San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-12-04

| UOnS apply to the construction or the
court house rs well as to our public roads.
INSPECTION or CITY RECORDS RESISTED
THE JURY FINED FOR CONTEMPT.
In the course Of our investigation it be-
came necessary Ia call for certain books
! and records, in he custody of the city
officials. Our efforts were StrnnOuS!y OPP
posed, and "A court with coordinate jurS-
| Il elton with your hOnOr'S court, reSOrted
| TO prevent orr inspection of these records.
! THIS was serious interruption OF
| our labOrS leading 10 an exposure
| of our proceedings, great amount
! Of rumOr and comment rejecting on the
| grand jury and the appearance of dis.
! closures. either emenating from tho grand
| jury or the witnesses brought before them.
| GOur hOnOr'S prompt action in sustaining
| the course of the grand jury enabled us
| to go forward. Following this Interrupt
| ti0h the grand jury were broken in upon
while in session and arrested by the
sheriff and taken before Judge King.
where we were informed that the bailiff
in serving writ of attachment for wit
neSSes had served the same upon Judge
King while on the bench, that this pro-
ceeding the Judge deemed as derogatOry to
the dignity of the court and required some
explanation The jury was taken by sur
prise and asked for half an hour to reply.
They returned to Judge Kings court and
they had simply exercised the judicial
mower given them in SummOning witness
O., and had not given the bailif any in
structiOnS as to the manner of serving
such writ. TO this reply Judge King re-
SpOnded: Is that all the grand jury have
to say, and when the jury responded it
was, the judge ordered a fine of $50
each to be entered up against the jury.
The jury felt agrieyed at this proceeding,
knowing that they had intended no con-
tempt to Judge King, and believing that
the law under which they had exercised
their power to summon witnesses
was no reSpectOr of persons.
They further felt that their further
proceedings might be subject to like in
terruptiOnS and their usefulness impaired.
aud they threw themselves upon your
hOnOr'S consideration as to whether they
should proceed, when your honor refused
to discharge us. We desire to make the
statement submitted to your honor at
that tine as a part Of this report.
PUBLIC OFFICIALS SHOULD BE HELD TO
STRICT ACCOUNTABILITY.
We are impressed with the fact, from
our experience as grand jurymen, that as
public officials are but the servants of the
| people, and hold in trust the public in
tereSts, they should be held to the strict
est accountability under the law, and
| that the eye of the law should be kept
| upon them continually, and we re 'Om-
mend that your honor charge our sue
cesSOrS that they diligently inquire into
| the acts of public officials, and the ex-
| penditure of public funds.
BOARDS OF EQUALIZATION REC OMMENDA
TON To CORRECT EVILS.
One matter has come to the attention of
this jury in which there appears to be
| gross abuse of power on the part Of pub
lie officials, which il in your Judgment it
appears proper the governor of the state
| should be appriSed in order that the legis
| lature may be urged to pass legislation
correcting the evil, towit: the way in
which the boards OF equalization, OF the
county and the city treat the assessment
rolls Submitted to them by the assessor of
! taxes; especially OF the city when it ap-
! pears thatin hundreds of instances the
! assessments of taxpayers are Arbitrarily
| altered by such boards, and great dis
| elimination exercised to the pre- JUDGE
and injury of individual citi2enS,-in-
| stances OF property of equal value con-
| tuaguOus and in the same blocks being
| thereby destroying the equal taxation to
which every citizen is entitled under the
constitution OF the state.
THANKS TO OFFICIALS.
In conclusion we desire to return our
thanks to your honor for the prompt sup
port given us in our tribulations; to the
district attorney for his able and valuable
assistance and to the other officials Of the
! county for their courtesy and prompt
response TO all our demands.
Respectfully.
ii. l.. DEGENER,
G. A. DUERLER,
&. W. Russ.
Each MENGER.
A. 7. RIvAs,
ALBERT STEvEs,
VIM. HGFLING, JK.
!. {. ZUSCHLAG.
JAMES 2. NEwCOMB,
WALTER SCOTT,
ALBERT MAVERICK.
B. j. WATERMAN.