Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-07-11

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.t7RAND JURY's REPoRT.-The grand
Iafy which since Monday morning had
&eo Investigating the matter of the
a lure of the police force TO arrest J.
II Beckham, jr., indicted for felony,
,eainst whom cipias had been issued
q d VINO had recently been seen upon
|he public streets, presented their re-
m in the Corporation Court shortly
a er 6 O'Clock yesterday evening. As
eret,tore stated it had been rumored
a at the police hal received instruc-
6pns not 10 arrest Bsckham and the
rand Jury was charged to ascertain
q facts in this matter, and who, if any
q G. issued the alleged instructions. 1t
"a also charged to present an indict-
nent against any official who had is-
he'd such instructions. Many of the
nolice forcs and a number of private
atizsns were examined by the grand
nry.
4 The report presented by Mr.. G.. w
= ,mssy, foreman OF the grand jury
pa as follows:
The grand jury at this term of the
q rDoration Court OF Alexandra re-
pocliully report to the court that they
have carefully examined the witnesses
Is the matter of the failure of the Off
5als OF this court and of the city OF
Alexaudria to apprehend J. t. Beck
ham, jr., man under indictment for
elony in This court, and while they do
not deem it expedient to make any
brmal presentment, it has become pain
hly evident that very strange and
host woeful lack of harmony exists be-
Nv en- the offici Is OF the court and those
n the city of Alexandria, which has
Directly led to what the grand jury must
legard as very strtnge miscarriage OF
|nslice and failure 10 perform duty. In
violence of which we herewith file the
notes of the evidence taken before us.
We further suggest as means OF put
Ing an end to such an anomalous con
6i,iJn of affairs that hereafter the City
Sergeant, 10 whose possession are placed
hi orders OF arrest from the court, no.
|iiy The Mayor OF the city officially that
The police may have proper information
Ind orders to make arrests OF all parties
Indicted 10 this court.
G. VIM RAMSAY,
Foreman.
Accompanying the report was also
he evidence taken by the jury.
Il is understood that six members OF
The jury agreed with the report and
four did not.
After tOe report had been read Judge
Norton addressed the jury and criti-
cised their action, saying they had ig-
bored the instructions given to them
and had failed to report upon the mat
ter that had been presented; there were
minors that the Mayor had refused to
give orders to arrest Beckham and II
The jury found that such was not the
base they should have said so and it was
not nee ssssry to make any other report;
that instead of returning presentment
against the guilty parties they had come
for ward with remedy for alleged diff
ferences, which he (the iudge) knew
nothing of. SO far as he was concern
ed there was no ill.feeliug between any
OF the officials and himself; he had
never been called upon to testify before
the jury, and be knew of no law which
would compel the City Sergeant to &C
quaint the police department with the
existence of papers for arrests, nor OF
the actions OF the court, and that the
grand jury had utterly failed to dis
cover VINO, if any one, had Instructed
the police DOT to arrest J. Thomas
Beckham, jr.
Some of the members OF the jury
We're much Offended at the remarks OF
Judge Norton and asked bin il he
wante1 them to withdraw their report.
The judge replied that be did not ask
them to withdraw their report but that
they could do so il they desired.
MIR Ramsay then said that the jury
had examined many witnesses and that
there was no evidence that the mayor
had given orders not to arrest Beck
ham, he did not like the judges criti-
ci'm and asked the jury If they wished
to withdraw their report, but this the
] NY refused to do and declined to take
further action.
Then followed a colloquy between
the Judge, Foreman Ramsay, J. Il.
Sweeney, Comm )uwt alth's Attorney
MaThurV and ofhers in which the iurV
defended their action.
The judge then said that il was not
his int4uton to upbrsid the jury nor
cast reflections upon them. Here the
matter ended.
Judge Norton last night with Com
mouwealth's Attorney Msrbury review
ed the evidence, and is considering the
advisablity OF impaneling another
grand jury TO review the case,
U. S. COURT.-Judge Edmund Wsds
dill presiding. The u. s. Court met at