Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-04-03

bis words, 1t would add so per cent. to
the meanness thereof.
The jury came in several times durin q
the first week with business, and were
and re-charged BY the Judge.
On Friday the general court business was
and on the opening of Court
morning, the Judge sent for the
jury and gave them blessing much
more severe than any they had had before.
In the afternoon the jury again came IN
with report Of facts regarding the mat.
ters which the Judge had called their
attention.
Among other things, at this time, the
Judge said:
The allowance Of the Sheriff s bill was
q bold attempt to violate the law. The
County Commissioners knew the law
thoroughly when they allowed the bill.
The jailor's fees are fixed by the Court.
and can not be determined in any other
way. For the best of reasons in the
world ! disapproved of the Sheriff's first
Of jailor. The second ap.
pointee was entirely unknown to me, and
came without any recommendations. The
care of the Jail was too important a trust
TO commit into the hands of any one 7
didn't know. But the Sheriff keeps right
in charge of the Jail the person whom I
in violation Of law and he was
kept there under the threat that he would
show the Judge of the 10th district
whether he was TO dictate his appoint
ments or not, and he went before the
Legislature and secured the passage Of 4
Understandable as it is for the Legis-
lature to pass an act Of that kind-taking
the matter out of the hands of the Court.
am very glad it is so, relieving me Of
the responsibility, as I will do nothing
TO bleed the treasury. This officer (Sheriff)
deliberately presented this bill before the
Commissioners, knowing it was illegal
the law says that these acts
are indictable. You may, gentlemen,
with your sauctiuu, conceal these acts II
you see fit, but the Court will not b. re
sponsible. Why, we might as well give
up our persons. our property and our al
to these violators Of law. But gentlemen
l know civilization will advance. The
public sentiment will demand that these
things be stopped. The people, to whom
all public officers are amenab'e, will
sooner or later, obtain hearing. Il
they do not get it through grand juries
a very uncertain means I know, they
will in some other way. In regard t.
contracts with Board of County Commits
sioners, I must say, Mr.. Foreman, l am
greatly surprised, after the law cited t.
you in my first charge, that you should
bring In such report as this. You say
there was no evidence Of unreasonable
charges. Coming from all Independent,
body OF men like this, this Is surprising
It 10 an ate: pied evasion of law. This
is indlspulable. How do you know
these bills were purchased as cheaply as
they could be anywhere? You cam,
know it. 1t is an impossibility NJ
Commissioner under the law, can furnish
the county with one single far,hiDg's
worth Of anything. If he were Mer.
chant he couldn't sell the county a yard
Of calico. The Commissioners have
bought lumber Of one Of their own lum.
Der. The law says every Commissioner
who voted tor this bill Is liable to irlict-
ment, a. we'll as the one who accepted
the pay therefor. DO you, gentle mea of
the grand jury, decline to receive u.e
law as laid down by the Court! Mr.
Foreman, have you consulted with any
outside person as to the law on these
matters: The Foreman replied, that, ~
for himself, he had consulted with no
one but the County Attorney Wen,
ho> "a ~nhot 7 1p,;ob. N l. o.
whether he has given q version of the
law different from the. Court. The
Foreman SAID he could not remember
that he had Well, wish you would
rofresh your recollection on that point
and report to me. You have brought in
promptly ten or twelve indictments for
little trivial otfenses like selling liquor
without license, larceny, &C., and these
men were deluded and deceived by action
Of the Board of County Commissioners in
promising them license. And took this
into account in sentencing them, and did
not punish them as severely as I other.
wise would. But in finding the indict.
ments you had no right to consider these
circumstances. Gentlemen, when you
again come into Court I want you to BIT
prepared to say that you have acted or
all these matters. And further, if any Of
the members Of the grand jury wish =
enter q protest, wish them to understand
they are at liberty to do it. l shall give
you no more instructions on the law. Tie
responsibility rests with you. There il
a combination of wicked and law. def yins
men who will attempt to prejudlse
the minds Of the grand jury. I knew
these men are violators of law. Gentle
men, you can have your action on thee
matters, act as license for their COL
tinuance if you see fit. But there has g,|
10 be q stop to these things. You CT
finish these matters very soon if you DE-
sire.
The jury retired, ana after deliberatirg
for two or three hours, adjourned uni
Monday at 2 P. N. On Tuesday, the iu1
came into Court about 10 O'Clock A. N.
The Foreman said: The grand jury
desire me to say. with this report we hare
concluded our business and desire to be
discharged.
The Judge, after looking over the r.
port, addressed the jury substantially As
follows:
Gentlemen Of the Grand Jury: The
Court, at the opening Of this session, IS
was his duty to do, and complaint having
been made that public oftenses had been
committed, called your attention to mst.
tiers of great public Importance. I did
this in discharge of . bounden duty.
explained to you the law fully. At re.
quest of the grand jury have since ex.
planned the law more fully and complete.
ly. You have reported state of facts
which indicates the commission Of very
grave public offenses. The law and your
oaths were before you. You have delib.
eralelY lent your sanction to the commits.
sion Of offenses. believe q majority OF
this jury are hcnest-mlnded men, but
believe there some persons on this jury
in fact know lt-who have used their
influence'for the protection Of criminals,
Gentlemen, you have followed 10 the
footsteps Of your predecessors, and lent
your sanction to the commission of pub.
lie offenses. You have made q record
which is not credltable. Let the respon,
sibility Of licensing crime rest where j,
belongs-with the grand jury, not with
the Court. There have been influences
to work on this grand jury. I know it.
I ought to investigate It. Henceforth, lei
it be understood that the grand juries OF
Mower county, instead of enforcing the
law, put themselves between the punish.
ment of crime and the execution of the
law. You have deliberately put into this
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