New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-01
GRAND JURORS COMPLAIN.
ATTEMPTS TO INFLUENCE THEIR
ACTION BY OUTSIDE PERSONS.


The General Sessions Grand Jury placed Its stamp
NJ dIsapprovaI on the action OF certain per -.
its present term who have written tofnat oooy. W
presenting a letter to Judge Mcmanoh III
Yesterday upon It's dismissal
Dlstrict- Attorney Gardiner was present anu "e
and Foreman Church and Judge McMahon hao a
conference The Distriot-Attorney salo ~ 80.
that the Grand Jury had turned over 10 MN -
her OF letters and other forms OF cornhun0a'on'
that had been received from lawyers III ,',' r,,,
zone letter was from lawyer salu |o'on',
Gardiner "of such a nature that was coinpe'eu
70 address a letter to him on the suDJec, IL -
felony TO address the Grand Jury except IN ieeaI
manner. The action Of the Grand jury Is Hos'
commendable."
The letter follows:
To the Hon. Martin T. Mcmahon. Court Of General
Before concluding their labors for the c month OF
Kew York deem it their duty 10 call attention 70
the facts within the knowledge OF me Uo1' 10 CON
ing that fragrant attempts have been mac reoenta
troll their action by other means than the pfeSeh'
ton before them OF sworn testimony. o-,h.r. NJ
the Grand Inquest a solemn obligation not 20 pre- 20
sent any from envy, hatred OF .Ttbrnugh fear
favor affection reward hope OF reward nh nh
should be guarded sSose who seek to in
fuence them without assuming the pp4 20 nre,
vent Impartial Judgment by the Suppression OF tne
perverslon of evidence to accomnioua'e P''0O''
ceyed rend nnuest are convinced by the facts
coming to their notice that serious , anu pptsiSe
miscarrages OF Justice have resulted ItonI i,nd
influences brought TO bear fy the ea Ga mo- Inquest
the county are required search out crime not
less are they bound by most sacred dury ,, univ
tSrouqh orderly and legal methods. The insnc,
OF humanity, even in barosrous age slsssnerpteS of
IwSonsdoing where they might be secure from me
hasty Judgments Of popular prejudice anu puD''o
The Grand Jury room should be such refuge e.
and should be saT spproach except those
moned there to testify to a knowledge OF facts:
- S the minds Of those connected with the
administration OF justice than by persona solcit IA
Court and the Grand and Petit turies, which are
adjuncs to the Court by improper S beS respons
bic for contempt of court unless they are aoe 10
purge themselves Of such contempt ., +hs r,gbtf,
and necessary freedom OF the press does NOT nola
that this 1cUd9s h Ssfy OF of the BY
methods subversive OF the patieni; ,ip ti
Of Justice which should distinguish an enlightened
community Law is our sovereign ana not puonc
o oRRSe in the law and to hold that Individual
or any estate is independent OF or above tne
to create privileged class IN the most OFFENSIVE
form All of is rssPscffHlIIyR sq9mFs oeenan
WILLIAM MILNE GRINNELL, Secretary
Colonel Gardiner was asked II the letter. which
was in the nature Of presentment. was in reia-
ton TO the Molineux case. He smiled aud said:
"Oh. no. 1t concerns many cases
The Grand Jury during the month disposed or
900 cosas finding 226 true bills and Diminishing 81
complaints. .
Assistant District Attorney Osborne said that 1t
was eminently improper for any to communi-
cate with member OF the Grand Jury.
THE Grand Jury bears the same relative posi-
ton as a petty jury" said Mr.. Osborne. and 1t Is
not proper for any to communicate with any
member Of it,
Assistant District-Attorney Osborne last night
pavs out one Of the letters that he said had been
received by the foreman OF the Grand Jury. There
had been others. said he, but he declined 10 make
them public The one given out reads
Tuesday.
Oar sir: / have the honor OF receiving a sub
pcrna from the Grand Jury YESTERDAY, out II
brought forth nothing more than an intefVie" Win
In that interview learned the name Of the doc
tor Of whom l spoke 10 you yesterday. ~ appeats
that the facts are S wei % state again that my
Information points to the doctor as one VINO saw
and spoke with the man wn9 received a TGTts RaIne
Well Mr.. Osborne said: on; you mean an, IT IT
Lesser; there is nothing in that mus got 'ne
,. -. 49,. ,,,do,bta6Iv Mr.
osborne will give It to you. find In the directory
two physicians Of the name one A. MonaG LtSsst'
I'D residence No 10 East Sixty-hrst-st; the other.
George Lesser Of No. 135 Madison-st.
/ place all these in your hands now ior me La
ter to-day and because the Grand Juty suOptTiA
spoiled my day yesterday. Very Respectfully srv
Mr. Osborne said that the above letter was writ
ten a few days prior to the dismissal OF the Mon-
neux case by the Grand Jury, and that AFTER the
dismissal he wrote another to District-Attorney