubt, sir, but what this Court, sir, would have been in the penitentiary, or in its grave!”

Another case was before the Court. An overseer who had been discharged, brought suit against his employer fur the whole year’s wages, alleging that he had been discharged without sufficient grounds. Old Ky charged the jury as follows: a “The jury will take notice that the Court is well acquainted with the nature of the case. When the Court first started out in the world, it followed the business of overseeing, and es thar is any business what the Court understands, it is hosses, mules and diggers—though the Court never overseed in its life for less that sßoo—and this Court in hoss-racing, was always nateraliy gifted; and this Court in running a quarter race whar the hosses was turned, could allers turn a boss so as to gain fifteen feet in a race; and that on a certain occasion the parish of West Felicina. it wa* on® octha conditions of the race that Ky Rodgers should not ‘turn naqr one of the hosses.’ ” Another case was up, and two lawyers got into a tight—one of them a preacher of our church. Old Ky called lustily fer the Sheriff: “Mr. Sheriff! Mr. Sheriff! take them to jaid; I’ll be d d if this Court will have her dignity insulted in this manner.”