Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-12-06

maud was made in precisely that
ahane. The gentleman who came
iorward-a respectable individual Of
thls city-went before tie grand jury,
complained that his relatives were be-
ing compromised by this thing aui In
Sisted upon an Investigation; and that
was how the matter came here,
Toe grand jury summoned before
them Arthur Pratt, chief Of pslIce; the
article In question was exhibited to
him, and the following questions were
asked!
Q1ostion-Do you know tho name Of
tho man and woman mentioned Ia the
newspaper article here shown you,
published In the Salt Lake Tribune u
November 4, 1892
Answer-I DO know the name Of
tue woman. ! am pretty well satisfied
That know the mans unme. thiuk
l would know him u | should see him,
Question-If you say that you do
Know their names, tell the grand Jury
the name Oi each person,
Ahswor-l decline 10 answer this
question.
The district attorney then quoted
section 3s2 OF the revised statutes u
Utab aud Insisted thereon TINT Mr..
ffhu DO compelled by this court ~
answer.
1.-THE facts, he said, stated IN that
article we're true, then tue crime OF
adultery had been committed, and this
court aud grand jury had jurisdiction
over tue case. Tue witness declined
TO give the names Of the parties and
Therefore, "in the name Of the people
Of the Territory OF Utah''--eail the
district attorney In oonoluslon-"f
demand OF this court that II take such
proceedings by fine aud imprisonment
Or Otherwise us in lts Judgment and
discretion may DO necessary 10 compel
an obedience 10 tho process OF tins
court. Mt. Pratt II before your bonOr.n
Chief Pratt advanced towards the
bench anu said that, ~ an old
officer OF tho court, he would be the
last pursOn to show any contempt
Tor II. This matter, with him, was
one somewhat Of honor. lie was
called before the grand jury anu II was
there slated that they Amply wished
70 know the names OF these parties Ia
order that tulpicl0n might DO rom we'd
from those who were not deserving OF
H. He had always understood that tho
grand jury was secret body. He
stated ~ them all tho circumstances as
lie knew them, and also tbs TACT that lao
had met anu c0nvurdtd with the LADY
involved In the case - that he
found her TO be a woman who
had been heretofore always above
suspicion, anu the mother Oi n family
that che begged piuiuily Tor mercy.
Hence he pledged his word that what
she had told MIN should 10 no farther.
lie had strictly adhered TO that prom.
lee. Now there came forward some
few neighb1ts, and 10 safety them tue
district attorney had brought him
In $50 make public scandal OF
this kind" Ho (Mr. Prattl told tbs
grand Jury that IN his best judgment,
after looking carefully intO the ossu,
he did not believe II possible any
jury would convict theeo parties
OF any crime. They were simply found
together IL hack aud theirs WAS nc
positive evidence on that point.
As chief Of police, he had deemed
II his duty In number VI
Instances not 10 prosecute certain
cases. Several young girls had come
under his notice who had possibly gone
astrAy for tho first time. When
brought to the police station, instead OF
prosecuting them, he had upon learning
lheltfue facts cent them home 10 their
mothers. In not a few OF such cases,
by this line Of action, hs believed they
themselves had been possibly saved
from being driven upon the streets and
their family from disctejit and dis
grace.
The chief solemnly declared that n
he were now 10 violate his word giyOn
10 the lady Ia question II would ruin
an entire woll-KuOwn family Of this
city, and no was satisfied alec that tho
exposure would very likely provoke
bloodshed.
la his conscience he believed that a
conviction could not DO obtained; there
was no positive proof. Without, there
lore, Wishing 10 show any contempt
either for court or grand Iury-but
having the greateBt respect fOr both
al deem II would be- q oowardly act,
dishOnorable acton my part TO Disclose
the name Of this woman, aud have
declined 10 do so.n
District Attorney Judd said that
whether or not au Oiienss had been
committed was not a question Tor the
witness to pass upon.
Chief Pfatt replied that the pollcs
frequently obtained evidence that they
could not use, and then they gave their
word that what had been said SHOULD
not be dlsolpsed. IL they broke that
promise II would weaken tine efficacy
Of tho police department Ia great
many instances. II no diyulgod the
lady's name In this particular case II
would mean the rulnatiOn OF family
who had always commanded respect.
Foreman Hill-rhis matter has been
thrust upon the grand Jury; they
sought to eyade II by every means Ia
their power.
Judge Judd pointed out that the
grand Jury was a secret body and that
what was known to them was not
known TO the public.
Chief Pratt-It seems that you want
to make It public now.
Judge Judd-Ii you had answered
the question II would not have been
introduced here.
Judge BGrloh commented nlernly
upon the fact that all proceedings In
tho grand Jury room .should DO Kept
sltlctly secret; the Jury were bound
by their Oatns not TO reveal any
thing that transpiroi there, aud
II they dad 30 they committed prrluTy.
His honor said he had frequently
heard It rum0red that matteta which
occurred IN the grand Jury room hal
become public property Tut he did
not refer 70 the present. grand Jury.
Judge Judd-NH, this grand jury
has been an exception to that. Never
hna fTums mt fFQun tnWm