Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-04-09
From the stare Rezister. April "a
SOMETHING NEW EN TEIE
RANKIN CASE.

RANKIS'5 DEPUTY - RE-IHDICr-
nEnT or NIL. RANKIN.
Yesterday morning this communi-
ty was startled by the information
that the Grand Jury Of the District
Court had found eight true bills
against Hon. Isaac Brandt, ex-Dep-
uty State Treasurer. The oGense
charged il embezzlement, and the
special acts are said TO be loaning the
public money for his own benefit.
It is Observation-Disclosures nothing
IL known officially, the evidence not
being made pubiic--that the Grand
jury considered his official acts by
each quarter year; that they had a
balance stuck at the termination Of
each period named and charged 10
him the interest or bonus he received
during that time; that during his
term Of Office he frequently convert
cd the drafts and currency IN his
hands into drafts drawn by different
Ues Moie5 banks, on New York or
Chicago, ard when these drafts were
held for considerable time IN the
State Treasury, before being forward
cd or returned to the drawer for pay
ment, the bank which had drawn
the draft paid him "bonus," or 'iu-
teresp Oh the draft thus held; that
the amounts thus charged to Dir.
Brandt, and for which, ii IL claimed,
he.is liable 10 the State, amounts to
about $50, 900 or 10000, or sum
greater than the original Rankin de-
ftlcatiou.
The District attorney understands
shat the receiving Of such bonus or
interest Is violation Of the statutes,
and renders the person 80 receiving
liable To prosecution for enbez2le-
ment.
Immediately after the Grand Jury
was discharged, Col. Bis.all moved
TO quash all the indictments they
had formed, Oh the following
grounds:
ist. That the jury docket WAS not
compared by the proper officer; the
deputy sheriff performing the work
Iustead Of the sheriff.
Cd. That the sheriff was not en-
powered To call taIesmen 10 fill up
tho jury, but should issue d regular
venira.
81. That one Of the taleanen
could not legally serve as foreman.
The court oyerruled the motion.
in the afternoon Mr.. brandt filed
bail bonds for twenty-four thousand
dollars, three thousand na effe4ih, lit TT
Slictnent, with the following surcties:
John A. Elliott, j. NJ. futile, Hoyt
Sherman, Harry West, j. b. Stew
art, g. w. Swope, q. w. Bennett,
a. s. Worse, X. G. Webb, Geo. w.
Jones, George Sheer, s. Merrill,
Wesley Readhead, j. II. West, Geo.
IL. Maish, William Shepherd. The
bondsmen were qualified In the sum
Of three thousand dollars each.
The prominent part Mr.. Brandt
has borne In the politics and history
of the State gives the the case an In
terest far beyond that OF any ordi-
nary criminal. lie held the office of
Deputy Treasurer from 1867 to 1872,
during all the term when the Rankin
defnlcations were taking place, and
has since represented Polk county In
the General Assembly as a member
Of the House, which position he now
holds.
TIE GRAND JURY's WORK AND THE
JUDICIAL ASPECTS OF THE CASE.
OF course, practically nothing Is
known either OF the Investigations
made or the testimony adduced by
the Grand Jury. All things indicate
That they proceeded to their labors
NN'sptahAe'y, aHh biiHt tHSy dctSu
with caution. One thing seems to
prove this, and also that they were
not willing to trust their own judg.
ment and the advice Of the prose-
cutting attorney exclusively. On
Wednesday, the audience in attend
ance upon the District Court were
surprised at the entrance into the
open court OF the Grand Jury In a
body. The Jury, through their FORE
man, requested Of the court special
charge in answer to the following
questionss
/. When the District ATTORNEY
espounds the law to the Grand Jury
and the Grand Jurors find by the
testimony that the law, MS expound-
ed by the District Attorney, has been
violated, IL Ii the duty OF the Grand
Jury to indict, or can the Grand Ju-
rors interpret the law for themselves