Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-01-21
Information Wanted.

Information Wanted.
The evidence sustaining the complaint
made against the late clerk of the prison,
as we present it to our readers to-day,
will seem to them to have been very
clearly sufficient to have required the
grand jury to find true bills of indict-
ment upon it. Yet they have refused to
do so. Upon what ground We cannot
say: but we understand that bare
majority of the jury was secured in favor
of ignoring the Indictment by the influ-
ence of Mr.. D. Brainerd Williamson,
VINO is the managing editor of the Erdm-
iaer, a member himself of the grand jury,
and a boarder atthe Cooper house, which
is kept by one of the defendants, Triple.
As Mr.. Williamson has a newspaper under
his management, the public may natur-
ally expect to hear from him his reasons
for not only believing Mr.. Triple inno-
cent. but also that there was not even an
appearance of his guilt. The indictment
of grand jury is based entirely upon
the evidence for the commonwealth,
and a true bill must be formed when
a probable case is made out. MIR.
Williamson is not permitted to divulge
what occurred i'm the grand jury room ;
but as he has not been SO silent him
self as to prevent the public knowledge
that he took a decided stand in favor of
|, II k,.t. ssnIxv tA6A
quite in order for him to declare his rea-
sons therefor i'm the columns Of his
paper. In fact, rs this case has now be-
come one proper for newspaper criticism,
it becomes Mr.. WilliamsOn's duty to let
Us know what he knows. We shall be
very glad to hear from him anything
which shows the innocence of these ac-
cused parties; although as grand
juryman his duty did not properly allow
him to consider any testimony except
that presented against them. Upon the
facts rs we have them, there does not
seem to be any chance ut all to hang any
dnubt of the guilt of the accused
parties; and We have knowledge of all
the common wealth's testimony that was
laid before the grand jury 10y the prose
cutting officer. We do not know what
other testimony Mr.. Williamson con-
sidered, if any; if he had none
other, then we are of the very
decided opinion that he did not do
his duty inteiligently and faithfully
in failing to support these bills of indict-
ment.
1t is related to us that he de-
clared in reference to this case that he
"did not want to see an innocent man
prosecuted; thereby iEtimating his opin-
ion that his landlord, Triple, was an in
nccent man who was being prosecuted.
The public will rot he able to come to
this conclusion, unless Mr.. Williamson
has facts to state to them which they
know not Of If he has, it is certainly
right tina, he should declare them, since
upon the case ROW presented a very
great outrage upon justice appears to
have been perpetrated. We are 10th to
believe that the managing editor of our
contemporary would be a party to any
such gross WRONG against the people, and
we shall await with great interest what
he may have TO say. He will no doubt
feel impelled to speak. What we say
the people are saying. In directly re-
ferring to Mr.. Williamson as one of
those chargeah'e with the ignoring of
this bill: we hut state the public impress
sion. Public sentiment strongly con-
dennis the act and will weigh heavily
upon those responsible for it, even
though. their error was but one of judg-
ment, if they fail to vindicate it.
Too much interest is felt in the matter
to permit US to pass it by or to allow any
of our contemporaries to avoid its discus
sion. The county has undoubtedly been
robbed: who are the robbers? An
effort to have this question answered
has been foiled for the present by the
declaration of the grand jury that there
is not probable cause to suspect the late
clerk of the prison of being the guilty
party: nor his brother who aided him in
Ills duties. Anu Nct tlic iiiCtS S!ioNH "
the grand jury were that this robbery
of the county occurred through false ell
tries in the books of the prison kept by
the clerk, who acts as the treasurer or
paymaster of the institution, charging
himself with its moneys and taking
credit for its expenditures.
The books showed credits taken greater
than the payments; goods sold and not
charged: money received and not &C
counted for. And this in many in
stances.
If any explanation of these false en-
tries can be made, the taxpayers, whose
money they have taken away from them,
are entitled to know it. And as the
grand jury has not given an opportunity
to the accused parties to show their i'll
nocence in court, it is i'm order that they
should demonstrate it through the news
paper. Our columns are open to them.
In behalf of the public, tine accused and
the grand jury, we call for their defense.
THE members OF the Legislature would
exhibit great good sense if they would
decide at once whether or no they will
elect United States senator at this ses