The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-12
Jockeys JuRY.s REPORT.


1
/ When Presented.
Special Correspondence OF the standard.
Helena. May 1o.-The report of the
grand jury appointed last March by
Judge Blake of this district court,
which was filed yesterday afternoon.
is the subject of a great deal of CONVEX
sation in Helena to-day. The report
Is decided disappointment to a great
per cent OF the people. as they expected
Richard Jockey and his jury, after sit
ting for 30 days, would certainly bring
In something besides recommendations
and special findings, as 1t were. Peo-
J pie believed there had been enough
| criminal acts committed in this county
and city TO warrant at least several in
| dictments. Some of the grand jurys
advice-for the report is largely moth
ing else-is doubtless excellent. but the
people are asking themselves, did IL
| pay?" Although the session was con-
Quoted economically. IL cost 1000.
| Only one witness out of the 98 exam
| ined was summoned from outside the
| county, and he came from Butte. Many
| of the witnesses were county employees
| and they were not allowed compensa-
| ton
While making an attempt to examine
into the rumored charges of legislative
corruption, the jury secured what wit
nesses IL wanted by keeping tab on
| the hotel registers and summoning Wis
| iting legislators.
Regarding the crookedness in city af-
fairs involving Harry Brett. who is
| now serving time in Deer Lodge for
| forgery OF city warrants, the report
says: I'VE have made diligent inquiry
| OF all matters connected with the forg-
ing, raising and duplication of city
time checks and warrants by Henry
Brett, and have not been able to OBJ
| tain satisfactory evidence to connect
| any other person with the criminal acts
committed by said Brett. While there
are many circumstances pointing to the
completely OF others in Brett's crimes,
| no evidence has been presented that
| would warrant the grand jury in pre-
senting an indictment.
Evidence has been submitted that
| officers of the city have violated sec
ton 1879 of the compiled statutes of
the state. Cp. 1879, prohibiting any city
officer from purchasing or selling. di-
rectly or indirectly, city warrants,
scrip, orders, demands. claim or
claims or other evidences of indebted
ness against he city, under a penalty
not less than $500 fine and two months
Imprisonment; such conviction operat-
ing as a forfeiture of office. the party
convicted being forever disqualified
from holding any office of trust or
profit"
What the grand jury had to say
about the last legislative assembly has
already been reported in the Stand
ard. IL gives some rather interesting
facts regarding the state board of ex-
aminers and appropriations. The re-
port reads:
House joint resolution No. ID pro-
vides that the state board of examin-
ers be- and they are hereby. authorized
to audit claims against the state for
clericl hire to the amount of $1,000, in
excess OF the amounts otherwise ap-
propriated.' We find that the legisla-
ture appropriated money by house bill
No. 372, and fixed the salaries, or in
tended so to do. of clerks as follows:
Clerk of secretary of state. 81. 500: clerk
of state auditor. $1,000; clerk of board
of land commissioners, 81, 500; clerk of
board of pardons. 81. 200: clerk of board
of prison commissioners. 81 200. clerk of
board of examiners, $1,000; clerk of
commissioners of insane. $1,000; for as
slstant attorney general, $1,000: that
tho state board of examiners in place of
appropriating the So. 200. as was clearly
intended for clerk hire in access of
the amounts otherwise appropriated
have appropriated $1,000 of same to
the increase of salaries of clerks al
ready employed as follows: Clerk of
secretary OF state increased from $500
to 1880: clerk OF state auditor in
creased from $500 TO $4,000: clerk of
board OF land commissioners increased
from 81 500 to 81. 500: clerk of board of
pardons. increased from 81. 200 to 81. 500;
clerk of prison commissioners increased
from 81 ZOO to $500; clerk of board OF
examiners increased from $1,000 to
81, 500; clerk of commissioners of insane
increased from $1,000 to $500. and $500
allowed for insurance clerk in state
auditors office. which we believe un-
necessary IL such officer will devote
his time to the duties OF that position:
assistant attorney general from $500
to 81, 500; this officer. we are advised,
has not been in the state for many
months. and has been unable to per-
form the duties OF that position for
almost or quite one year last past. We
call special attention to these matters.
because we believe IL was not the in
tention of the legislature that the
money should be so used. and we be-
lieve IL TO be unbusinesslike. unneces-
sary and not to the best interests of
the state"
The report concludes with the fol- |