The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-16

uuSA NMtAus lAt0 III cxp6l0ALuEtb lOr tAS
public. has that discretion been we'll exor-
oisedi Il il has. itwould be fitting for you
to SO report; II 1t has not, has the lack of
discretion been simply by general incorn-
potency or by wilful negligence. by acts Of
commission q omission. Take up each
tens Of business. whethsr the organization
y sufficient to execute the business being
done and required to be performed. Gall
upon the responsible officials for details.
Look into the conduct Of the Office of the
clerk of our court, the sheriff's office. the
treasurer'H, the assessors. the county
clerks. the county auditors, tho
superintendent Of schools and the coroner.
The public administrator, too, ID a county
officer clothed with high responsibilities,
for he serves both the dead and the living.
BY the Probate Practice act he must once
Judge. under oath,'a return Of I'LL estates
OF decsdents which have come into his
hands, the valne Of the same, this money
which has come into his hands from such
estates and what he has done with 1t,
and the amount Of his fees and ex,
naming in his hands and publish the same
eix times in some newspaper In the county.
flo il also required to adjust and settle his
accounts each month with the county clerk.
In your examination y0u should ascertain
whether the ie1uisits reports are being
/ &6ftu WlloV0W bAV 0AOW ~ q
turns Of estates.
II am sure ouch official called on will be
pleased to facilitate you in your labors and
will court full investigation. Should you
encounter any one not disposed to pursue
such 4 course you have the irresistible
power Of legal process 1t your full oom-
mand and will unsparinRly use il until your
minds are satisfied with the thoroughness
Of your investigation.
"Ths commissioners, by vote of the peo-
pie, have erected q new jail. Its cost is of
public interest. Its complstion is also Of
port upon it, condition, and whether the
people have been given value received for
their money.
1.-THE school trustees of the Helena dis
trict have also erected q very large build
ing, and in divers other ways presumably
have disbnrsed large. sums Of money out Of
the school fund set apart by taxation and
sale Of school bonds. II is within TOUR
jurisdiction while inquirinR into official
conduct generally to satisfy yourselves. as
grand jurors, by legal evidence, whether
the school board has been duly careful of
the trust imposed upon it by the laws per-
tanning to its duties.
The county commissioners are likewise
subject to your investigation. In their du-
ties they are bound to exercise the same
high degree Of care demanded OF other Of
totals. Indeed, the general welfare of the
county being especially entrusted TO them
their acts as q board are moro nearly super
visory than those Of any other officials, and
very great responsibilities rest upon them.
Whether they discharge their duties to the
interest Of the county ia a matter you should
inquire into.
ut is a solemn duty Of the grand jury, as
a body, to visit the poor farm. and to as
certain whether the inmates are treated
with that humanity and consideration
which every good citizen would have be-
slowed upon them. In the active health
and business Of . every day lives we
know very little Of the true condition Of
those whose inirmities and nlisfortunes
public charity. See that they are kindly
treated. we'll housed and have proper food
and attendance. Look into the manner in
which the prisoners are kept. Inquire into
the cleanliness Of the jail and its general
management.
with these %injunctions to impress upon
you the scope Of your powers you will have
but little difficulty, I apprehend, in per-
forming your lawful duties. The county
attorney will efficiently assist you in exam
lining witnesses, and will give you the,law
applicable to particular matters brought
before you.
after hearing the legal evidence bearing
upon any charge being investigated you
should indiot whore you believe q crime has
been committed, and where all the evil
dence before You 10 such as, in your judg-
msnt, would warrant a trial jury in a CON
and u~noontradioted. You are bound to
hear the evidence in favor Of q party whose
acts you are investigating, but it is your
duty to carefully weigh all the evidence
submitted to you, and when you have rea-
son to bslive that other evidence will ex-
plain away the charge yon should order
such evidence to be produced. This admo-
milton is pertinent in looking into the con-
duct Of public officials. Be thorough, but
be very slow to accuse any man Of crime
unless the proof ia clear and unam-
biguous, lest you should ~unjustly humiliate
arraigned and tried under criminal indict-
ment. Be thoroughly persuaded by legal
evidence of the truth of q charge before
you indict. Do not rest satisfied with re-
mote probabilities. But if you are salts
fed. after impartially listening to comps-
guilty OF crime under the laws of the state
present true bills, under your oaths, with
out fear, favor or affection.
Five of you must concur in finding any
Indictment; otherwise there is no true bill
1T is your duty to keep your proceedings
for a grand juror to disclose what evidence
was before them, except when lawfully re-.
quired to 10 SO. or to state what opinions
were expressed by any juror upon any mat
ter before them, or to announce how he or
any of his fellows voted. Tho county at
torney has access to you, but when you dis
cuss any matter or vote thereon no person
is allowed to be in the. room. You, should
elect one of your number clerk; heshould
keep minutes, which NAV be givensto the
county attorney upon your direction. You
will meet upon your OWE adjournments,
reporting to the court when you have any
true bills to present, or when you wish to
be discharged. The sheriff will provide
you with suitable quarters and will place a
bailiff at your disposal.
This being = season of the year wher
you can we'll do your work without too
much haste, the court respectfully suggests
that YOU devote sufficient time to your la
bors to enable you to report fully and &C
c~urately upon those matters of vital inter
est to the %taxpayinR community, which you
will doubtless consider. You may now
retire."
The grand jury were given the use OF the
supreme court room and were in session
nearly all day. The jury will probably take
ample time to consider suoh matters as are
brought before it. as suggested they should
by Judge Hunt.
Smoke Adclinn Patti clear-Rnest In the
world. J.B II. Lock woods drug store.
Special cut prices ON ladies' muslin underwear
this week ut The Bee Hive.
Cash paid for second hand household furniture
by Ii. il. Taylor, on Broadway.
d.. NJ