Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-06-20

to be heard In 1t should always accompany his
screcd with his full name. not necessarily for
publication but as guarantee Of good faith
Mendacious OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF
the mcNevis Matter.
EDrToRs HERALD: The scurrilous and
unfounded attacks made upon the Office
Of the District Attorney Of this county,
in recent issues of the Times, to those
persons unfamiliar with the persistent
and chronic course OF abuse to both jew
and GENTLE. by that sheet, may need
some words OF explanation.
To begin with, it may be laid down as
a general proposition that the paper
mentioned above never publishes the
truth, except by accident or mistake.
Its course is to disregard, absolutely ig-
more, and walk rough-shod over what is
true, and will travel distance from five
to ten miles in order to print and publish
that which is untrue and false. The last
article Of misrepresentation to which we
refer, and which is in keeping with the
attacks heretofore made, is in its issue OF
the 18th instant, in an article headed
"That Bunco Gang-The Officers and
District Attorney Refuse to Act.'
The impressions sought to be stamped
upon the mind OF the public in that arti-
Gle are, that the District Attorney is in
league with the bunco men, is not dis
posed to prosecute them, and by his
wanting bonds from certain bruised and
bleeding complaining witnesses, who
have been heeced by these swindlers,
that he is denying to the American free
man the rights and benefits Of that law
which, in its majesty, was created fora
This sounds well and might work per-
suasively with many as campaign clap
trap this fall but when few reasons,
little experience and common sense are
applied to this, we think it vanishes, like
all other Misrepresentation, into thin
air.
Those familiar with prosecutions for
obtaining money or property from an
other by fraudulent means also know
that one who will quietly sit down and
gamble away his means against three
card monte, shell or lottery game. or
other fraudulent trick or device, is lust
the man to allow himself to be bought off
by the swindler and spirited out OF the
country until the trial blows over. The
history ofthe court proceedings in cases
of this nature is that ne.half or two
thirds OF prosecutions Of this kind have
to be dismissed owing to the conspicuous
absence OF the complaining witness.
After swearing out the complaint and ar
resting the swindler, very frequently the
money, or greater portion of the prop
erty won, Is paid back as hush money,
and in the further consideration that the
fleeced one will skip the town, dodge the
process Of the court, and thus leave the
county with the cost to pay. To remedy
in some degree this terrible evil OF using
the criminal courts as medium through
which to collect debts, and in order to in
sure good faith in the prosecution
OF cases similar to these mentioned
the lawmakers, by a certain section in
the Penal Code, gave to magistrates the
right, ii they saw proper, to require the
complaining or other witnesses to enter
into bond in a certain amount as a
security for their appearance and good
faith in prosecuting the case. Mr.. Nc
| Newt, tho man referred to by the Times,
came into Judge Austin's court, told his
grievance OF having Just been feeced OF
$500 by bunco men. He was briefly told
Of the wind-up Of all these cases, the cost
to the county, and the invariable habit
OF complaining witnesses to skip the
town, ard was asked il he was willing
to be put to the test of showing his faith
by his works in giving bond for his ap-
pearance to prosecute the case. Not be-
ing willing to do this, and it abundantly
appearing that here was another over
weaning desire and intention to once
more use tie, county as a
| aol1oatipn nuonpry aud also lnt ,~.., = II
the costs OF the action too, the COM
plant was not issued and the District At
torney, or rather his deputy, the under
signed, under these circumstances "re-
fused to act"
II the journal before referred to would
only post itself little on these matters
and when it crlticises would read up. or
verbally inquire and citicise adyisedly,
then the effects of these criticisms would
be deeper, more cutting and more last
ing; but when it undertakes to go it
blind, upon a cold collar, and without
stopping to inform itself, and become
| shod, as it were, with the law and the
facts, its criticisms must fall like the
harmless snowfakes. 1t seems to me
that when anything goes wrong in any
public office that all well regulated Jour
nails should go to headquarters, ascertain
the facts and publish them correctly !.
but to follow this course seems
not to be in the line OF business OF the
Fort street paper. The statements of
Tom, Dick and Harry are taken, set up
in type, and scattered broadcast over the
county with spirit Of malice toward all
and charity toward none. OF all the
scurrilous and sinking illusions this
sheet has made to the District Attorneys
office, not in one single instance has any
of its reporters been to the office to as
certain the true status of any charge
they have written up against it, but the
truth they have studiously avoided, and
nothing but error and misre presentation
has characterized the articles which have
been heretofore written. The reasons
for this frequent TRADE Of abuse against
the District Attorney are plain and pa
tent, and will glimm,r in the eye OF
blind man, when it is known that the
paper referred to is an enemy politically,
and the idea it has is that Mr. Dupuy
will be candidate in the fall election for
the office again.
Whether Mr.. Dupuy intends being
candidate again we are not at present adj
v'se |, but that he has been an industri-
Gus, painstakiDg, honest and efficient
officer no man can truthfuly deny.
Never has his honesty or integrity been
called in question. The burdensome du-
ties OF his office, which have occupied
his time from early until late, have never
been shirked or avoided. Ever actuated
by principles of honesty and OF the high
est integrity, an honest administration
and fair deal have been the results OF his