Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-07-25
THE FARGO GRAND Jury.

by Edwards, MCGEE and others to in
dict the land officers of this district.
the indictable power-the
grand jury-we know nothing except
by allegation, and as the jury's verdict
an allegation based upon rumor,
there Is no reason why some of the
reports concerning that re.
body should not be given.
First, it is alleged that certain outside
conspired to secure a jury which
would indict. There may be no truth
in this. but certain it is that two of the
jurymen were employees of the Argus
office. A third member of the jury
it necessary, at the last moment,
to withdraw, and in doing so he made a
stump speech in which he paraded his
prejudice and stated, before a word of
had been received, that he
was convinced an indictment'would be
and should be found. How did he know
an indictment "would be found?" And
if convinced, before hearing the sworn
that one "should be found"
what becomes of his oath, taken as a
grand juror, that he would impartially
consider all cases that might come be-
fore him? We might 60 further and
ask him why he remained on the Jury
Judge McConnell's ruling that
persons serving on the previous jury
were ineligible? The gentleman has q
facile pen and these columns are open
for his answer. The fact, however, that
the jury did not indict may be taken as
proof that it was not "packed."
As to the witnesses brought before
the jury, but little need be said. Anna
of them were prejudiced, and had
political OF personal grievances against
the land officers and the editor of this
paper. 1t is a popularity of the grand
Jury system that rank prejudice in a
witness is not a disqualification, and that
none but exparte testimony is except
able.
A remarkable feature of the case in
question is that the jury returned a re-
port on allegations;-that is to say, the
testimony of these foresworn witnesses
that . conspiracy existed was accepted
as proof positive ofsuch conspiracy. We
of course did not hear and have not
the testimony, but we do know
that there was no positive evidence
given showing the existence of a con-
spiracy, unless the person OF persons SO
testifying committed perjury; and that
there could have been no perjury is evil
denced in the fact that the jury failed
to indict. Aud yet the strangest and
most peculiar verdict ever returned by
a United States grand Jury was given
by the Fargo body. The verdict is, in
effect, that the evidence was not suff.
Gent to indict, but that the rumors oil
the past two years-the wild statements
of hair-brained individuals who persist
in running amuck, or "going off hall
cooked" on the slightest occasion, were
accepted, as given by prejudiced wit
nesses; and this remarkable jury finds
what ?-that the land officers are moi
guilty of a conspiracy, but that they
may have been; and instead of exhon
Grating them, as an honest-minded jury
should have done, this judicial anomaly
Resolves itself into a
Special committee on land office in
vestigation and
Reports the case to the land commits
Toner at
Washington III
Ye gods and little fishes; no wonder
Senator Vest says the people of Dakots
are unfit for self.government;
If the last winters wisdom of our Da
kota legislature had been directed to
ward the work of framing a law provid
ing for the determination of two-leggec
asses, there is ample reason for the be
lief that such a statute might now b.
enforced in a way beneficial to tn,
whole territory.
A JURORS STUMP SPEECH.