Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1899-10-19
Tile NICkEUS CASE
Dismissed by the Prosecuting
Attorney of Pierce County,
Washington.
Mr.. NiCkeuS Reviews the Case
and Scores the Jury
Makeup.
He Says He Will Not Be
Driven Out Of
Tacoma,

On the 4th day OF October the prose-
cutting attorney OF Pierce county, Wash
ington, caused to be dismissed the in
dlctment against Mayor Nickeus Of
Tacoma upon the ground that he bad
no evidence upon which a conviction
could be had. The case has been given
wide publicity and in justice to Mayor
Nickeus be desires his position, as we'll
as the final on, come OF the charge, to
be as fully known. The indictment
was brought upon the charge of at
tempting to secure money for the sign
ing OF an ordinance, the details OF which
have heretofore been published IN The
Alert.
In the Tacoma News OF Oct. Mayor
Nlckeus reviews the case 10 signed
statement In which be scoIes methods
used in making up juries, descredlts
witnesses and testimony and says be will
not be driven out of Tacoma. That the
grand jury was made up by special
venlre and among the jurors were per-
sonal enemies of his. After the testi-
mony had all been presented, the jury
without much hesitation exonerated
him, Two days afterwards the letter
was found which il was claimed, looked
bBd for Nickeus and on which his IN
dictment was brought about. Nickeus
says that the foreman OF the jury tried
to get money from one S. A. Perkins
for the indictment Of Nickens and also
that the same foreman tried to get
money from one Peter Sandberg as q
bribe not to indict him. Failing in both
cases indictments we're brought IN
against both. Mr.. Nlckeus says that
the Judge Of the court was informed OF
this work of the foreman and promised
to fire the man if evidence of the facts
of such efforts was presented to the
court. Mr.. Nickeus save, however,
The court did not, however. after hav-
iuR got this inflrmation, say anything
to the grand jury with reference to my
case or Sandberg's, not did the grand
jury take any notice OF the facts that
their foreman had been accused OF these
otfenses, but proceeded at once to file
the Indictment. 1t is true, however,
that the Judge did, within few minutes
afterwards, lsud the grand jury for the
efficient and worthy services which they
had done the state. and commended
them for the manner 10 which it was
done.
The grand jury was told frequently
by other members Of the grand jury
that it was impossible to convict me on
the evidence they bad, but my political
enemies insisted that if they succeeded
in indictlng me that was all that they
expected to accomplish; that that
would kill me politically, and that was
what they were after.
II notify these gentlemen from this
tine on to take notice and see whether
they have killed me politically. l will
not permit lot of political asssssins, tc
drive me from politics, or anything else. ,
The case was tried by petit jury
which was mode up, says Mr., Nickeus
OF men drawn Oh special venires who
we're hanging around the court house
He charges the sheriff with drawing th'
names OF popullsts to 60 upon the jur.
and that these special selections wer
found to have voted against him 10 th
| jury room On the first ballot ther
was five for conviction and seven TO
scquital but afterwards Nlckeus say
| the popullsts on the jury voted agains
him for conviction. The jury however
failed to agree and new trial WAS no,
demanded because, says Mr.. Nickeus
the sheriff would have again packed the
jury on him. Speaking Of one Of the
motives OF men in such cases OF alleged
bribery, Mr.. Nickeus quotes portion OF
the address of bis attorney to the court
MS follows:
"Mr. Luse said IN his argument in
court: ~ is, further, common thing
for CRATER to find out that a legislator
is 10 favor Of and will support q certain
measure, and then to 60 to the party in
interest and tell him that Mr.. A will
vote for certain thing but wants so
much money for so doing, when the
truth is A is honestly in favor OF the
measure and does not want a cent for
bis vote, but the CRATER wants to put
the money in bis pocket.
Mrs. X. P. Sherman of Tower City