The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-12-07
swINEEnRn Attacks SPEED.

Element has been made public. Inspector
Svineford excuIpates the clerks employed
in the booths on the line. and then attacks
District Attorney Speed and Judge Bur-
ford.
Mr.. Speed is charged with the accept
apce of fees for defending land cases where
he might be called upon to prosecute his
clients: with failure and refusal TO furnish
the grand Jury with indictments OF the
old Guthrie townsite board, which was
short several thousand dollars in its ac-
counts, and protected by him because they
were Republicans; with attempting to in
dnce the grand jury to find true bills with
ont evidence and make presentmenfs OF
General charges. seeking th' rehy TO ques-
tion the integrity OF public officials against
whom no charges could be brought 10
Justify ind ctmepts; with having prostl-
tuted his Office in an effort to make poliCl-
cal capital IN the territory for the R-pup-
lican party, by bringing charges against
Democrats so indefinite that the persons
charged were precluded from having
trial; with preventing the Indictment Oh
Haudlin, Republican clerk from Kansas,
WHO was employed in the Perry office, anu
against whom proof alone was made to
show that money had been received for
illegal findings; with having required the
grand jury in one county TO Investigate
offenses in another.
II wish merely to say" says Inspector
Swineford, ''rhat each and every charge
have brought against SPEED, as well as
many Others of which / have made no
mention. can be substantiaied by album
dant evidence. While be Is retained as
United States district attorney AMI John
H. Burford is allowed to remain on the
bench, Justice in Oklahoma Will be but A
mockery to the people and "A reproach and
n to ( he nd i'm fra
gral government we'll
In discussing the Indictment against
Lescallett, one of the clerks employed at
Orlando by the Logan county grand jury, !
tie says that the jury might with equal
propriety have indicted every one oil The
clerks There was no evidence of any |
money having been paid 10 Lescallett, and
the indict ment was based ON the bare tact |
that the purchased certificates bore Les
calletts signature.
Having knowledge at the time" says !
the Inspector. "ihat "A large number of GER |
tificates duly signed and stamped had
been stolen from the booth and were being
sold and delivered to parties in Guthrie, L
at once called the attention OF The district
attorney to he fact, giving HIM the names
of the parties who were not only suspected |
but generally believed to be guilty. Had
be been so disposed he might then have
caught them in tie very act, but to my
whatever looking to their arrest or pun
isbment either then or at any subsequent
time. The Indictment of Government
Clerk Lescallett Is the sole outcome OF
Dis rict Attorney Speeds employment OF
an illegal grand jury IN an avowed effort
to smirch he characters of certain officials
of The rterior department by connecting
them with, and, if possible, indicting them
for corrupt practices IN connection with
the formation and numbering of the line
ut the Perry land oflice-maIters with
which they could not have possibly have
had anything 10 do, and which were abso-
lutely beyond their control, owing TO the
fact that they have no power of jurisdic-
tion outside their Office.
Il he organization OF the grand jury, and
it's manipulation by District Attorney
Speed, forbds any other than one Cf two
conclu-ions-either that Speed is wofully
wanting In legal ability, or else has been
intent upon prostituting his high office to
the accomplishment of his own personal
and partisan ends. His conduct in con-
necilon VIII the organization and inveSti-
cations of this Illegal grand jury would
remove all doubt as to the partisan motives
10y which he was animated, 1t, indeed, he
had not been So indi> Greet as TO declare in
advance that when get through there
will be nothing left TO the Democratic
party in OAlahOma'o
Inspector Swineford then goes on to
show That whatever findings the grand
jury made are Of no account, because of its
lack OF jurisdiction. He continues:
20 her matters pertaining to its manipu-
la by DlstrictAttorney Speed have come
TO light, which prove beyond the contin-
gency of II doubt that his recent 'pernic-
1ous activity was not Inspired by the sole
desire 10 conscentIously discharge his
Official duty and nothing more. Among ,
The witnesses examined before the grand
va ne = l. - | .
IN the Perry laid Office. This witness re-
fused to answer Certain questions on the
ground that he could not do so truthfuliy ,
without incriminatiug himself. l have it
from unquestionable authority that wit
hes,es subsequently examined swore posi-
lively that tney had paid Handin money +,
Tor admitting them into the land Office
out OF the regular order of members vet
notwii hstandlng the desire of the grand
jury, Mr. Speed succeeded in preventing
bis Indictment, on the plea that the fell
low has LETT The country, and I'm after
bigger game than that
II should remark that Handlin's refusal !
20 answer questions before the grand Jury
WAS followed by bis prompt discharge
from the Perry Office by che register aud
receiver 80 far as can learn he was the
OIL person against whom there was suff- |
cleut evluen' g upon which to find an In |
dictment aud Yet Mr.. Speed allowed HIM
TO 30 uuscathed. The grand jury did not {
know why Speed was so anxious to let | >
Handlin escape, but / do; the evidence ]
against Handlin eXonerated a / tie other
officials OF the Perry Office from even
suspicion ol wrong doiDg, and it uid not
SUIT Mr.. Speeds purpose 10 have it brought
on on the trial of Handlin.n
Governor Swinetord then attacks Speed,s
past record IN Oklahoma all along tbe
line. lie says: For the past three wears
he he's been prosecuting, 10 the verge of '
persecution. alleged offenders against the a
laws. who were without money or friends ,
while on the other hand he has been :
shielding Others none the less guilty from r
the conviction aud punishment which AN {
honest prosecutor would certainly have :
visited upon them. After soi0urn of ]
nearly four months in Oklahoma, | do :
not hesitate to aver that the official con-
Guct OF THIS man Speed, taken in connec-
ZION with that ot his assistant, Stone (for
whose acts he should be held responsible).
has been worse than repreh. nj BILE: indeed. $
what most honest right thinking p-opls I
would cali infamous. 1t is clulmed, in. r
deed, generally understood TO be the fact 5
that Speed has made an euyiahle record
IN The number OF convictions for nerjury
he has secured, and in this regard he ap-
pears 20 have succeeded in tborouphiy
ueeelvinS the honorable attorney general" o
Discussing Speeds record as a prosecu- {
Tor ne says: Settled as the country WAS C
III DAY, or rather in a few hours, the $
question OF VINO among numerous claim 2
ANTS hau the best night TO ii tract of land ! =
sometimes depended upon the testimony q
'l witnesses whose evidence might or |
'hlght NOT be true, and the truth or falsty
OF which 1t WAS difficult 10 determine
-hen IN order 10 hold their homes or Sc
cure possession of land would 90 into the il
iand Office and swear falsely or procure n
q ba. 4