Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-29
THAT GRAND JURY MATTER
The Very Important Body to be
Organized Today.
Citizens Expect and Demand Fair
Play and No Whitewash.
Grand Juries Not Very Productive of G Good
In the Past-The District Attor-
ney's Chance-What Has
Been in San Diego.

II the order which Judge Smith issued
Saturday afternoon is obeyed, the clerk
OF department one Of the superior court
will draw thirty-fve names out of the
grand jury box at 10 O'Clock this morn
ing. A summons will then be issued
for the thirty-fve citizens whose names
have been drawn from the box, return
able on day set. The citizens upon
whom the sheriff obtains service will re-
port at the time designated, and then
they will be examined as to their quail
fcations to sit as grand jurors. Those
who are not excused and who are found
to possess the requisites will be duly
impaneled to constitute the grand jury.
The Judge of the court will lay down
some law to them in the nature of in
struction as to their powers and duties,
and then their Investigations will COM
| mence.
| During the past few years there have
| been grand juries drawn and impaneled
in this county, but the results of their
alleged Investigations have amounted to
but very little. But few of the rascals
who have been indicted by grand juries
have been brought to justice in this
county. In fact, the records do not
show where one single official who has
been derelict in his duty-and they have
been numerous-have been brought to
justice.
Grand juries have been thus far used
more for white-washing machines, than
anything else.
The result of all of this is that when q
grand jury is impaneled in this county
now, there are great many men who,
in disgusted wsy, say:
"Oh, pshawl suppose it will be
| like all the rest of them. You cannot
expect anything OF grand jury. The
late most of them that have thus far
been drawn. 1t will only pour bucket
of whltewash on all OF the crooked busi-
ness that has been going On, both in
and out of the court house. What's the
use of grand jury as long as it is han
| died by the ring, and everything is
gilded over with liberal doses OF kalso-
miner"
The remark of this disgusted citizen
and taxpayer is more or less true, prin-
cipally more. The action of grand
| juries in this county for the last six
years has not been such as to establish
public confidence, nor to demonstrate
the fact that they are effective protec-
tion against official rascality.
OF course, the official who, more than
any other one person, is in position to
materially assist grand jury in its in
vestigations, and who can virtually
shape it's couree, is the district attorney.
The work of the grand jury about to be
impaneled is of vital import
ance. The people intend to
watch it very closely. 1t will be
seen to that political "pull" does not
cover up official neglect of duty. From
the present district attorney, James Nc.
Lachlan, is expected some of the most
vigorous and searching labor he has per-
formed fer the people of this county
since his induction into office. By the
services he renders in this connection
will he be judged at the polls in Novem-
ber. All that is asked is that he do his
full duty. The taxpayers are in no
mood for any trifiing. They want the
truth and they intend to have it,
Down in San Diego county they had a
grand jury recently and the county
clerk, the sheriff, the auditor and re-
corder were all indicted for misconduct
and malfeasance in office. They were
| all Republicans, but it so happened
that there was Democratic district
attorney, a good, faithful and true
officer. He did his full duty in the way
of assisting the grand jury in it's work OF
ascertaining the condition of county af-
fairs, past and present. The result was
the indictment of sundry officials. j.
| II. Foulks, the indicted sheriff, was
tried the other day in the San
Diego superior court. The indict-
ment against him had not been imper-
fectly drawn. 1t was not quashed on
technicality. The derelict official was
convicted. On september 9th he will
be sentenced. The other officers are
yet to be tried.
In fact, the people Of Los Angeles
county want fair deal in connection
with the incoming grand jury, and any
body who is instrumental in preventing
it, had best flee from the wrath which
will come to him, and come soon. Fair
play must be had. 1t must be said that
in the year 1892 grand jury sat in
Los Angeles county, with which ''pol-
itical pull" was like rope of sand.