The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-12-18

not present at the tsairlg up Of the case
nor has he in any way sought to infiu-
s - the jury or any member thereof III
TINS or any odnar case.
we refc1' to this matter on account OF
the charges made in open court that the
S is. vas forced upon the jury by the
diStrlgt attorney.
In The matter of the charges brought
IN open court by Chief of Police Protta
mat members of this. jury have jiivulged
Tune secrets of the Jury room. We leg to
IePort mat "e have examined all the
witnesses named by Pratt and others,
ana fail to find one who has heard any
cyets.
find that Mr.. Tyre was arrested and held
for eight days without any complaint be-
ms MED against him, or warrI1t' issued
for him. and then discharged 10y. orGer OF
a grave mists1se was made in this mat
ter All tbs was done during recess
OF tne grand jury. Upon reco1Yenlng
MI. Tyre was indicted for em6eZzlement
We Recommend that the law governing
9nese cases be mere carefully enforced.
We call especial attention of This court
20 The unwarrarted liberties taken by a
portion of the press in this city IN try,
ing to influence the action of the grand
jury by their cartoons, utterances end
recoTnmenda tons. We believe it is with
In the province of the court to lake cog
niZance Of the unjust attacks upon ats
=
be given due consideration. # Jur!es
cannot be protected against the assaults
of the pres5. but are TO be neld up 10
public ridicIie and scora while they are
Investigating crimes against people OF
Influence or wealth. it will only be a
short time until the press Will dlctate
who shall Or who shall not be punished
in this community.
The report was signed by Foreman
Hill and all the members.
Compliznentcd and Discharged.
Upon the conclusion of the reading
of the report, District Attorney Judd
arose and said: There is no further
business, may it please your honor,
now to come before this grand jury
and they are ready to be discharged.
| want to say to your honor that 1t Is
the testimony Of Judge Howat, MI.
Richards and myself that this grand
jury has done more work and done it
better than any grand jury we have
ever had assembled here. They are
entitled to due praise for it, and they
are entitled to better treatment than
they have received from the public
press of Utah territory.
Judge Barteh then sail: Gentlemen
of the grand jury, it gives the court
much pleasure TO learn from the pros
ecuting attorney that you have endeav-
ored to perform your duties well. 1t
seems to me the highest recognition
you can receive for this is that of your
own consciences-no matter what has
been said or done by any other person.
No matter what criticism a, person may
be subjected 10, if he himself, in his
own conscience, knows that he has
done his duty to the public to whom
he is responsible, ii can matter little
what is said. 1 have noticed myself
that you. gentlemen, have appeared
time ard time again before this court,
and it seemed TO me to be your honest
desire to do your duty as you saw it
under oath. AS this court has already
itself it has had no reason
to question your motives in the con-
Of anything that has come
before you. L have known no facts
which would warrant me in doing so,
and I am pleased this morning that
those who have had charge of you
speak of you in the favorable terms in
which they do. After all, the safety
Of society is almost entirely in the
hands of the grand jury. If they do
their duty prisoners may be brought
to justice and society may be freed
from those who are unworthy men,
bers Of it. It is not for the court to
which you arrive at your judgment In
1ischarging You this morning, gentle
men, you have the good wishes of this
court. You are discharged for the
term.
Pratt, Sheets and Ferguson Free.
District Attorney Judd then arose in
al his official dignity and said: May it
please your honor, coming now to
The case of Arthur Pratt, George A
5heets and Fergus Ferguson, who are
leid in custody under q commitment
oy this court for contempt, l move that
IN order be now entered discharging
hem from such custody. In doing this
do not desire that it shall be under
stood that the prosecution has receded
" intends to Tecede from the position
t has taken with reference to this
natter. The grand jury has reported
before your honor that the case con-
erning which they were committed
,efore that grand jury as any other
hat has been before it during its sit
ings. But for reasons which are in
ike manner known to your honor,
lave thought it best not to ask the
curt to continue this grand jury any
onger, and to let Mr. Pratt and his
ssociates be discharged. We do not, |
s a precedent for any future cases. |
mis- matter stands open to be taken
p by the next grand jury. which in
IL human probability will be done. If |
t shall be done, then there will be |
mple opportunity for this court again !
o assert itself, as it has done in this |
ase. 1t is an unfortunate matter that |
Ulcers of the law, charged with its !
xecution, should come before this |
\
arties in crime, but they are of such |
Ugh standing in the community that |
re promised We would not give their |
ames," and then stand upon that |
romise before a justice-loving COM
1uBity and before a court. l say it is |
Unfortunate uhat such should be the |
ase. But it is Thought that it were |
better to let the case stop
where it is for the present and LET the |
'ebruary term, take the work I'D |
zliere this grand jury has stopped. |
hey have worked hard Some Of Them |
ave stayed here away from their bus
ness when the demands of their ma
eriai interests called them elsewhere. |
felt it would be wrong TO continue |
hem over, that it would be an inius- |
ce TO them, and that they ought to J
g now discharged. Their DISCHARGE /
as 1 understand the law, |
-ould amount TO release of those !
-ho are held in contempt of this court !
or not answering before them, for the |
aason that, being finally discharged. |
iere would probably be no way for |
ne parties held in contempt to purge I
leniselvcs- ty making answer. But ali |
aside, L have felt that it |
as best for the community under the |
rcun stances, and for reasons which /
cur honor perfectly understands, to
ike this course in the matter, and I /
.ercfore ask the court 10 enter an
-Ger directing the United States mar