Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-03-02
THE GRAND JURY's WORK.

ELLIS, secretary OF state JOcnlm Treas
urer Hambitzer, Land Commissioner
Berry, Clerks Warren and Potter, Ser
geant-at-arms Bussey, Marcus Peter
son, ex-clerk of the board of state Off
GERS, and William May, clerk of Wayne
county. These indictments had been
prepared with great care during
the last two weeks by ex-Justice
Edward Cahill of the supreme
court, exJustice Nj. V. Montgom-
cry of the supreme court of the
District of Columbia, Richard A. Mont
gomery and Russell Z. p. Ostrander,
Of this city, counsel for the state,
and are ironclad in every re-
spect They were made TO cover
all phases of the case, blanks being
left for the insertion of the names of
the persons indicted. The indictments
found are authoritatively reported to
be as follows:
Tristan indictment charging Attorney Gen
eral Adolphus A. Ellis with forgery in connec-
ton with the Gogebic county return.
Second-An indictment against Secretary of
State John w. Jochim, State Treasurer Joseph
Il. Hambit2er and Land Commissioner John O..
Berry for making false public record OF the
vote cast for the constitutional amendment OF
1893
Third-An indictment for the lastnamed
ofIense against Clerks Frank A. Potter and
George b Warren, who did the clerical work
on the canvass.
Fourth-hn indictment for conspiracy in con.
nection with the frauds OF 1893 against Ellis,
Jochim, Hambitzer Berry, Potter, Warren
ex-Clerk Marcus Peterson, OF the board OF state
auditors; County Clerk William May OF De-
troit: Sergeaut-at- Arms George II. Bussey,
and BIZ Clerk James q. Clark, OF the senate.
Fifth-An information charging Ellis and
May with the destruction OF Wayne county
records while they were in the custody of May
in this city.
Most of the persons against whom in
dictments were voted were notified by
their counsel Friday night and five of
them--State Treasurer Ham bitter. Land
Commissioners Berry, Attorney General
Ellis, Sergeant-at-Arms Bussey and
Frank A. Potter-went to Mason Sat
urday morning, accompanied by
friends, who were prepared to become
sureties on their bonds.
Attorney General Ellis was ar
raigned on three indictments for forg-
cry, conspiracy and destroying the
Wayne county records. He waived the
reading of the indictments. as did all
of the others save Potter, who pleaded
not guilty In each case where the ac-
cused refused to plead plea OF not
guilty was entered by the court State
Treasurer liambitzer and Land Com
missioner Berry were arraigned on in
dictments for felony in making false
public record, conspiracy and willful
neglect of duty. Ex-Clerlis Potter and
Warren answered TO indictments charg
ing the making of false public record
and conspiracy, and Seargeant-at-Arms
Bussey to a charge of conspiracy.
Bail was fixed as follows:
Ellis. for forging S5 600: Ellis and May, for
destroying the Wayne county records, $1,000;
Potter and Warren, for making false public
record, 5000 each of the persons charged with
conspiracy, slOJ0; Jochim Hambtzer and
Berry, for making false pubic record 5000
Jochim, Hambitzer and Berry, willtul neglect,
$1,000.
Ellis bonds were signed by George
w. Weber, a. +. Kelsey, Frank A.
Session and Josiah f. Just, of Ionia; 5
w. Webber, of Lyons, and y. Il. Hayes
and Chauncey j. Rumsey as sureties.
Treasurer Hambitzer's bonds were
signed by Mayor A. O. Bement and
James Il. Judson, of Lansing. Commits
sioner Berry's sureties in the same sum
are James ID. Berry, his son, Alexander
Cameron, Wyatt b. Brown and
A. NJ. Dobbelaire, of Lansing, and
Henry l.. Henderson, of Mason.
Potter gave two bonds, with Lester
s. Hudson and Alexander Blair,
of Lansing. as sureties. Warrens sure
ties are his father, w. G.. Warren, and
Horace Wilcox, of Charlotte James
Is. Judson and Washington G.. Wiley.
of Lansing, signed the bond req uired of
Bussey.
All of the defendants announce their
intention of making vigorous defense
and have counsel of more than ordinary
ability retained
The cases will be tried before Judge
Person, in this city. and several of them
will probably be heard at the ensuing
term of the court which win convene
upon the 18th of March.
On March q the governors right TO
remove the members of the canvassing
board for gross neglect of duty will be
argued in the supreme court, and de-
cision is expected not later than March
Is.
Another life-sized sensation has de-
veloped in connected with the official
actions of Secretary of State Joachim,
Treasurer Hambitzer and Land Com
missioner Berry. An examination of the
books of the board Of state auditors, of
which they are the members, shows
that they have been making illegal
charges and allowing their own bills
therefor ever since they were indicted
into office.
Each of these officials is mem Der of
several state boards and tho latest
shortcoming to be discovered consists
of charges for services. mileage, etc,
for attending meetings of these boards
in the face of the constitutional pro-
vision that they shall receive no fees
or perquisitcs therefor. 1t is charged
among other things, and figures
taken from the books of the
board of auditors sustain the charges,
that meetings of two or more
of these boards would be called for the
same time and the several members
.,.o,,1I .,lIao. f,a,,, h. ctatn F,,n ,.,.