The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-03-06
TIE GRAND JURY.

The Grand jury OF Inc county Soufs
completed their session yesterday, and
brought in a number of bills against
sundry parties for gambling and selling
LIQUOR in violation of law. The jury &C
compsnied their report with document
addressed To HIS Honor, Judge BOYD, IN
which they pointed out the difficulties
they had labored under snd the him
ORANGES which were interposed that made
their Investigations farce.
Several members of the jury called
upon US yesterday, ard expressed them
selves pretty plainly upon the subject
1t seems that an effort was made by the
Prosecuting Attorney 10 see the records
of the Police Court, in order to ascertain
the names of such violstors OF the State
law as had been arrested by city author
ity. Prosecutor JORDAN Informed us
that he was denied access TO these pubic
records for the purpose. The Grand
Jury then asked to have the Clerk oil the
Court summoned 10 appear before them
with tho records Of his office. The
Judge decided, so we are Informed by
Prosecutor JORDAN ard several members
OF the Jury, that this could not be DONE
The j .dCe doubtless decided in accord
ance with the law. The reader must
determine for himself how he likes the
law.
Wesre further informed by the jurors
that, when they did succeed in getting q
gambler before them, the latter would,
when Intercepted as to who he had gam
bled with or seen gambling, peremptor-
tally decline answering any question
on the ground that to do so would criml-
nate himself. This determination OF the
witness was sustained by The court as
being entirely within the law. The re-
suit was, the jury was poweriess; the
whole thing, in the language of one OF
the members, became a screaming farce.
Three or four of the members who talked
to US, spoke with great disgust OF the
proceedings. They were mere dummies
sitting there with their fingers in their
mouths, with no power whatever to pro-
cure testimony.
On the little voluntary testimony they
did procure they found some indictments
against tho ''small fish" but the large
game all escaped.
We DO not reflect in the slightest upon
Jud .BoYD, as some do, for his decisions
hin til femises They are doubtless all
N straseVdsnce with law, and were
conscieNk d ksndered. But the ex-
perlence ofrhSAnd jury establishes
one thlng-thst there is no place so
sacred as the inner precincts OF
gambling house or house of prostitu-
tiop. There is q sscredness, Free Ma
sonry, about what occurs at these places,
and who visits them, that no one dare
divulge, not even to that star chamber
inquisitiun, the Grand jury. Before the
majesty of these dens the power OF the
law psles. 1t Is thus established, para
doxical as it may seem, that, while these
places exist in defiance of law, the law
throws around them its most powerful
protection.
Why not, then, license houses Of this
character? II they exist on every square
and in every section OF the city, and If
they are to receive the laws protection,
why not make them bear proportion of
the public burden2 II there is no law
for the punishment Of gambling or pros
titution that can be enforced against
them, why not repeal the pretensc OF law
and legslize them at once. 1t is much
better to have no law upon your statute
books than to have laws which are daily
set at defiance.
o