The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-02-04
Tuesday. February 4. 1879,
Mark Bangs, the General ROrgstful-
ness Man,

The detail Of testimony offered before
the Blodgett Investigating committee at
Chicago, is really amusing; apart from its
serious aspect,Sas developing al system of
fraudulent transactions on the Part OF
United States. Court. oficials, there is fund
Of amusement to be CLEANED from the
clumsy lies told by the witnesses for the
defense. We quote few lines from the
testimony Of M. Bangs, U. S. District At
torney:
Q. Judge Bangs, answer me this: Is
il not true that you took. among other pa
pers, the indictment for perjury. and just
as you were leaving your room to go up
stairs to the fourth floor to present these
indictments to the grand jury, you met
Judge Blodget coming down stairs, near
the door of your Office. Isn't that true,
sir2 A. | think l either met the Judge,
OF q messenger from him, l don't remem'
Der now which.
.. Well, can't you distinguish-can't
you remember now whether it was mes
sengsr or whether it was the Judge him
self? A. do not now remember; it is
good while ago.
Q. Ii it was messenger, what mes
senger was III A. don't know. Per-
haps il was Adam. Haughter.l
@. Iwant to ask you this: Whether
the Judge did not come down there just
to 20 into your Office, and ask you what
the grand jury were doing2 Do you re-
member that2 A. l do not.
Q. You do not remember such thing
A. do not"
A convenient memory is most excel
lent thing, and affords many loop-holes for
escape not to be found elsewhere.
But the question naturally arises, is the
man Of such convenient, or inconvenient,
memory the proper person to entrust with
the business of Prosecuting Attorney for
the Circuit Court in the Northern District
Of Illinois?
20. What l want to know is, what your
desire was with reference to seeing and
consulting with Judge Blodgett about
the business; that is it. A. | do not
remember that l had any desire on that
subject.
Q. Is it your best recollection that
you did not have any desire on the sub
jectP 4. | have no recollection, one
way or the other, respecting that point.
Mr.. knott-Let me ask a question
right here If you had not been sent for
TO 60 to Judge Blodgett's room, or had
not seen him, would you or not have
taken that indictment up and presented
"a y tls grand jury, with your signature?
#.lless-I think should, sir, If had
not seen him. Sensation.
Mr.. Cooper-You think you should?
WitDess-l undoubtedly should.
HAD IT DRAWN,
One of my men worked all night, nearly,
to get it ready"
As Mr.. Toots would say 1T is of no
consequence" but the public would be
much pleased to know why Mr.. Bangs
should consider it necessary TO consult
Judge BlodRett in regard to the presenta-
ton of indictments found by the grand
jury. 1t is the duty Of the District Attor-
ney to present to the Court, not to the
Judge in his private room, all present
ments found by the grand jury, that action
may be taken concerning them in open
session of court; yet Mr.. Bangs testi6es
that be suppressed presentiments made
"Gtter seeing the Judge"
Another popularity of the testimony
elected arises from the recollectious it
calls up in the minds of people who have q
memory, and, as a rule, the public have
distinct recollection of all the irregularities
of its servants. Homer N. Hibbard, Reg
lister in Bankruptcy, the man indicted BY
the grand jury for perjury, which iudict
ment was suppressed as above at the in
stigation Of Judge Blodgett, testiie.
that, "weil-yes-he did make the Judge
present-but very small one-merely
-a-well it was agold watch and chain.
And well, yes-perhaps-in fact-yes-
he did make Christmas present, to the
different members of the Judges family
and to-to-the Judge himself" Follow
ing in the footsteps Of his illustrious prede
cesSor, Ulysses S., Judge Blodgett accepts
presents for favors received; rather 6
pretty condition of things all through.
Of course the Judge is guilty of III
actual aorong-how could be be2 he be-
longs to the party of high moral ideas, t.
the same party with Mrs. Jenks, Eliz,
PiDkston aud Jim Anderson.
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