New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-06
now GRIND JURIES ARE USED.


Another revelation of the Britton inyestiga-
ton, now going on in Brooklyn, painfully
illustrates how justice is tempered with, ana
particularly how Grand Juries are used by de-
signing men in power to protect themselves
and to pursue their enemies. 1t ia humili-
ating revelation, for it not only suggests
criminality on the part of the officers, but
presuppOses and clearly indicates shame
full imbeciity or downright rascallty on the
part Of the jurors. We are disposed to believe
that in most cases it is Ignorance rather than
corruption which allows jurors thus to be used
The plain truth is that twenty three jurors
out of every twcnty-four are negative charac-
tiers, who submit without hesitation to the
dictation of a positive District ttOrney.
Here are the revelations alluded to put into
plain narrative from the full record of the
evidence.
Judge Moore of Brooklyn about year ago
ordered the Grand Jury of his Court to lnves-
tigate certain charges made in local news
paper against DistrIct-Attorney Brtton.
The Jury expressed its purpose to do SO,
and the sagacious foreman consulted Mr.
Brtton as to the proper course TO be pur-
sued. IL is with great pleasure we state
that Mr.. Brtt0n declined to advise the
Jury. He resented the indignity offered him
by declaring that it would not be proper for
him to conduct an examination against him
self. But the foreman seems to have been a
gentleman incapable of approaching the finer
feelings of the accused District-Attorney and
so he appears to have suggested to the dell
cate -minded official that he should draw up
the questions to be asked the various wit
nesses who had been summoned. Strangely
enough, this does not appear to nave been
thought by Mr. Britton at all improper or III
delicate, and he at once prepared a series OF
questions to be asked the two editors OF
the paper making the charges when
they had offered to substantlate. Inc
questions were asked and answered; Mr.. Brit
ton was examined as witness also, and 1t Is
to be presumed after the same fashion. These
questions and answers do not appear on the
minute book of the Grand Jury, although
every other case inquired into is set down in
proper detail in the usual form. The record
as found in the District-AttOrney's office Is on
separate and loose sheets, and the whole OF
the examination Of BrittOn Is missing. We
have carefully read this Inutllated record OF
the inquiry into Mr. Britton's alleged mlscon-
duct, and not one of the questions written by
Mr.. Britton and propounded by the simple
minded foreman suggests in tho remotest de-
gree the production of any evidence OF Mr..
Britton'S guilt. They are each and all de-
voted solely to eliciting the names of the
editor of the paper and of the writer of GER
tain articles charging Britton with corruption
in Office. Not only is Mr.. Britton's testimony
gone, but no report on the case is attached to
the record. In fact, it is uncertain if any re-
port was ever made, for the evidence of the
foreman of the jury shows that a report pre-
pared by Mr.. Brtton generating himself was
rejected by the jurors. who at last, aroused to
a sense of the disgraceful character OF their
investigation, refused to sign it.
This, then, is the manner in which, 1t is
charged, Mr. Britton shielded himself from in
dictment. Evidence on charge yet to be
tried will show how he used another Grand
Jury to protect his Ring friends.