The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-02
WRONGS THAT ARE DAsTARDLY
Some of the Prosecutions Settlers Have
Been Subject To.

Been Subject To.
! Perry, o. T, Feb. 1.-(SpeciaD-Th
articles in the dailies of yesterday re-
/ fiecting upon almost every district
clerk and some of the judges of the su-
preme court of this territory, has Gre
ated> CONSERVATION in the Democratic
camp.
Every train into this city shows some
! of the appointees of this administration
at the depot, gorgeously dressed, leav-
/ ing for a pleasure trip or for a CONSUL
! tation over the prospective bomb so Ii
/ able to explode among them. They
act as if the sword of Damocles hung
/ over their heads and they expected at
/ any moment TO feel il descend upon
/ them.
As an Illustration of a sample of the
/ work Of the marShals influence, COM
/ bined with that of the assistant Uni
/ ted States district attorney, there is
/ one case in this county where fourteen
! Of the best citizens of Red Rock town
/ ship We're indicted for perjury before
/ the last grand jury by one woman who
! happened to have friends among the
/ official powers that be, and who every
4 body knows has lived at Guthrie and
made that her home ever since the OPP
]
pets OF the marshals, and though she
/ never lived bona fide upon the claim
/ in question one moment, yet she had
/ influence enough 10 secure fourteen in
! dictments against good citizens Of this
! county who had the temerity 10 swear
! that she had abandoned the tract of
land upon which she had filed and
| which they knew was abandoned.
Only formal bonds as a rule, are ia
ken and such cases, that, at least, be
ing one redeeming feature. And then
| this is not the worst of it. Men all
oyer this territory before hearing has
| been had even before the local land
Office, have been indicted for perjury
in swearing falsely when the filed their
| homestead entry or contest affidavit.
As it Is now, some fellow contests
a homestead on the grounds of aban-
donment or "soonerism. Before a
! hearing on the issue is had az the local
| land Office the party contested gets a
| friend and sneaks in before a grand
I jury. gives his testimony in secret. in
/ short, lies Ike a trooper, nothing con-
/ Trajectory can be heard. and the grand
| jury indiCt, through the influence Of
/ the United States district attorney.anG
/ the poor contestant or hOmesteader az
| the case may be, is hustled of TO Jail
I IN lieu Of bond. In the meantime the
Csc is easily continued in the land
Office and Uncle Sans overlooking
/ treasury Is thus often invoked IN this
indirect manner TO assist in the set
Ting Of civil eases, for 1t costs TO de-
/ fend against a case of perjury in the
/ United States courts. Then. as II
sometimes happens. at the next term
of court the Indictment is Quashed. In
that event under another statute the
! case Is again rssubmiJted To the grand
jury, the same witness asaia appears
before that august body Al Uncle
Sans expense. another Indictment IS
found. and before the ink Is dry on
that Instrument. the victim IS again ar
rested, again compelled 10 give bond
Al his own expense. and the witness
against him. his contestant. trots over
10 the land Office. takes another con-
IinuanCe. and 50 the fight 50 unsverfv
made goes over until the poor fellow
gives up mis- claim. runs our Of money.
10 defend h.mSef and goes 10 the pen
. ijeDtiary.
The perjury laws II our land thus in
. voked are q disgrace 10 Civiliza ton.
Is il any wonder the fees are large
. AMI appOluIeeS rl1uriSl2