The San Francisco call., 1898-12-09
IRVING AND DUNNE IN \
 VERBAL JOUST Warm Words in the
 Jury-Room.
JUDGE BELCHER PRESIDED
CHAIRMAN ACCUSES THE AT
 TORNEY OF NEGLIGENCE.
Absence of Witnesses Makes Diff cult the Ichool Board Investi- gation by the Grand
 Jury.

The Grand Jury met again last evening to resume it's investigation into the af- fairs of the Board of Education, but owing to the absence of important wit nesses the session was of no avail, and the proceeding resolved itself into an ample scrap between Grand Juryman Irving and Assistant District Attorney Joe Dunne.
 It was such an unpleasantness as one would expect to see between men high in the political order. There were charges made and unlkind things tossed back and forth. but by incest imputation only. The imputations came quick and hot, but couched in such English that Judge Bel cher, who presided at the ringside, could find no fault.
 The difference was brought about by the absence of John A. Reynolds, whose eX- pose of School Board criminality appeared exclusively in The Call, and precipitated the present investigation. Chairman Irv- ing needed Reynolds testimony, and he left word with District Attorney Dunne to have him subpenaed. Reynolds did not turn up at the meeting last night, and after waiting a reasonable time the jury adjourned to Judge Belcher's courtroom to report a couple of important indict- ments. Judge Belcher filed the papers,
 
 MT. Irving got up to say: Your Honor, l wish to ask if it would be permissible for me to bring in outside counsel to as- Slst the District Attorneys office in this investigation, providing that l can secure the services of an attorney without ex- pense to this jury? The District Attor- neyS office is evidently so busy that it cannot give us just the kind of assistance we want at this time"
 Judge Belcher did not perceive the yelled significance of Chairman Irving'S gently put suggestions and he thought it would be a very graceful thing to provide help for MT. Dunne and he said so.
 Dunne didn't think so, however, and he did not display the soft phrases of an Irving in saying so. 'I want to say" said Dunne, that the District Attorney s office is now and has been willing, anx- iouSly willing, and competent to give this Grand Jury all of the assistance it needs, and It does not require any imported help in doing so, and l wish here, in the most public and pointed English at my com mand to resent any imputation of unwill- ingness or incompetence, no matter how want to say that I shall always be against finding an indictment against any man on any but legal grounds.
 There is no outside assistance needed or called for and l think it's late in the day to come here with any such cry as this. I've had troubles and fights enough since this investigation began, but l am in this investigation to work till the last chapter is finished, no matter what impu- tations and no matter what source they come from.
 If this matter is based upon any ques- tfon of subpenaS for witnesses 1 want to ask your Honor to instruct the gentlemen of the jury to hand in their lists of wit nesses early and with addresses attached and if necessary the whole police force will be sent out to round them up. But in stead they wait until the last minute, and l can find no one if have not time enough to do so.''
 MT. Irving assured MT. Dunne that he had intended no i'm utation of neglect of duty or incompetence. Quite the con trary, but at the same time he pointed out that two meetings had been adjourned without result because witnesses had not been haled into the jury room, and he naturally laid it to the fact that Mr. Dunne was doing at least three, if not four, mems work.
 MT. Dunne bit his lip over this rejoin- der, but allowed Judge Belcner to render his decision. The Judge declared it a draw and instructed the jury that thereafter it should consider none but school matters until the end of it's term.
 It is the intention of the jury to sit every night next week. il its witnesses can be found. If not it is likely that this regular annual school investigation will wind up as have it's regular annual pred eceSSOrS.