The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-10
SPOKANE AROUSED.
Bitter Feeling Over the Pilfer-
ing Cases.
INDICTMENTS SUPPRESSED.
The GFsnd Jury say Their Action Was
Ignorea-The Accused Occupy o.
fleial Positions.

SPOKANE FAILs Jan. 9--Maeh Indignation Is
being aroused here by &n apparent afternrt 20
suppress al news with refereace TO the eeElon OF
fce late grand Jury on the Doodle cases i will
he remembered that some time since Maier = D.
Water and Peter Duber Of the esty conueEi. and
william Gillespie, Of the police force, were.
uqoa examination. bound over 70 appear before
The grand jury cE q charge Of taking goods fron
the supply store, sent In 20 sufferers fmne-
dfatesy after the great IRE Of August I. The
parties 80 charged employed, among ether
couasel the firm of Ridpath 4 Blake The
latter was a. the time candidate for superior
judge. 70 which position he vas elected in No
venaher. Forseeing the possibility OF bis having
90 SIC on the trial OF these cases. he and Riapath
dissolved pzrsRershfp.
Rlcpath appeared as principal counsel for the
accused IN their examination. Later upon the
election of William c. Jones 20 the position OF
attorney general OF thg state. he was appointed
prosecuting attorney for this county BY the
governor OF the state. In the meantime judge
Blake had taken his place on the bench. The
grand jury met and, at the suggestion of Prose
cutting Attorney Rddpath. Jacge Blake sp-
pointed some one else 70 look after the boodie
cases
A young lawyer named King Was selected.
and he is believed 20 have performed his duties
conscienfieuxly IN bringing evidence before the
grand jury.
That body adjourned two weeks sgo. and IL
was reported no indictments had been found
against the boodIegs, and the people generally
supposed there had been another gross miscar-
riage Of justice. Members Of the grand jury
declare. however. that the report was false aud
indictments were found against Waters Duber,
Gillespie and many Others.
At least one grand iuryman isreported as hay-
ing declared that Prosecuting Attorney Kidpath
recommended that no indictments he returned.
There does not appear to be any record OF the
indictments in the court II is rule when iu-
dictments are found 10 summon the accnsed 10
plead guilty or not guilty. In the present case
no such sum mons seems TO have been issaed.
There are al sorts Of rumors flying about con-
eerning the use Of strong Influences. political,
social and otherwise. to have the indictments
suppressed. One wealthy and prominent citi-
zen who occupied an important position in the
distribution OF relief supplies, and to whom peo-
pie looked for aid in vigorous prosecution of
the boodlers. is believed 10 be lukewarm In the
matter. and Is so for the purpose. ii is charged,
OF shielding persons intimately associated with
him aud his family. There is an air OF secrecy
ana mystery that seems nard TO comprehend
upon any other hypolhes Il then that there 10
conspiracy to cheat justice.
movement has been set on foot to bring the
matter to the attention of the legislature An
attempt viii be made 70 have q committee sp-
pointed By that body 10 investigate the whole
mater, aad place responsibility where Il ought
20 belong. That the indictments in question
should have been found. and that the public
should have been kept frorrofficial information
Of the fact Is regaf6ed as primR faeie evidence
that there Is something wrong. The whole AZ
fair seems 10 be dSgracefut In the extreme Tie
entire official machinery Of the cisy appears to
have been employed 20 save Waters. Dubes, Gil
Iespie sud Others from the investigation.
The two first sEfll exercise their functions a.
councilmen, While Gillespie contiHues en- the
police force Illustrative Gf the poN'ex theae
ctised have Il tslc fact that the city c8uneH, as
the meeting last night Policeman Parker. who
was detailed 20 assist tha lawyers engaged in
prosecuting cases in the way OF finding Wit
nesses, was dropped from the force.
There has been from the first most braxen
defiance Of public sentiment by eli the parties
implicated in this scandalous business of pilIer-
ing from supplies so generously contributed by
people of other cities to sufferers after our great
Ore last summer.
Prompt and full legislative inquiry into the
conduct of certain officials would probably be
the very best thing that could happen