Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-08-24

= ~ days ago this paper commented
- n opinion which Judge Patterson
NGnded down in which was considered
- exuFbltant fees of constables. Though
lneWhat Incomplete in its scope II was
|Eon1mended AZ q step forward In the line
~ much needed reform. Yesterday
- grand jury, though slow and some
What stupid In their work this week,
made return to the court which all
nOod people will approve. There were
tWo charges against Daniel w. Shaub,
uu,e for malicious mischief and the other
for assault and battery. The indict-
uaents came before the grand jury In the
usual way and after examination they
returned them to the court ignored
and imposed the costs upon Alderman
Hershey, of the Fifth ward, the commit
I ting magistrate. AS reason for this
pFniseworthy proceeding they thus
declare themselves on the back of the
Indictment. "The grand jury so finds
because the prosecutor swore before US
that he did not want these cases sent in
to court and the alderman replied that
he would send them in in spite of him,
o4tkAOuku tNC pipcttuttl W SIKH
the complaint"
It Is healthful sign when such an
action of a grand jury meets the approval
Of the court, the lawyers, the newspapers
and the general public. II is a mark of
rOttenness and judicial corruption in the
aidermapic Office that such return il
found necessary. That the grand jury
has legal right to impose costs on COM
mitting magistrates i'm such eases there
can be no doubt. They are empowered
to put the costs on the prosecutor in GER
tain cases /; and II requires no stretching
Of judicial authority to see that in the
Ehaub cases the alderman was undoubt-
edly the ofiicious and persistent prose
cutor. His fellow citizens have put the
zeal Of condemnation on his official con.
duct and If he has not the good sense To
resign it is to be hoped the good people
Of the Fifth ward will promptly vacate
his Office.
II there would be strict judicial in
vestigation of the proceedings of the
aldermen in this city, the people Of this
good city and county would be Mortified
Ut the systematic fraud and stealing
and corruption that would be unearthed.
The multiplying Of complaints against
offenders for one and the same act nj
one and the same place and time |,
persistently and systematically worked
for all that Is iu it and separate bilb
of costs are presented TO the county com
mlssioners and paid. II is well known
fact that the emoluments of Office
OF some of our prominent alder
men exceed those of our bes
lawyers. The inference is plain one
The other day the unusual complain
was made against some one on tn,
charge Of being barrator. What shall
be said when aldermen and constable
are guilty of exciting and encouragin,
lawsuits and quarrels, and make thei
living on 1t? Any one familiarwith tn
duties Of the county solicitor knows tina
It Is n frequent occurrence for constable
to- bring their bills TO him for approva
TO which is appended an affidavit tina
they are correct. Sometimes the bill il
cut down one-half, and the reduction i
accepted after perhaps an unsuccessful
offer of bribe to approve it entirely
The responsibility of the county solicitor
who approves the bills of the aldermen
and constables is great, and he is tn,
only safeguard the public have agains
this wholesale robbery. His nerve an,
moral courage must be phenomenal t.
resist the rapacity of these graspinl
officials. Occasionally grand jury ha
Al opportunity, like the one this week
to check their hungry greed.
There will come time of reckoning il
this whole matter some day and SO vehe
ment will be the righteous indignation
Of an outraged people that the Jail door
will open to receive the shameless ofii
cials. The people of Cincinnati burned
their court house for one single miscar
riage Of justice which in its effect wal
not 80 demoralizing to the purity of on
judicial proceedings as are the fraud
committed in our city by officers of Jus
tice every day. Let them beware anC
fear the power of the people, which
when aroused is not easily checked anC
will visit dire punishment on guilt,
offenders.