The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-08-25
GRAND JURlES.


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GRAND JURlES.
In one of the northern counties Of
our country, two years ago, the grand
Jury indicted JEREMIAH DAVIS for tho
murder Of JOSEPH SruTEuER, whom
he met on the highway. With tho al
legged slayer Of tho person killed Il
friend named BuBoHEL $. PRENTIss
was walking, who was tho sole witness
of the tragedy except q lad, PuIr
GRAvEs, who was in a field near by,
and saw the difficulty and tho killing
DAVIS gayo himself up 10 tho authOri-
ties. rho cCrOnu' was summoned, "a
jury OF six mon empanoloJ and tho
inqr5y. proceeded with, With GRAY Es
aud PEESTIss as tho only Witnesses.
Tho verdict was given in accordance
with the facts, that JOSEPH SrUrEuER
came to his death by pistol ball fired
by DAVIS. Tho day following, tho pre-
liminnry examination Of the slayer
of fellow mortal was conducted by q
magistrate, but ~ hour previous
PRENTIss was arrested rs M sccom-
plco to tho murder aud jailed in or
der that no could not be allowed to
testify in tho case, His testimony be-
fore the coronor's inquest had an inn
porlaut bearing In the matter and ex-
planned Tho meeting between The par
tics, their previous relations and the
certainty that had not DAVIS killed
SrUTEdER, STUTFaUR would have
killed DAVIS.
Tho oaso wen, 70 tho g,and inquest
OF the county aut tEHt body found 70
true bill against DAVIS aud PnE"uss
for willul murder Vith molis3 g.oro-
Thought. PEaN1Iss was brought boz
fore tho court On chambers) on habe4s
corpus, and denied bali on the gr0uucl
OF his bsiug present with DAVIS WHOM
srurEuER was Allied, and, therefore,
a pM,ic5ps cfim.nis. 10 WAS
r9mauded TO jail, and tboro
confined until tho day appointed
or uial, wheu so was pcrui..ed to
oujoy Code SUMS rays on bis march
from tho jail 20 tho tomole Of justice,
Tho excitement ran high, and whom
his trial was announced the urosacu'-
ing attorney had the case postpone"
because of tho 5bgouco OF O "mat3rial
Witness" 1, viii 100 remembered that
q tho coron8I's inquest, PGENrIss and
GRAVES were tho only paroles VIII,
testified about tho killing, and mt the
preliminary examination GRAVES wal
tho only witness who knew anything
about it. Othera testified as TO the ru'
la,iona OF tho two men, how tboy hat
conducted themselves, and how Ont
had harshly treated tho %. her. DAVE
was called for trial end his case post
puuod 10y tho defense. So the matte
won't on Tor eight terms OF tu
court, and recently pnENrIs
was tried and acquitted withou
the Jury az much as leaving the box
It was u clOSr case oi outrage on th
rights Of Mr.. PRENuss, aud oven
grvntor ono on the personal liberty q
DAVIS, for as suou Us PRENTIss Wa
acquitted ard released he became
very M ateriai witnuss tor DAVIS, ant
DAVIS was promptly cleared, also, OF
the v,rdictor "jI,tid bile homicide"
Tho arrest i PRENTlss would, thorl
fore, seem malicious for the reaso
that GRAVES, tho only witness OF IN
tragedy, saw hun do nothing, oul
was present with DAVIS whom DAvI
Nlled SrurEGEE, aud his incsrcoru
ion IN prison Tor two long Yeas wa
something the prosecuting attorney
the magistrate, WAC dluiid him Ga
. privilege OF bong q witness at On
, preliminary ttial, the judge who a.
nisd him bait, au' VINO, lod by On
Silss Of the prosecuting attorney, poi
, milted the trial To be- postponed lrol
torn 10 term, Keeping hin
/ in prison all tho Win
whom ho should have boon enjoy in
two years liberty, instead Of imprisor
ment
The grand Jury was also ut fault /
! not examining PRGNri,s az we'll q
r GRAVES, aud having definite know
r cd 20 OF tho killing, independent OF III
z mere uct OF the kllipg.
r This IL one OF tho strong evidence
I, against the star Chamber grand lur
system That bouy has mover Y,
- been productive Ut mu III good. bu,
A q vest 6eal of injury to iellow.me
Q Its indictments are too frequently Il
j. result, OF pre- udico, not, perhaps, OF q
n whole oody, but u some OF tho mo-
r no Two aud designing members.
tho instance related ABOVE, tho gran
r jury might have saved huudreds
}. dollars ia foes AMI costs aud preyente
e two mcn from being deprived of the
+ person Al libpr'y, had they pestoras
n their duty Instead of allowing IA
@ prtjudicod low to govern tho sotlor
u OF the body.
q This case In question to which OF
n attention has been directed, is but o,
~ Of many ilu4trasius tho unsatisfai
Il tory one.sided manner ia which Grim,
: are "siftod" by our altar court, aud y,
. the very purpose OF tho grand jury W,