Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-30
NOW IT'S INTERESTING.
JUDGE COX,s CHARGE TO THE MOO
LET COUNTY Grand JURY.

They are Ordered to Investigate the Charge
of Murder Brought Against the Insane
Expounded--Betts, Bartlett, ct al, Have
Chance to Explain Before a Legal Tribu-
nal--A Charge that Makes q Rattling
Among Rascals.
GENTLEMEN OF THE GRAND JURY:
The law that has brought us together at
this time provides that the court deliver to
you in charge certain provisions of the stat
ute relative to your duties in the matter of
information or accusations for public ofenses
committed within your jurisdiction, that is,
within your county, and for one hundred rods
beyond the boundary line thereof. And it is
made the duty of the court to read you the
provisions of the statute found on pages
1,03G and 1,037, to which, aside from my
presentation, your attention is invited, and
which you will carefully examine for your
selves during the progress of your sittings;
as a diligent consideration of their pro-
visions is essential to a correct under
standing of yoar duties and powers,
and as often neglected, regret to say, by
those having the duties of grand jurors in
charge. Here the provisions of the statute are
read.)
GENTLEMEN: You will at once perceive
that the duties devolving upon you as grand
jurors, if perfectly discharged, are frequent
ly onerous, oftenti,nes unpleasant Here
you have no friends to reward-no enemies
to punish; your duty is with an eye single to
| the public welfare.
| Looking abroad over the land from our
| prairie homes, we see that crime runs riot
| in the land.
Danger threatens us as a people from the
fragrant violations of law in high places, as
well as from the lowly in life; the laborer
clamors for bread; others for wealth. One
violates the law, as it were, from stern ne
cessty, upon whom the law operates with
apparent ferocity. The other buys
his way into power and station,
defying the law or its punishment. How
true seem the lines:
''Clothe vice with gold. and the strong lance of
justice hurtless breaks.
Arm it in rags, and pigmy straw doth pierce
it,
Our standard of morality may be high
enough, but its observance is a delusion anu
a mockery. Fraud, rascality and chicane in
the attainment of wealth is commended if
the perpetrator be successful in his object
while the poor man is condemned to the
| felon's cell for obtaining the wherewitha]
to sustain the life of his wife and little ones.
Much, too much, of this is attributable to
the lax administration of our criminal laws
giving to wealth and station advan-
tages in courts not possessed by the
poor. This is oppression of the vilest
form, and ends in the overthrow
of free institutions. I say to you
gentlemen of the jury, that the reverse OF
this should be the rule. That the higher the
standing of aparty, the greater the account
ability, for ''unto whom much is given, OF
him the same shall be required and TO,
offenders of such class, punishment swift
and merited should be melted out.
These remarks lead me to a part of my
charge, that however unpleasant it may be
to me personally, duty forbids me to shrink
ters in charge perhaps involving the liability
of some of our own citizens: but first mors
generally
ENCOURAGEMENT.
The misrepresentation of the public moneys
by any person having them in charge, has
become so serious an evil as to call forth
the severest anamadversions Of the
executive branch of our State gov
eminent, singing commentary upon
the administration of justice. In this con
nection the wilful and corrupt misconduct ii
Office of public officers of every description
is an indictable offense. I place in YOU
hands report of the last grand jury as tc
the amounts of money charged and received
by certain county officers for services as
such; not to- be taken by you as evidence OF
the fact, but as a guide to you in your inves
legations of the truth Of the charges. Breads
statute)
In connection Herewith the law lays il
down, that where an officer neglects duty
incumbent upon him, he is indictable Also
when a duty is thrown upon a body consist
ing of several persons, each is Individually
liable for breech of that duty, as well fol-
acts of commission as for omission.
1t does not appear to be clearly under
stood, am inclined to believe, that offices
are instituted, not for the sake of the officer
but for the good of the public. therefore, he
who neglects or refuses to answer the ends
for which his office is ordained. should give
glect.
! EXTORTION.
Closely allied to this class of offenses il
the very contemplate one of extortion, prac
ticed by those in authority. The man VIII,
goes to your drawer and flches therefrom {
penny, is punished as a very low thief b,
fine or jailing, but one who in authorit,
overcharges for his services is no better i,
principle, certainly not in law, when, by vir
tue of his position, he takes the like amount
This offense consists in any officer
unlawfully taking, by color of hi
Office, from any person, any none
or thing of value that is no
due to him, or more than
due, or before it is due. I know of non
such, but charge you that it is an indicta
bic offense.
CoMPoUNDING FELONY.
The compounding or settling offenses an
crimes, applicably noY especially to felonies
is indictable. do not know officially of an
such in your midst, but the offense exists t
an alarming extent throughout the country
to the great scandal and disgrace of justice
complaint has been made to me that mum
Der of persons are engaged in a systemati
practice of swindling farmers, by means Q
false contracts, orders, notes, for lightnin
rods, hay forks, etc. The farmer has bu
little time to spare to post himself on th
wiles of these men, and these bogus sale
may be indictable offenses from whom tn
farming community may be entitled to you
protection.