The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-02-22
GRAND JURY REPORT
Il Calls Upon the City to
Suppress Gambling.
COUNT ADJOURNED FOR TO-DAY



xev Cfvil suiss RIleA-JnssIee
Miners Cssrs.
The rand Jury finished is labors yester-
day afternoon. and at O'Clock iastevenng
appeared before Judge Lichtencerg TO sub
nit its report. The reading occupied bal
few minutes, and af the CONCLUSION Judge
Liehtenberg addressed the jurors and
thanked them for their close attention 70
the work At hand. and compiimented them
upon their intelligent appreciation ana
contamination OF their duties
The jury Vas then formally discharged.
and quickly dispersed. evidently tired cuf
with their long session The report 10 -
follows:
To the Hon L l. fichseuberx. Judge OF the So
perior Court Of King County. We, tie ErAnd
Jury. reas<embied on the 18th day cf February.
lsso. pnnuznf 70 adjournment. under the dirsc-
tion Of The cours, aud proceeded 20 investigate
the several actions submitted on behalf OF the
state by the prosecuting attorney. and TO liz
qUire into sueh fur her matters, which are IN
our judgment deemed proper and necessary.
and 10 which our attention has been called. In
the discharge Of tbs duty we hare found TWEEN
ty-one cases In which We presented true bills.
and ave cases In which We presented not xus
bslIs
Our attention has been drawn 10 the c6ense Of
gambling by the prosecuting attorney aud bis
deputy and by the court and We have devoted
several days to the examination OF witnesses
produced, Who were said 10 have personal
know ledge OF the commission Of these e1euseA
We have also called before us the mayor Of the
city Of Seattle. The city Attorney the chief Of po
lice. and the present sheriff of the county and
the former sheri6. several members Of she city
council. sna all other persors whom we had
reason 10 believe could furnish evide1ce on
which TO base successful prosecution.
From all the testimony elicsed uron this
branch OF our investigation We were unable 10
get proof SUFFICIENT n warrant ~ in making
specine changes or In prosecuting indictments.
aud the grand jury Il satisfied that to enable
prosecutions % he successfully male under
state lew for this ofseass the employment OF
special ofacers would be necessary, whose duty
and business il should he to Obtain specific
proof - 10 pcr.ous date and place OF each Of
tense. This would involve expense unusual in
character and amount, and from former exper-
fences . county, in such masters. the results
would he far from satisfactory. This Is pArtic-
u!arly 50 from the present. condition nf the SUI
perior court, overburdeasd - Il is with . large
civil and criminal calendar. causing long and
vexatious delays In trials. and placing the state
In criminal cases III tae disadvantage of having
From the ether branch OF our inquiry we ind
that the city OF Seattle has several ordinances
which. II enforced. woUld quite enectuAliy Grad
frate the evils complained OF, an1 that the Or
dinanees punish the cnense, under state law.
ana authorizes gambling outfits to be destroyed.
aud forfe!ts the licenses of saloons permitting
gambling Upon the whole case we are satisfied
that the city authorities better able than the
state 20 prosecute these OF nses and the fact
has been noted that in the last FIVE months
great nsany arrests and convictions have been
made under city laws for these oferses,
resulting in the collection OF some $500 in
Anes at small expense. Such being the actual
situation, and IL appearing 10 US that the city
has concurrent jurisdiction over these offenses.
has the subordinate courts al ways open for such
business. that the city has large police force.
especially directed and empowered 70 make q.
rests I'm the matter. and that speedy trials are
being had almost daily for violations of these
ordinances. rrsultins In convictions. and con-
siderinR the difficult e attending prosecutions
by the state already mentioned. 1t has seemed TO
the grand jury unnecessary and improper 10 In
cur further expense in trying 10 dnd indictments
fer the 6enses named. or insfisuting general
prosecution thereof at this time, Is appears by
ordinances Nos. 1oei and 1902.
These ordinances are given in full in the
report.
We desire to esll the attention of the instices
should be remedied and which Is In their power
10 remedy In several cases brought before US ON
information cent up from the Justice court II
appear q that the separate informations were
died against each OF several defendants, where
the ofepse was single transaction,
committed at the time and place. and
committed by parties Jointly, and where
the witnesses were the same. The Law
allows and requires that these joint os!enses
be prosecuted on . Joint charge, and thus save
the county the expense of double justice'a con-
stables sad witnesses' fsea We ars glad 70 ada
that this abuse he's not been frequent ard in
the cases referred to may have resulted from
oversight upon the part Of the justice Issuing
the warrants II the practice shorid be per
sisted in We won call the attention of the
county com nissioners 10 the mstter aud recon-
mend the disallowance OF the costs incurred
We note with approval the late announce
ment o. Justice John r. Miller. one OF the effic-
lent justices Of the peace of Sc atsIe precinct.
that in his court he would decline To entertain
complaints fo- petty offenses against the state
law. where the city ordinance also provides ade-
quAfe punishment This Is q wise course. for
by this meane. petty offenders can be quickly
and successfully prosecuted, and when sen.
fenced 20 the city jail can be compelled to do
labor fer the city on the public streets and the
county would be saved the sx pense of confinine
aud boarding these petty offenders without any
return, and viii also be relieved from any
charges OF Witnesses fees 20 policemen Who are
not entitled TO charge any fees in city cases
The condition OF the public business IN the
superior eoayf of King county 10 such that every
trivial case should be tried and finally disposed
OF in the inferior courts where this IL possihie
and in this connection We wosad call ESPECIAL
attention 20 the necessities OF enlarging the iu-
sissic,sou Of our nuni ipal courts and tee fur!s-
ase,!on OF the justices OF the peace in criminal
matters. SO TIA; offsnsss sach As smoking opium.
keeping an eren resort. or v.sItsax sach houses
and other sncn ofgenses could BE anallv Tried in
sach eoarss Instead ct being sent to tia supe
T.os court for indictment. or 20 be prosecuted by
information
In oenesnsicn We return our thanks tn the
honorable court and the pres entiag ssiornsy
for their assistance and kiGdeess during cur de-
hherauons. yoss z. SssDEvsxTgs
Foreman
Foreman John yanDevsnfer was seen
by reporter and spoke Of the gambling
issue
There Is not much that can give YOU
outside OF our report. he said, as that
embraces the giss 81 the matter. We sub
pnnssa the city officials and showed them
that there vas a city ordinance which pro-
vsded for the eenhseatson ard destroying
Of al gambling parzphcnsiia You see.
they have said they eouidnt proceed thai
far. Bat tel you we rsked them over the
Goals. The mayer laid the blame Of not
closing up THE gambling places upon Chief
Mitchell. and he resaliatea bv saving
that Nr Moran xas his 4urss-sn- af4sr.sr