Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-28
THE SEARCH LIGHT THROWN ON.
The Herald's Demand for a
Grand Jury Granted.
Judges Admit That the Law Has
Been Ignored.
Judge smith Orders Grand Jury Drawn
at Once, After Reading Yester-
days Herald-This Means
Business.


printed column article headed s'Throw
on the Light" citing the fact that no
grand jury had been called this year
and demanding that one be impanneled
at once to investigate the various
charges recently made publicly against
county and city officials. The facts as
cited were sufficiently strong to call for
immediate action. They were the talk
of the street during the day, and finally
the judicial mind took notice of the de-
mand.
JUDGE SMITH ACTS.
About noon the discussion as to the
calling of the grand jury was settled by
Judge Smith, in department one of the
superior court. He made an order di-
recting Clerk Crane to draw thirty-five
names for grand jurors on Monday
morning, at 10 O'Clock, who will be sum-
moned to serve in that capacity. The
order was quietly made, and scarcely
any one knew anything about it until
late In the afternoon.
Apropos of grand juries, the duty OF
calling them has devolved, by tacit con-
cent of the judges OF the superior court,
upon the judge of department one,
which had charge of the criminal busi-
ness before the creation of the additional
Judges, year ago. After that time de-
partments one and six were given the
criminal business, but the calling of tina
grand jury still remained with depart
ment one.
THE LAW HAS NOT BEEN OBSERVED.
In conversation with q HERALD re-
porter yesterday, some of the Judges
said they did not care to discuss the
question, but said informally that the
section relative to two grand juries be-
ing called in the year, has never been
followed so far in the county. They
did not deny that the provision is in
the nature of mandatory direction,
but it has never been done.
THE STATUTE MANDATORY.
A number of eminent lawyers who
were consulted yesterday, asserted that
the section OF the code cited yesterday
by the HERALD, makes it mandatory for
two grand juries to be impaneled in
this county every year. Yet this has
not been done. Here is another case
where the laws of the state have stood
for nothing. although there has been for
a long time splendid opportunity for a
grand jury to do some good work.
| Let the jury be impaneled and start
upon its investigation. 1t will be en-
abled to complete its work before cleo
ton day. Then the voters can know
whether or not the numerous charges
made against public officials are true
or not.
BRAVE MEN NEEDED.
Nothing can be accomplished though
unless jury composed Of fearless and
courageous men is drawn. Every mem
Der of the grand jury must be free from
all political taint and man of honesty,
and unquestioned integrity Of character.
In the matter of impaneling this grand
jury there must be no dark work. 1t
must all be open to the light and devoid
of iugglery. Any attempt to get body
of men to whitewash the misdeeds land
misconduct of officials, city, county or
state, is going to meet with the condem-
nation of the taxpaying people Of this
county. They want no more of it.
A SEARCH LIGHT.
Now that the Herald has secured for
the people of this county the benefits
and information that grand jury in
vestigation is bound to give them it
proposes to continue the work until
the end. 1t proposes to see to it that
there is square play all the way round.
If there lie not, it proposes to expose the
practices by which every grand jury in
this county is turned into whitewash-
ing machine.
Let the work of the grand jury COM
mence at once.