Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-12-14
ATTORNEY GENERALS REPORT
MIR. Miller Talks Plain About the
Manner of Enforcing the Laws.


Manner of Enforcing the Laws.
The annual report OF Attorney General
Miller has been made public. During the
year 3, 2S7 civil suits and II, 5SS criminal
prosecutions were Terminated and there
are pending 9 $50 of the former and 7,S12
OF the latter class. Miller recommends
that provision be made for United States
penitentiary and United States reforma-
tory, the latter being intended for contine'
ment OF the miIder class OF criminals
1t is also urged that prison
bureau be established in the depart
ment OF Justice, where could be gath
cred, collected and recorded IN perma'
nent form the criminal statistics OF the
United States. In a chapter on law hnsi-
ness the attorney general saws; Very
soon after the 4th OF March last it was
brought to my att sntion that ut the then
recent congressional elections there were
very numerous and far reaching violations
OF the federal la WIS relating to such elections.
1t was charged that by intimidation OF
voters, by Selling and destroying ballot
boxes, by the substitution OF false returns,
by bribery of voters and election officers,
ana by various other means well known to
those engaged in this nefarlous business.
the popular will was stifled and falsifed,
and the returns OBTAINED were wholly at
variance with what would have been the
result of free and fair vote, honestly
counted. In every case where such charges
were brought to the attention OF the de
partment, instructions were given to dis.
trict ATTORNEYS to investigate and prose-
cute to the utmost OF their power every
person implica ted in such violations of the
federal laws and | am happy to be able to
report that in a number OF states such
prosecutions have been successful. Alarge
number of these cases are still pending,
and instructions to district attorneys
are still to push them to the end. 1t
is proper to say that in some cases efforts
have been made, some OF them recently, to
prevent and cripple these prosecutions by
attempts to intimidate the marshal from
serving process ana witnesses from giving
their testimony, such intimidation going
to the extent OF actual assassination,
But it must not be supposed that hostility
to United States officers, is confined to
election matters. On the contrary. the
records of the department OF justice show
that in some districts civil proceedings
in these courts, and criminal prosecu-
tons wholly disconnected with election
franchise cannot proceed because the
lives of necessary witnesses are in
such danger that it would be simply in
human to enforce their attendance, and
giving Of their testimony, while evidence is
abundant that in certain localities no &C.
eupation is so dangerous as faithful per-
Torrance OF the duty OF United States
marshall. OF course such lawlessness can
not be tolerated. In every case instruc-
tions to prosecute have been coupled with
the assurance that no means within the
power OF this department will be spared
TO protect officers, and witnesses, in dis
charge OF their duties, and to bring to
punishment every man who illegally at
tempts to thwart such prosecutions"