Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1897-10-07

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statutes, so that you will not be
forgetful of your duty.
Statute read in regard to intoxi.
eating liquor.)
All fighting, prize fighting, and
assaults are unlawful. To poison
the waters in the streams, lakes
and ponds of this territery, for the
purpose of destroying FISH, is d.
rect violation of law. If any man,
whether he be red, white or black
has been guilty of such conduct,
you should without hesitation in
dict him. The fishes are Gods
gift to all of the people, and no
man has a right to destroy them
ruthlessly by poisoning the water,
and if the grand jury does its duty,
a stop will be put to such outra-
geous and unlawful destruction of
the denizens of our streams and
lakes.
You must look well into all
cases of larceny. Ifthere have been
unlawful breakings into houses for
the purpose of committing any fell
ony such as larceny, robbery or
rape, you should indict the guilty
parties. 1t is your duty to inves-
tigate all cases of the larceny or
stealing of horses, cattle, hogs or
other property; you should inves-
tigate all cases of robbery, train
robbery, and the like, and all
other violations of the law which
may be brought to your attention,
or of which you may have knowl-
edge.
You will have the assistance of
the district attorney, or his assist
ant, whenever you may need legal
advice. You may, if you so de-
sire, have the district attorney with
you, and he will assist you in the
examination of witnesses so as to
bring out the facts, but whenever
a vote is taken on any question,
you must be alone. No one except
the district attorney, or his assist
ant, and the witness you may be
examining, has any right to be in
the grand jury room with you, and
neither of them must be with you
when a vote is taken. You are to
act upon the evidence before you
under oath, and you alone have
the right TO say whether or not
parties should or should not be in
dicted
| think | can look into the faces
of this grand jury, and know that
you will discharge your duty.
(That section OF the U. S.statute
in regard to the introduction and
sale of intoxicating liquors was
here read by the court.
Gentlemen, this is a late statute.
1t prohibits absolutely the sale, or
the giving away, or the intro
duction of any and all intoxicating
liquors. Beer, ale, malt; it makes
no difference whether it be lager
beer. book beer, or whether it be
Basses' ale, pale ale or hop ale; it
is against the law. You will see,
gentleman of the grand jury, that
this statute, which is the latest
one on the subject, applies spe-
cially to selling or giving away
liquor to Indians. The statute of
1895, which will be at your dis
posal at any time you may desire
It's use, is equally severe, and
equally binding as to the introduc-
ing by, or sale of, Intoxicating
liquors to white men, to citizens Of
the United States, or to foreigners.
1t applies to white men, black
men, and to Indians, and both
statutes are in force.
(The court called special at
tention to certain provisions of the
U. S. statutes and OF Mansfield's 5
digest, relating to crimes and mis-
demeanors)
Gentlemen, if there should be
any questions in your minds as 10
whether an indictment should be
presented, in a misdemeanor case
for inslance-which may be tried
and punished by the U. S. COM
missioner, it would be well for
you to take the advice oil the dis
trict attorney, or his assistant, in
the matter, and be governed in
such matters by the advice given
you by him.
1t is your duty TO first investi-
gate cases of parties who may be
in custody, parties who are in Jail
and have been unable to give bond
or who may be in custody charged
with offenses which are not baila-
BILE, murder for instance; those
cases should be taken up first, and
as soon as you have acted in such
cases you should report such bills
of indictment as you may have
found to the court. You will find
the district attorney ready to assist
you at all times: he will prepare
all indictments for you with
promptness and dispatch. You
should next take up the cases of
parties who may have been bound
over for their appearance to an
swer any indictment which may
be found by this grand jury: and
next, outside cases which may be
brought TO your attention.
There are only twenty-three
days of this term of court; there
are now in the district attorneys
office over 200 cases for you to in
vestigate; SO if you think, gentle
men, that you can begin in the
morning at 9 o'clock and adjourn
at 10, and come back at 2 and ad-
journ at 4, and still get through
with the work before you, you are
mistaken. The court expects to
be here about ten hours a day, and
he expects you to work as hard as
he does.
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