Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1895-10-03
u. S. COURT IN SESSION.
yINITA,S HOPES AT LAST FULLY
REALIZED.
Grand Jury 0rganized-The Judges
Charge - Preliminaries Well Under
Way-Judge Springer's Warmth OF
Heart t-MiscellaneOus Notes.

Charge - Preliminarles Well Unde
way-Judge Springer's Warmth o
Heart Miscellaneous Notes.
The United States circuit cour
for the northern district of the In
dian Territory opened Tuesday
morning in the Gray-Halsell build
ing, Judge Springer on the bench
Deputy Pettigrew called down th'
blessing of the Almighty on tn,
Hon. Court, and the great law mil
began to grind. The crimina
business was taken up first, anC
will be disposed of, clearing the
docket before the civil business II
reached. The first case to claim
the attention of the court was tha
of Sarah Hilderbrand (Ofelds
charged with slander.
LIST OF GRAND JURORS.
Geo. w. Hill. foreman; Gran
vile Craig, B. S. Landrum, Pet'
Tovey, T. R. Knight. g. H. War
ren, Jas. NJ. Keys, w. H. Fl
Scudder, H. w. Goodykoontz, San
McSpadden, NJ. d. Woodson, R
L. Livingstone, Jas. A. Thompson
David Taylor, T. ]. Stone, D. NJ
Marrs.
PETIT IITRY
H. C. Ballard. John Byrd, NJ
Daniels, John w. Webb, A. n
Green, J. l.. Dameron, NJ. Frazee,
W. T. Beatty, G. E. Miller, ]. NJ
Bozzen, c. c. Ironslde, ]. C.
Trott, Henry Drew, J. w. Fergu
ron, L. w. Burlington, Isaac Nc
Cullom, T. J. Mccain, E. NJ
Landrum, A. Hancock, Geo. Luck.
ey, J. l.. Clinkenbeard, johnson
Falling, Vinita.
ALTERNATEs.
Fred Choteau, Vinlta; DaviC
Stephens, Needmore; E. L. Bollin'
ger, John Pittsenbarger, Ishmael
Davis, Fred w. Strout, Vinita;
Dabney Hughes, Adair; Teect
Chambers, Claremore.
GRAND JURY CHARGE.
Judge Springer charged the
grand jury as follows:
Gentlemen of the jury: 1t i:
your duty to make inquiry in ref
erence to all violations of the
criminal laws in force in the north.
ern distrist of the Indian Territory
and to make presentments of al
cases where sufficient evidence ha:
been submitted to you. Offense:
are classified as felonies and mis-
demeanors. Jurisdiction has beer
conferred upon United States com.
missioners to hear and determine
all cases of misdemeanors. A:
that court is continually in session
and as defendants can hive a more
speedy trial before such commits
sioners and as the expenses of the
government will be much less yor
are instructed to direct all wit
nesses who come before you to
make complaint in misdemeanol
cases to appear before the United
States commissioner whose office i:
nearest the place the offense wa:
committed. 1t is possible thai
there may be some exceptions to
this rule owing to the necessity fol
giving cost bonds on the part OF
the prosecuting witnesses. If you
should find that the ends of justice
cannot be subserved before the
commissioners court on this ac.
count you will make presentments
of such cases to this court.
There are some felonies which
are only cognizable in the United
States court for the western district
of Arkansas. The district attorney
will advise as to the cases which
are not at the present within the
jurisdiction of this court, and you
will confne your investigation in
felony cases to such as are triable
in this court.
There are two reasons for pre-
senting indictments. One is for
the purpose of redressing wrongs
and injuries to private individuals.
The other is for the protection of
society. As individuals have a
remedy for the injuries done to
them in the civil courts the most
important object of public prose-
cutions is the protection of society.
Hence these are called public
prosecutions. They run in the
name of the United States and all
expenses of such prosecutions are
paid out of the treasury of the
United States. You have been Sc
lected from different localities in
this district. Your jurisdiction
extends to what is known as the
Cherokee, Creek and Seminole ma
tions. and you are authorized to
make presentment of all crimes
which may have been committed
in those nations not barred by the
statute of limitations. But as there
are four places of holding court in
the district, your principal duties
will be inquiry and presentment as
to cases in this part of the district.
You have been selected as a special
grand jury. Owing to the fact
that this is the first term of the
United States court held at this
place no grand jury commissioners
were appointed but you have been
selected by the marshal, as far as
was possible in a limited time,
from different localities. You are
presumed to have a general knowl-
edge of all offenses which have
been committed in your neighbor-
hood. 1t is your duty to investi-
gate all cases which may come to
your knowledge and to make pre-.
sentiments in all cases where the