Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-04
A SLOW GRAND JURY.
Judge Ewing Plainly Tells Them
They Must Get a Faster Move On.
HE sTARTLES RURAL CONSTABLES.
The New Officers Are Without Job and
the Old Ones Hold Over.
OTHER NEWS FROM The COURT HOUSE

The March term of the Criminal Courl
opened yesterday, with Judges Ewing and
Magee on the bench. The first thing in or
der was the charging of the grand jury
| Wilson McLain was appointed foreman,
after which Judge Ewing delivered his
charge. He called their attention to theil
oath, and cautioned them as to secrecy and
against the approach of an outsider concern
ing any case to be brought before them. He
impressed them with the need of prompt
work, telling them that the court would only
set two weeks, as he and Judge Magee
would then begin hearing license applica-
tions. He said that they would be present
for roll call at $50 AM, make one return
at noon, take an hour for dinner and then
continue work until or o'clock.
NAMES OF THE OFFENDERS.
At the conclusion of the charge the jury
retired. They returned at noon, having dis
posed of six bills, and then held an after
noon session. The days work was ended at
4 OF clock, and the following true bills were
returned: Robert Collins. William Ingram,
John O'Brien, John Bond, William Joyce,
Frank Wilson, William Doran, Mike
Hart, larceny; Fl. 81. Robinson, Margaret
Robinson, Kate Hughes, Margaret Mozart
ney, John Wittmer, larceny from the per-
son; John King, George Smith, robbery;
Frank Wilson, receiving stolen goods;
James Kelly, William McCann, entering q
building with intent to commit felony;
Louis Suppes, aggravated assault and bat
terry; William Kennedy, pointing firearms
The ignored bills were: Thomas Conners,
j. G. Woods, John Baker. larceny; John
Doran larceny from the person.
JUDGE EWING FINDS FAULT.
When the grand jury made its return in
the evening Judge Ewing said: We'll.
gentlemen, you have returned pretty fair
number of bills, but nothing like you should
have done. I am told that the last grand
jury disposed of on an average of 80 cases
a day, and they did not sit near as long as you
have. You will have to do even better than
this, as we want to finish up all the business
in two weeks" Continuing he told them
that it was only necessary for them to estab-
lish q prime facia casej the Court would
try the case.
When Judge Ewing finished charging the
grand jury, the matter of receiving Con-
stables returns and approving the bonds Of
newly elected Constables was taken up. But
q small number of violations of the liquor
laws were returned. The publication of
them was prevented by the Court repeating
the order of last term, that they should not
be published in order that the persons re-
turned might not receive notification OF the
fact and escape.
A STARTLING STATEMENT.
When the approval of the Constables'
bonds was taken up, Judge Ewing mad !:
rather startling announcement. He said
that five days before the election in 1889 an
act was signed providing that the term of
constables thereafter elected should be three
years instead of one. The act covered town
ships and boroughs. The question arose as
to whether the constables then elected held
office for one or three years. He and Judge
Slagle. he continued, were of the opinion
that those elected in 1889 held Office for
three years, therefore the election held this
year In the townships and boroughs for con-
stable was no election at all.
The constables elected in 1889 by this de-
cision, will only have to get new bonds COW
ering the next two years, and take another
oath and thereby continue in Office. In
cases where the old constable is dead or
does not desire the office, the man elected
this year will be appointed for the unex-
pired term upon a proper application to
court.
Judge Ewing, in his remarks, said that
il he was passing on the act itself he would
declare it Unconstitutional as it was special
Legislation, but with that question he had
nothing to do at present.
The constables elected in 1889 were only
sworn in for one year at that time at the in
stance of Judge Magee who gave it as his
opinion that the act did not take effect until
this year. The matter in dispute does not
effect the constables in the cities who are
provided for in another act.