The Irish standard., 1897-03-20
A ROARING FARCE.

A ROARING FARCE. i
A little while ago the people Of this
city were aroused to such a pitch Of in
dignation concerning the doings of bad
men in the council that nothing was ever
seen or heard like 1T in the municipality
before. There was denunciation in the
air. No guilty man must escape. The
law-breakers-the bribers, the boodlers
and all others of that ilk-must be
brought to time For this and similar
purposes a grand jury composed Of the
most honest and intelligent citizens that
could be made to serve, was impannelled,
and this body was instructed in the most
emphatic language by an earnest Judge,
that it must proceed to do its duty IRE
spective of persons. The judges charge
was of such determined nature that it
thrilled the community. Everybody
felt that something would be done at last
and that the guilty would be brought to
justice. The grand jury wrestled with
facts and affidavits and dispositions and
charges and counter charges, all under
the name of evidence, and the city trem-
bled. Groups of men were seated outside
the grand jury room, az in a barber shop,
waiting for the call of ''next," so that
such testimony might be given by. each
that would enable the grand jury to i'll
dict every man connected with the city
hall, in no matter what capacity he serv-
ed. Aldermen were said to be in hiding
at their homes, others were said to be
out Of town, taking little trips for their
health, and if one of them should hap
pen to pass another on the street they
would gaze into each others faces in a
melancholy way and quietly whisper, II
told you So" The city clerk had just
given a grand supper at the West Hotel
to his admiring friends, previous to his
departure for a warmer cline, when he
hurriedly took his leave without even
extending farewell grip to many Of his
most intimate associates. When it was
thought he was out of the Jurisdiction of
the United States, one OF the aldermen
"squealed," to use the expressive Ian
guage of the polite members Of the coun-
Gil, and the squeal was to the effect that
the absent city clerk had been corrupt
and not only corrupt himself, but that
he tried to corrupt others and among the
others was this very squea1er himself.
In proof of this he testified that he had
found an envelope on his desk addressed
to himself containing $500. He had no
idea where it came from nor what it was
for, and yet he wanted it understood that
It was offered to him ahs bride, but as
to what kind of bride and for what par
ticular purpose he did not know. Being
pure and innocent himself. he never
could understand the springs of iniquity
Yet the jury was made to understand
that the money came from the absent
clerk for corrupt purpose. Regrets
were then piled up that the clerk had got
away, and one faction blamed the other
for permitting his departure. But, pres
to! The city clerk was discovered at his
former home in Illinois. Then the plot
thiclened. How Ito get him back was
the all-absorhing question. At first he
expressed HIMSELF as willing to come:
but was too sickrto move, then he got
well enough ia saHthat blood would flow
should anyone dare to touch him. He
was surroundes1sby lawyers, sheriffs and
deputies and detectives and other min
ions of the law, aid after much legal in
terchange of coui'testes between the gov
ernors of the two states, the missing
clerk, like the cat, Dame back.
The outcome OF all this hubbub was
that after the: GRAND jury had labored
and brought forth its mouse Of indict-
ing one ALDERMAN l7the squea1er himself
and the fof{hmlery city clerk, both men
escaped after THE speedtest kind Of
trial. In the case of the alderman, the
jury disagreed; in the case Of the clerk.
it was found that he was morally guilty
but like Scotch verdict, 1t was not
sproven." The squealer, whose testi
mony in the grand jury room was the
basis of an Indictment against the clerk
and who was relied upon as the star wit
ness for the state when the matter should
come to, trial, remembered nothing OF
consequence when placed upon the wit
ness stand. In fact he turned out to be
one of the best witnesses for the defense,
leaving the county attorney to wonder