Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-04-03
COURT PROCEEDINGS.
The Grand Jury Have a Two Weeks
Session.

Session.
ALL ON ACCOUNT OF PAGES LAMB.LIKE
CHARGES AND INSTRUCTIONS.
And Mower County Pays thu Bill!
On Tuesday, March 18th, the District
Court for Mower county, convened In
regular session.
In the forenoon, the civil calendar was
called, and in the afternoon, the grand
jury were charged by the court. Mr..
Harlan w. Page was chosen Foreman.
In order that the people of this county
may be somewhat posted as to the griev.
auces of the court, and as to what he
really said to the jury, we append below
the chief points of his charge as taken
by US at the time. Our opinion of it
and subsequent charges, is, that they are
not only disgrace to the judge him.
self but direct and fragrant insult to
the grand jury, which was undoubtedly
composed OF as an intelligent and honest.
minded a set Of men as ever composed q
jury in this county. But let every man
judge of this tor himself.
After some remarks as to the duties of
grand juries, the Judge said there is
nothing but the strong arm Of the law to
protect the public from crime. You
stand to day between the violators Of law
and their punishment. BY faithful and
impartial action on your part, crime will
be punished. The Judge here stated that
an effort is generally made in this county
to corrupt grand juries, and lie was in
serious doubt whether the grand jury
system was not SO unsafe that il ought to
be entirely abolished. The selection OF
| names is left to men whose public acts
are liable to Oe investigated, and then
the list is subject to the revision of all
the county officers. There Is opportunity
for tampering with Independent jurors.
The jurors and the court are not the law
making powers. We must take the law
rs it stands, right or wrong. We are
not responsible for results. The court is
the interpreter and expounder of the law.
II certain acts are violations Of the law,
and you have proof, you cannot avoid
presenting indictments without disregard.
ing your oaths. That grand juries have
done this repeatedly in this county for
the past two years am we'll aware. They
have disregdrded the law and instructions
Of the court. AT least one grand jury has
been approached ard tempered with by
one of the county officers Of this county.
One year ago, at the time of the general
Jail delivery in this county, when the
court was presided over by ST. Paul
judge, man generally known to be a
horse.lhief was appointed foreman of the
grand jury. The court knew he was guilty
Of stealing horses, because he had infor-
nation on the subject. He had talked
with some states prison convict, or some
body else who knew all about it. What
safety have We as q people under such a
state of affairs? Another grand jury de.
liberately returned to the court that there
was no evidence that any OF the County
| Commissioners had entered into contracts
with the county to supply goods or mer.
chancise, when the court knew Of his
own personal knowledge, that the jury
had access to such evidence anu that they
knew where it was. That jury ought to
have been punished for contempt, but 1t
was allowed to pass. The County Com
missioners annually disburse thousands
of dollars without the least shadow of
|
in this county is legal farce. There IS
a combination of men in this community
whose business it is to poison every mind
not in accord with theirs do not ex-
aggerate. know whereof speak. The
Court that stands in cringing fear of such
men, is an impeachment to the execution
of justice. He then made suspicious
| illusions to the grand juries OF Mower
| Rrf ho n usc1, l. to 1-a
to apply to all. A majority can control
the acts Of the jury-half dozen ex-
pert men who have personal motives to
crafty. He here alluded to little steal
ings by Congressman, such as TOOTH
picks, pocket.knives. etc. Complaints
have been made to me by taxpayers of
this county in regard to Illegal fees of
County Commissioners The grand jury
is not to investigate these matters
in superficial, partisan way. I know
what say-1 say it advisedly-it is
within the personal knowledge OF the
court. The evidence is ABUNDANT. II
you have any disposition to evade this
investigation, you do It with the facts
before you, knowingly, and with your
eyes open. Then followed = long state.
ment of the duties and powers OF County
Commissioners, their fees under the law,
SC. Each Commissioner shall receive
$3sper day and cents per mile mileage,
but shall not receive pay for more than
20 days services in any one year, or
mileage for more than six sessions. Com
plants have been made to me that the
Commissioners of this county have re-.
; peatedly violated this law. That they
have taken more than double the amounts
they we're entitled to. If so, it Is mis-.
conduct in Office and is indic,able. The
Commissioners have manufactured bus.
mess, seeing TO bridges, looking after
poor, contracts, sc. No apology can De
offered for this. The office Of County
Commissioner is the most important
office in the county. I make no exccp.
ton. This outside work, such as looking
after poor, county roads, bridges, &C., I
| say TO you gentlemen, there is no provis-
ion OF law for extra pay for any such
service. He then called the attention Of
the grand jury to the Encouragement
OF the poor of this county. You will see
by examining the records. that the Coun.
ty Commissioners have paid hundreds of
dollars illegally. AlluslOn was next made
to contracts made by member of the
Board and the county for lumber. Where
the law uses the word "wiIfully," It
means il the party does the act-if the
Commissioner v0tes for the bill he is
guilty and he does it wllfully in the
meaning Of the law. I instruct you to
make the examination OF these matters
of the Commissioners your first business
on retiring. I Instruct you to do it. You
have no right T. appoint committees to
make these investigations. You can sub
p9na any officer TO bring before you all
the necessary books and papers you may
want. He next referred to the allowance
of the sherlff's bill of $s4 for care Of
Jail aud buildings. It is not simply an
oversight. This has been done ,deliber.
ately. There is no authority whatever
for the allowance by the Commissioners
of any such bill. The language OF the
statute is plain. You have NO right to
call before you any person whose con-
duct is under investigation. If you will
exercise business prudence and diligence
you can get along. Your deliberations
are to be in secret, and you have no right
to converse with any one outside of the
jury room concerning these matters. If
you are approached by any person it is
your duty to report the fact to the Court,
if you do not, you yourself will be guilty
of contempt. am determined to dis.
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