The herald., 1894-10-19

constituted authorities fail to take this
step promptly, they will find the Whit
tier school scandal ghost that will not
down"
january 1Sth-"For those who wish
to see full and thorough examination
of the Whittier reform school scandal it
is reassuring to know that Judge Smith
has taken official cognizance OF Expert
Guinn's report and that he has referred
it to the district attorney. This respon-
ability of taking up ths investigation is
laid upon somebody's shoulders.
January Goth. does the dis
trict attorney think about investigating
the reform school management? The
eyes of the people are upon him."
January 24th.-'If the powers that be
fail to call another grand Jury to iHvesti-
gate the Whittier reform school crook
edness the public will place the respons-
ibility upon their heads aud will not
forget it at forthcoming elections"
Neither will i'll
1t will be observed that the vigorous
denunciation in the foregoing extracts of
the scandalous mismanagement of this
institution is accompanied by repeated
demands for further investigation by
the regularly constituted authorities" "
1t will also be observed that Judge
Smith, by whom the grand jury had
been impaneled, decided that the SUBJ
iect justified further investigation in the
light OF the experts report, and that he
squarely placed upon the district attor-
ney the responsibility of such work. By
referring to section 1876 OF the county
government act it will bs found that the
district attorney is one OF the regularly
constituted authorities for that purpose,
independent Of any order or injunction
from any court. The section referred to
reads:
The district attorney is the public
prosecutor, and must inatitute proceed
ings before the magistrates for the ar
rest OF persons charged with or reason
ably suspected of public otfenses, when
he has information that any such Of
lenses have been committed, Z.
and attend before and give advice TO the
grand jury whenever cases are presented
to them for their consideration.
Did any further examination OF the
affairs of the reform school follow upon
the instructions OF the court? No; the
responsibility rested easily where it was
placed, and the order for proper and
faithful investigation OF the allegations
of wrong and crime "slept the sleep
that knows no waking"
Who was the district attorney that
ignored the order OF the superior court
and the mandate of the law; who was
deaf to the appeals OF the leading local
journal OF the party, made in the name
of public Justice and party honor? who
was Indifferent to the clamor of an out.
ragged constituency? The gentleman who
then enjoyed the profits and emoluments
of that Office was James McLachlan, the
present Republican candidate for con-
gress from the Sixth district.
Mir. McLschlan is not fool. We do
not believe that he has any sympathy
with wrongdoing or that be is inca.
pable of understanding and performing
his duties. There can be but one con-
struction placed upon his failure to dis
charge hia official duty on the occasion
we have treated Of. His personal and
political relations with Lindley were
euch that subserviency to the latter's
wishes was compulsory. This concu-
sion is strengthened by the fact that
Mr.. McLachlan WAS renominatsd for
the Office of district attorney by the
Republican convention of 1892, which
was largely dominated by the Whittier
Warwick, and that recently he served
in the capacity of attorney for the Whit
tier reform school when the trustees Of
that institution brought an action tor
the collection OF money alleged to be
due from Los Angeles county for the
support of certain prisoners.