The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-04
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4. 1898
THE FARCE NEARLY ENDED

The farce is now nearing the end. The
present grand jury will, in all human
probability, be declared an illegal body.
When the six Judges OF the superior court
selected and listed the names OF sixty
mon to serve as grand jurors in January
last, the name OF one person on that list
was not on the assessment rolls OF the
county. The statutes OF the state express
~ prescribe that the name of every one
of the sixty persons selected to act as
grand Jurors shall appear on the assess
ment rolls at the time that they are so
selected. This provision was not COM
piled with. The result will probably be
that Judge Smith will declare the grand
jury an illegal body. for he has already
intimated that he will do so.
And what is the result? The grand
Jury has been in session now for nearly
two months. 1t is a body made up of
good substantial citizens 1t has taken
up the work of Investigating the details
of the county government with vigor and
it has succeeded IN unearthing startling
condition of affairs. ThieYery. official
and semi-oflicial, has been brought to
light. ExtravaGance in the expenditure
of the peoples money has been uiscov-
cred. Wanton diversion of the public
funds into the pockets OF ward heelers,
political triclsters and tools of the court
house ring is what the grand jury has
found evidence of on every hand. Fee.
grabbing officials who have periured them
selves to secure money from the public
treasury to which they are not Justly en-
tilted have been indicted. The wasteful
expenditure of over 500, 900 sweated out
of the taxpayers Oh the roads and high
ways OF the county, for which there are
no practical results 10 show. was being
looked into and the result would possibly
have been some indictments against par
ties high in political circles. In one in
stance cold blooded robbery OF the peo-
pies money was run down and the sup
posed thief indicted. In fact, the grand
jury was going straight aheaa with one
of the most thorough and searching in.
vestigations of political bribery. corrur-
ton, extravaganza and theft that was
ever instituted in this county.
In this labor the body has been ham,
pered ana handicapped on every side.
1t has been strongly intimated that the
district attorneys Office WAS not in SYM
pathy with the objects the grand Jury
had in view. To bear out this statement
the weak and imperfect indictments
drawn by the district attorneys flee
and duly quashed by the court can be
cited. There are other facts that might
be presented which of themselves may
sppear 10 be tritins, but when taken to.
gether all go to show that the district at
torney's office has not been in sympathy
with the grand iury's Investigation.
A good, honest, faithful grand jury is
what this county needs. II it ever Sc
cures one it will mean the complete and
utter ruin of the courthouse ring.
Every cndeavor to secure such body
has been hampered and impeded. The
attempts in this direction have proved
abortive. 1t now looks as though this
last endeavor to get at the books to find
out how matters stand to expose thieves
Ito let the people know Of mlsrule and
of the unhe arI.of era Of prevailing gov
ernmental extravaganza IN this city and
county, would be a failure.
And why? Simply because legal forms
have not been followed in instituting
the body whose legal existence was es-
sential to the performance of the great
and important task.