The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-02-01
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Packed Grand Juries in the
United States District Court,
THE REGISTER IN BANKRUPTCY
$4,000 SHORT.

OHlCAGO, rep. lin the Blodgett in
qulry to-day DR.. Hamlin. a member of the
late grand jury, made the following extra
ordinary statement: L went on the grand
jury with some reluctance and in an un-
pleasant frame of mind because, to the
best OF my knowledge and belief, ths grand
Jury was packed. | got that information
directly from person whose case was to
be examined before that grand Jury. He
had been informed that he might present,
70 the proper authorities, five or six, or
six or seven names of his personal friends,
to be placed upon that jury, and he in-
struck me very unpleasantly. | consulted
one of the oldest and ablest legal gentle
men of the city, a personal friend of thirty
years standing, as TO whether, under the
circumstances, it was proper for me TO
serve on that grand jury. He asked me
if the knowledge OF that fact would affect
my action; | told him it would not, and he
advised me by all means then to serve,
After the grand jury was charged and
assembled "a plumber of days were devoted
to investigating petty criminal cases; |
mean by that indictments against men
without friends and without influence.
| For instance, / remember one case where a
man had made two lead uickels; another
case where a white mans negro mistress,
being turned adrift. wrote him a scandalous
postal card, and the poor woman was in
dicted for it; and such things The major
part of the time was taken up with that
class of things which were brought before
the grand jury by Judge Bangs, the dis
trict attorney. 1t began to be whispered
about among the grand jury that notorious
criminal acts that had occurred 10 our
midst were not to be Investigated. That
it was the determination of the court and its
officers, to event such 40 Investigation.
Then the Jury determined to take up the
important cases themselves, without wait
ing for the district attorney. They voted
to inquire into the alleged frauds IN the
construction OF the United States Custom
house, the defalcation In the post-othce,
and the Register Hibbard case. They
lsent for the witnesses, and required the
district attorney to produce the papers;
the result was the finding of indictments
lin every caae. 1t is undertood that the
person alluded TO, as having been author
Iized to select six of his personal friends
for the grand jury, was a prominent ex
official concerned in the construction Ol
! the custom house building. This testlmo
ny does not involve Judge BlodGett as at
; the time the Jury was impanelled he was
absent from the state, and the jury was
drawn by the U. s. com missioner as usual
A. L. Rose, an expert accountant, tes-
tilted that he had examined Register
Hibbard's S accounts, and found that tbt
register had under stated his receipts fol
: each of three years. The total amount o.
discrepancies for this period was oVel
$4,000 His figures were taken frou
Hibbard's fee book Witness had testified
to this effect before the grand jury las
E fall. If there was any retunding IN th'
year succeeding each deposit it would no
appear in these figures. Keith and Tum
ley, members of the late federal grant
; Jury, testified to about the same facts a
: the other Jurors.
United States District Attorney Bang
. was summoned, aud testified that tn
). grand jury themselves had taken up tn
:. Hibbard case without his advice.
Question by Mr.. Knott-"Did the jur.
discuss the construction put upon the la
in the Hibbard matter2" Al think
did"
On your presence?" Al thin
So"
u Dtu you auVlSe tAe jury opou tht
point?" A-"Well the jury had lit
:R doubt on that subject, and we mad JudR
c. Trumbuli before the body for the purpos
IN of getting his views on the subject"
You have not answered my question
Did you, as prosecuting attorney for II
government, give any order to the gran
jury upon that important subject
Answer,-"l did not.
Question. why didn't yout
A.-Because | considered the law on II
N subject ambiguous.
ny Q.-"For the ediicatiop Of this commi
TO- tee, please explain to US wherein lies Il
poo ambiguity of that aw?" Witness the
- pointed out the matters he considered az
biguous, but Mr.. Knott expressed himse
dissatisfied with the explanation.
- Witness continued and stated that q
Il ter drawing up the indictments by instru
tion of the jury against Hibbard for th
purpose, he presented them to that bod
He then had talk with Judge Blodg'
,1n on who alluded to the perjury lndlctmeI
F. Could not remember exactly what occurr
ros at that interview. but remembered that
. ter it took place he changed his mind
IN presantinp the neriurV indictment