The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-07
Mr.. MAYER HAS HIS SAY
He Files a Minority Report
From the Late Grand
Jury.
A Dissenting Opinion Which Is All
Praise Where Before Was All
Blame.

Henry Mayer, member of the late
Grand Jury, filed minority report in an
swer to the report filed by the rest of the
members some time ago, in the Superior
Court. Mr.. Mayer dissents in every par
ticular from the opinions expressed by his
fellow-jurors. He also criticizes, rather
severely, the manner and the freedom of
their expression. He has also good word
to say wherever they had bad one, and
while the majority report was one of CEN
sure and insinuation all through, that of
the minority is bountiful of the milk of
human kindness and of compliment. Mr..
Mayer himself in cludes the entire mi
noritv.
Tn opening his report the minority says
he dissents from the report of the majority
in many particulars. The Grand Jury's
report, he saws, should be honest and I'M
partial, and not malicious nor slanderous,
and if there had been any evidence re-
ceived upon which the oh argos which the
majority report makes could be based, it
was the duty Of the jury to find indict-
ments and presentments, but 1t should not
make insinuations under the guise of
final report.
The report of the minority then proceeds
to right the wrongs which he believes were
inflicted by the previous document. In
the election frauds, he says, it was impos-
sible to secure evidence sufficient to war
rant the expense of trials IN the multitude
of indictments which would have been
found had every suspected case been
submitted to the court. He believes that
the manner in which Judges Belcher,
Bahrs and Wallace passed upon the various
points of law which the cases presented
should earn for them the respect and COM
mendation of the public, instead of the
censure of the majority OF the grand
jurors. Mr.. Mayer suggested that here
after the election laws should be amended
to allow the returns to be sent direct to the
Registrar, and to be canvassed under the
supervision of the Superior Judges.
The Supreme Court, the minority thinks,
is incorruptible and is composed of Judges
of whom the City and State should be
proud. The aspersions cast upon the
Supreme bench by the majority, he thinks,
are unwarranted and slanderous; there
was not vestige of evidence brought be-
fore the Jury, he said, which in any
way questioned the integrity of the
Supreme Court. He denounced, too,
the investigation of Judge Campbell, and
incidentally took occasion to say that there
are no more honest Police courts and no
better qualified Police Judges than those
of this City. OF Judge Trout and his
divorce cases, the minority says his Honor
should be commended for his action in
trying some divorces in chamb ers, in order
to save innocent persons. The criticisms
which the majority passed upon this prac-
tice, he thinks, were gratultous SANDER.
The Police Department receives unquali-
fed praise at the hands of the minority.
He says, considering the small number of
men in such large City, and the small
appropriation which is provided for their
support, they form the best Police Depart
ment in America. The Commissioners, the
Chief and Captain Lees are also highly
complimented. Mr.. Mayer recommends
that the force be increased. The charges
made by the majority, he says, when
sthose making such slurs were unable to
find an Indictment or present charge
against any of this department, are only
calculated to injure and impair the eff
cheney of our Police Department. The
District Attorney, the Sheriff, the Assessor
and County Clerk, the Fire Department
and Chief Sullivan, the Coroner, the hos
pitfalls and the License Collector are all
given bountiful tribute OF praise for the
efficiency, the honesty and the system of
those City departments. The fee bill, how
ever, stands out in bold relief The minor
ity does not approve of it. 1t is burden
and an expense which gives the City no
benefit, he SAYS. The minority also wants
a Morgue with ground floor and at.least
four rooms.
In allowing the report to be filed Judge
Sanderson, to whom it was presented, gave