Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-03
JUDGE AND JURY.
POSITIONS REVERSED IN THE BLOD.
GETT EXAMINATION,
Evidence Bears Strongly Against the Ju-
d1cia1 Integrity of the Judge-United
States Attorney Bangs Not Only Fails to
Relieve His Chief, but Smirches Himself.

CHICAGO, Feb. LIN the Blodge.t inquiry Mr..
Hamline member Of the late grand jury, made the
following extraordinary statement: went on the
grand Jury with some reluctance and in an upleas-
and frame Of mind because to the best of my knowl-
edge and belief the grand jury packed. got
that information from person whose to be
examined before that grand jury-that he was in
formed that he might present to the proper author
tiles hve or six or seven names of his persona!
friends to be placed upon that jury, of whom he In
formed me I was one. Well. the matter struck me
very unpleasanuy. consulted one OF the Oldest and
aolest legal gentlemen of the city, personal friend
OF thirty years standing whether, under the crcum-
stances, it was proper for on the grand
jury. He asked me If the knowledge of the fast
would affect my action. told him 1t would not and
he advised me by all means to serve. After the
grand jury charged and assembled a number Of
days were devoted to petty criminal cases. The VT
ness continued at length giving history of the ury
proceedings, according to which Judge Bangs, dis
trlct attorney, endeavored to avoid indcting prom
nent Offenders. Other jurors testified to the same
effect. This testimony does not involve Judge
Bloogett, as at the time the jury was impaneled he
was absent from the State.
United States District Attorney Bangs was sum-
moned and testified that the grand jury themselves
Mr.. Kno.t-Did the jury discuss the conservation
+ It'd did, upon 'n' law IN the Hubbard matter' A. think
Q. In your presence7 A. think 80.
.. Did you advise the jury upon that point? A.
We'll, the jury had little doubt on that subject and
we had Judge Trumbul before the body for the pur-
OSSS@H6 vows ol1
Q. You have not answered my question, Did
you, as prosecuting attorney for the government,
Se to me grand jury upon that
Q. Well, why didn't you? A. Because constd-
cred the law on the subject ambiguous.
Q. For the edfcation of this committee please ex
plain to wherein lies the ambiguity of that law?
Witness then pointed out the matters he considered
ambiguous, but Mr.. Knott expressed himself dissat-
lsfed with the explanation Witness continued, and
stated that after drawing up the indictments by in
structlon OF the jury against Hubbard for the pur-
pose Of presenting them to that body he had talk
with Judge Blodgett, who alluded to the perjury in
d1ctment. Could not remember exactly what oc-
CURED at that interview, but nbered after It he
charsed his mind as to prosecuting the
Blodgett said in substance that he didn't think the
perjury charge was right that he had construed the
law to the registers Hubbard Interpreted it. and
that Judge Drnmmond concurred in this view. Wit
ness Afterwards told the jury klodgett said and
told them if Judge Bodgett had thus instructed the
register, then he was not gully of perjury. The
Withhold that Indictment.
JUDGE pRUMMoND.
Judge Drummond testified that during the session
OF the grand jury Judge Blodgett stated to him that
the grand jury intended to indct Hubbard for PER
JaIy but il there had been any fault committed it
had been on his, (6lodgetts part; that he had con-
strued the amendment of 1874 thu bankrupt law in
certain way. He stated to witness that the grand
jury believed Hubbard had made false returns of fees
ne received during certain year and the question
in his mind to what was the true constr1c-
ton OF the amend ent, and H,bbard had con-
suited him and that he had stated to Mr. Hubbard
that was not necessary for him to return anything
more than his fees bearing under the cases that
had come before him during that year. Judge
Blodget then stated to witness the reasons for his
construction of the law. He did not ask witness,
construction of the law and witness was sure he did
not construe it. Witness told Blodgett there was
good deal CT force in h,s reasons. Blodgett pre-
scented the case only in the aspect that the grand
jury found or believed Hubbard had made
FALSE RETURNS OF FEES
received In cases coming before him the previous
year. There was no intmation that he had made
false returns under Blodgett's construction of the
indicted for making returns in conformity with
Blodgetts construction, and those returns as thus
const.t uted being true, it was a great wrong in
Hibbard. Witness did not state his construction of
the law He would not have considered IL an outrage
to lndict Hbbard if the latter had failed to report all
fees received and earned by him in cases coming
before him during the year.
On ctoss-cxannation witness stated that he saw
much in the peculiar phrased logic in the law to sus
tain Judge Blodgett's Interpretation of it. but In
either case he did not think, under the facts az
stated to him, that Hubbard ought to be iudicted,
witness expressed strong disappointment to Judge
BodSett on both the prolonged sitting of the Jury
and OF the publicity given to its proceedings. he
considered it competent under the statute for 6
judge to dismiss grand jury any time when he de-
sired. Witness further testified that Hubbard made
false rsturns under the erroneous instruction OF
Judge Blodgett, but without corrupt inteut that an
Indictment against him was not advisable and in
witness opinion, if Hubbard acted in good faith on
instruction from Judge Blodgett, it ought to have
released him. Adjourned.
Mr.. Lapham OF the committee has been Suddenly
called away by death in the family It is not decided
yet whether the committee will proceed without him
or secure the services of another member