The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-03
STILL AFTER THE RASCALS
Judge Twins Determination to Bring
the Tally-Sheet Forgers to Trial,
He Instructs the New Grand Jury to Make
Thorough Investigation Of the Cases and
They Will Be Taken Up at Once.

Jacob L. Wright, William NJ Dawson. James
NJ. Furguson, Richard Senour, John Pearson.
and James w. Smith. the members of the new
county grand jury. reported for duty yesterday
morning, at o'clock. and were sworn in for six
months service by Judge Irwin. After they Lad
taken the oath of Office the Judge instructed
them at some length az to their duties. He
called attention to the fact that there was some
complaint against gaming houses, and urged that
such places be give particular attentio n. He
urged that attention should be paid to the sec
ton of the statute making it unlawful to carry
concealed weapons, and called particular atten-
ton 80 the violation of the liquor law. He asked
the jury to give the saloon special attention,
and particularly that class that persists In violat
ing the Sunday law.
After these general instructions he passed TO
the rally-sheet forgery cases, and in away that
could not be misunderstood told the jurors that
1t was their duty to investigate the crime. The
jurors paid strict attention to what the Judge
had to say to them on the subject In relation
to the tally-sheet case the Judge said
Il now come to a matter, gentlemen. to which
desire to direct your attention and give you In
special charge, and that is what is commonly
known as the tally-sheet frauds, wherein the
tally-sheets and poll books of certain election
prenincts this county at the last State and
county election were changed. forged and al
tered. This crime gentlemen, ID one so grave
and serious in its character that IL should not De
allowed to go by unnotced and the perpetra-
tors unpublished, If it is possible to bring the
guilty parties to trial and punishment. That
the crime was committed does not admit OF
question, and 1t only remains for you TO ascer-
tain the guilty parties and make presentment
In view of the fact that late federal grand
jury found sufficient evidence upon which to in
dict certain persons for violations of the federal
statutes, growing on. of this same matter, 1t
would seem that you could hardly experience
any great difficulty in procuring the evidence
upon which to indct 1t is not necessary that
the proof should be such as 10 required to coz
Wet upon trial in court, where the rule as TO
reasonable doubt prevails, but such proof as
guilt and induces in your minds the belief that
there Is good ground for bringing the suspected
person or persons to trial. is sufficient
While this crime was committed IN the at
tempt to thwart the will of the people as ex-
pressed through the ballot. and perpetrated in
the interest of certain member of one political
party as against the interest OF members of
another party, yet desire to impress upon
your minds, gentlemen, the, fact that
the crime. and proper investigation invest
indicating persons or party. 1t IL simply
question of vindicatiug the law and Furnishing
crime You come fresh from the people. select
cd through the forms of law, and are chargedwlth
the duty of enforcing the laws. Public justice
demands and the court will expect, a searching
investigation of this matter at your hands, to
to the bar of this court for trial. Anything but
fearless discharge of your duty in this matter
gentlemen, will but tend to bring the law into
contempt and only invite the commission of
similar crimes in the future. The way to insure
respectful obedience to the laws is to impartialy
but fearlessly enforce them. That you have the
moral courage to do your duty IN this matter
under the oath you have taken. without fear or
favor. personal or partisan have no doubt. l
therefore direct You to take up this iBvestiga-
ton at the present session, and shall expect
from you the full discharge of your duty in the
premises The prosecuting attorney will point
out to you the sections of the statute covering
the case, and will give you such other legal in
formation concerning the same as You may re-
quest"
It is believed that the jury is one that will
hee the demand for a thorough investigation
of the forgeries. Men who know the jurors per-
sonally say they are gentlemen who will regard
their oaths and do their duty. 1t is known that
considerable new evidence against the perpetra
tors of the forgeries has accumulated since the
case was investigated by the grand jury that
sat during the first half OF 1887, and returned a
report signed by three members, stating that
there not sufficient evidence on which to
indict
At present there il little Jail work ahead of
the jury and il is the intention of Prosecutor
Mitchell to bring MP the election cases immedi-
ately. The submission of the evidence will be
in charge of Deputy Prosecutor Hoffman, who,
having had charge of the former investigation,
is acquainted with all phases of the case.