The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-06
CORRUPTION IN COURTS,
Disgraceful State OF Affairs Revealed
by the New Orleans Grand
Jury.
A Noted Criminal Lawyer Allied
With q Convict to Defeat
Justice.
Tho Extent of O'MalIey's Influence and
HIS Villainous sMethods-None of tho
Mob Indicted.

Ahe LAteh1 OF haDey's influence and
Hts Villainous sMethods-None of tho
Mob Indicted.
New ORLEANS, May 4.-After six weeks OF
investigation the grand jury com peted its
labor in the Italian case, and this after.
noon presented voluminous report to
Judge Mari. The report recites the killing
of Chief of Police Hennessy. tho trial OF
the Italians, etc., and, referring to the yer
dict rendered. says: I'VE cannot be mis-
taken in the assertion that the verdict wat
startling, amazing. bitter disappointment
shocking to public opinion, provoking re-
peated accusation that some of the iur,
had been unfaithful to their office.'' The
report goes on at considerable length
to speak OF comments made on every
side made before the termination oj
trial touching the action of some of the
members of the jury, remarks dropped in
and about the court room, the quarrel in
the jury room, etc. A careful observer
testified with special reference to the
marked inattention OF the jury as witnesses
submitted their evidence, conduct most
unbecoming and fraught with gravest con-
sequences when the momentous import of
the issue ID considered. "We are led
! continues the report, 'to conclude that the
Jury undertook to try the case when it was
| submitted, by their own estimate of the
value of statements made by parties not
called as witnesses. With strange unan-
irnity, they dwelt upon what they knew by
reading and hearsay of certain incidents of
%D AL4 As.o I
made those the bases of powerful persua-
sion for giving the accused the benefit of
doubt and concluding their deliberation in
their favor. We take occasion to say it was
not expected to obtain any evidence of un-
due influence from members of
the jury, for those who were uncorrupted
had nothing to reveal while the others
would not make them selves particeps GRIM
lnis. yet, in their numerous statements
much was obtained having direct connec-
ton with, and supported by, a great volume
of testimony elected during the cause of
inquiry.
1T Is clear, and brought out by the evil
dence of the jurors, that as affecting three
OF the accused, Politz, Scatfedi and Mon
asterlo. the jury engaged in deliberaton
four of five hours and ON repeated ballots
stood six guilty, six nat guilty. This
is clearly defined indication of
the jury as to three of the &C.
cused. 1t forces the conclusion that
the evidence was sufficient to justify the
six jurors who stood resolute and deter
mined for verdict of guilty, making il
we'll nigh impossible to reach any other
conclusion than mistrial. The three ac-
cused named above were probably unwili
ing actors designated by the leaders of the
conspiracy TO execute the viIlainous part, in
which they had neither personal motives
nor interest. Following this Investigation
it was quickly termed that talesmen had
been apptoached in various manners, the
vile work being carried forward in the
court room during trial. One fayorite
expression was that big money might be
made by going on the jury and doing
right. There is no doubt that such at
service of the defense. entertained by some
talesmen and scornfullv rejected bv others,
In some instances the rebuff was met with
the answer that it was a JOKE but surely it
was we'll directed joke, of deep sgnif-
canoe when the leading part is enacted by
counsel OF one the accused awaiting trial,
now under indictment for attempting to
brlbe juror. Another class of talesmen took
special care to deny any knowledge of the
vile work or showed remarkable deficiency
of memory. causing us to conclude that
they were silent from fear or had been eau
toned about incriminating any one. A
number OF witnesses most emphatically de.
MED having been approached or spoken to,
even after telling it to their friends, who
informed us.
Among the talesman number of our
citizens have nobly come forward, relating
their experiences, furnishing some of the
missing links in the chain of circumstan-
tial evidence drawn around an organized
band of jury-bribers. 1t is not to
be questioned that the work was svste-
matlcally executed after careful prepara-
tion. and had to be done quickly The
necessity WAS imperative for complete list
of ta.esn,en, and the grand jury knows that
list of talesmen was in the office of OMal- |
ley and Adams at II O'clock Sunday morn
ing. Feb. ~, though the trial Judge had is- |
sued special orders that the list was not to |
be made public or given to counsel OF either |
side until Monday. 1t is not shown by |
whose hands the list was secured, but |
influence of tho so-called private
detective agency and Counsel Adams
to handle the machinery of the court.
The evidence shows that the lists
of names were tampered with when
drawn from the jury wheel, and before
they reached the jury box i'll court. OMal-
ley was put III possession of the lists
after the names We're drawn
and before they reached the district attor~
ney's office. Influential friends alone
,ould accomplish this, but was secured in
he person of one of the jury commission
'rs, lately removed. 1t is further learned
hat in the office of the detective agency ia
sept book of names and addresses of iu-
'ymen. Out of the three hundred names
irawn for the February panel, thirty two
were on oMalley's list, and late ns
he talesmen were drawn MANY
more names appeared that were on that list.
Truly, the business of this enterprisinp do
ective agency was facilitated when thirty
wo names of their selection could be drawn
N panel of 800 jurors from wheel con-
aiming one thousand names."
The report goes on to speak of the uure-
liability OF some of the deputy sheriffs about
he court and at the parish prison, although
hey were not detected in any act of intdel-
ty. Then the indictments against McCrys-
ol and Cooney We're read in the court room
II blank, the fact was at once communi-
ated to the indicted men through some
ubordlnate of the court. When these men
we're arrested in OMalley Il Adams office,
eputy sheriff. ut the request of O'hlalley,
epotted to the court that the arrest was
made on the street. The report dwells on
he sworn statement of Thomas Collins ns
# great value. He, after entering the EN-
10y of OMalley and Adams. was commits
Toned as a special officer by the mayor and