Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-01-13
THE DISTRICT COURTS,
Final Report Of the u. y. Strand Jury
Timber Trespass Case Still in Pro-
satisfactory Report OF
Territorial Grand Jury.

In the United States district court,
Judge Laughlin presiding, the grand jury
this morning made the following reports:
We, the members of the United States
grand jury, have the honor to report that
we organized and proceeded to the in
vestigation of violations of the laws OF
the United States, on the 5th of January,
1897, and have held daily sessions since
that date.
There have come before US for investi.
CATION, some thirty cases, in ten of which
we have returned "true bills" and in the
remainder there did not appear enough
evidence to justify us in finding indict-
ments.
Generally there was enough OF doubtful
| actions on the part of the accused in
these cases to Justify the United States
in expanding the money to investigate
them, but in one or two there was not,
and we desire to call the attention OF
| the court to one class of witnesses, self
proclaimed, that appear before grand
| juries, occupy their time, and cause the
needless expenditure of large amounts OF
money, simply that they themselves may
secure mileage and witness fees for self
and friends, without having any evidence
to give as an equivalent.
One case, especially glazing, came be-
fore the present grand jury. Two men
came before the United States attorney
and stated such purported facts to him
as led him to naturally believe that the
case deserved investigation by our body
and he consequently subposnaed them and
two others, whom they named, as add
tional witnesses, all of them living some
considerable distance from the city. On
being put under oath when they appeared
before us, the two complaining witnesses
knew simply nothing, and, when they
were confronted by the United States
attorney, and asked if they had not stated
to him such and such facts and why they
had done so, stated that they had, but
had not been under oath when they did
so.
We would recommend that the court
publicly announce that not only will
such witnesses "for revenue only" be
disallowed both mileage and witness fees,
but will be called before the court ano
publicly rep rimanded and that the prose
cutting officers of both the United States
and territory in your honor's court, viii
be instructed to leave no stone unturned
to punish them under the law. This case
that was brought before our body sim
ply that these men might receive the
fees, cost the United States no less than
5000. The United States attorney was
entirely bIameless, as the statement made
to him forced him to call the men before
the jury. The announcement we sug
gest should receive publicity and woulc
have very salutary effect.
We desire to thank your honor and thu
court officials for the courtesy and assist
ance rendered us during our labors, and
as there is no further business before us
ask that we be dismissed.
After thanking the jury for it's dill
gence, Judge Laughlin discharged it's mem
bers from further service.
The trial of the case of the United
States vs.. The Denver & Rio Grandt
Railroad company, timber trespass, wai
then resumed. A. A. Jones, specia
United States attorney, is prosecuting
and j. F. Vale represents the defendant
com pany. 1t is pres umed that this cast
will be submitted to the jury this even
ing.
In making it's fnal report, the terri
torlal grand jury said: "We are pleased
to be able to report to the court that the
law and order condition of this county
seems much improved, as is evidenced
by the small number of cases before US
ss well as by the fact that only twelve
cases were sent up to the grand jury
from the different Justices of the peace
of this county. This we are informed il
much smaller number of cases than
have come before any grand jury in the
mast"