Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-11-20
GRAND Jury sEcReu.
The Revelations Of a 81. Paul Newspaper
CorreSpoNdent.

GRAND JURY SECRETS.
The Revelations Of q 81. Paul Newspaper
Correspondent.
Yankton,D. T.,Nov. l6.-The grand jury
in the Indian cases was burdened with
another grist today, duplicating Dr.. Liv.
~ingston. Capt. Dougherty, acting agent at
Grow Creek, was the principal witness.
Thus telegraphs J. N. Rea to tho St. Paul
Pioneer.Press. He is also supposed to have
p~ropagated alengthy article in . recent is
sue of the Chicago Tribune, rejecting in .
malicious manner upon Dr.. Livingston and
seekingto further prejudice the public against
that gentleman. Mr.. Rea is the man who
was employed by Hammond to visits Crow
Creek last spring aud in. his capacity as a
newspaper correspondent to spread all over
the country an array Of unsubstantiated char
ges mainly against DR.. Living
ston. The articles manufac-
tured by Mr.. Rea were teleg rsphed to near
ly all the leading papers Of the country the
night that Indian Commissioner Hayt was
in Yankton on his return from his visit to
the Sioux country ami published by those
papers. All the evil that the malignant
hate of his employer and the %unadultered
~cussedness of his " satanic nature could
inspire was condensed into those memorable
articles and Mr.. Rea went his a chuck.
ling over the indignation which would con-
vulse this community when it became
known what he had done. He halted long
enough in Sioux City to send word to the
newspapers that it would not be safe for him
to go to Yankton after the exposure he had
made, when in fact he could have come here
with perfect safety, for our people are not
a lawless rabble, as this correspondent would
have the public believe.
So much we have devoted to a sketch Of
Mr.. Rea's past transactions as a newspaper
correspondent in this neighborhood and VIC
givci it to show that his present GRAND here
is the same iniquitious work which in.
duced his former visit. How does Mr.. Rea
know that the grand jury was. on the
10th day Of November, "burdened with an
other grist duplicating DR.. Livingston? ?"
By-whst means has he possessed himself OF
the secrets of the star chamber? Witnesses
are sworn to reveal nothing
Jurors are sworn to reval nothing.
Who has leaked into the ear Of Mr.. Rea
this intelligence? He is the enemy Of DR.
Livingston, and if it was a juryman who
told him these things, his %sympathies ar,
akin to the sympathies Of the individual o
whom we write. Perhaps his information
came through a witness. We incline 10 III,
belief that it did. MI. Rea is himself herr
in the capacity of a witness, though it isno
probable that he knows anything of import
ance as evidence. 1t is more than probable
that Gen. Hammond desired his presence
that he might send out daily telegrams t.
the preas informing the public Of the grear
wickedness of Or. Livingston, and rende,
more effective that feeling Of gen
eral prejudice which has already been
engendered by his previous writings
The way to get him here at government ex
pense ard maintain him after his arriva
was to subpoena him. He thus has hi.
travelling expenses from Bismarck to Yank'
ton and return paid by the government
While here he receives his per diem and his
fee. Ws are almost willing to guarantee tina
his testimony will not be worth five cents ia
the government, but this is a comfortable
and economical way for the Hammond ring
to secure eir.special correspondent. We
believe that on attempt to Influence or give
direction TO the finding Of a grand jury
is an offence which it is the province Of tbs
court 10 take in,n consideration, and
while we have no personal desire
to infict injury upon Mr.. Rea, we possess
SO great a respect for the aanctlty Of court
regulations that We might rejoice over a
proper Investigation Of the doings of this
presumptiye newspaper correspondent. 1t
might be we'll, also, 10 ascertain why he is
here in this capacity Of a witness. The tx
penses of the present United States grand
jury will be large enough wi,lou. the EN-.
ployment Of purely Ornamental talent in
the evidence department.
With Judge shannon's raceu, charge to
the grand jury still fresh in the minds of
the public, it is of the highest importance
that Mr.. Rea's procurement Of grand jury
secrets be fully investigated. He should be
made to show where he obtained his 1nfor-
nation and made to suffer the penalty of
contempt for publishing it. We say this in
kindness TO Mr.. Rea. We believe it would
do him good-tbat he would be a better man
for the experience.
When Mr.. Rea returned to Yankton, he
was treated with a courtesy which he proba-
bly, didn't deserve at the hands of a much
maligned people. But with charity for his
misdeeds the dead past was permitted to
bury its dead. We endeavored through a
$780, 5000 ~ |