The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1900-08-25
A LIBELOUs STATEMENT.

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Many citizens OF our county,
among them many republicans, are
Justly indignant over an article
which appeared in last weeks issue
of the Kootenai County Repub-
lican, a local land Office sheet pub
lished here. The article is sup
posed to be an argument for the
election of republican board of
county commissioners, and ends
by charging the present board Of
county commissioners with filling
the jury box with what he terms
political strikers who, in turn,
rendered verdicts by dictation.
The article is not only cowardly
but contemplate, and were Ross,
Thompson and King, the republi-
can nominees for commissioners,
whose cause this paper champions,
known to sanction such libelous
statements about the courts of this
county, they would be buried so
deep in political oblivion by the
ballots of an outraged people on
the 9th Of next November, that
they would never again be heard
of politically. 1t is cowardly, for
the reason that if that paper could
cite one instance where verdict
was rendered by dictation, it is its
duty as respectable journal to
point out the particular case, the
names of the jurors who served in
the particular case, and not make
general charge against many Of
our heaviest taxpayers and most
honored citizens. 1t IS contempt
Bile, because it is a reflection on
the court officers of this county,
especially upon Judge Mayhem,
whose integrity and honesty was
established long before this editor
was dressed in swaddling clothes.
1t is well-known fact that be-
fore the present board of county
commissioners were installed in
Office this county had what might
be called professional jury sys-
tenn. The records are positive
proof that there we're at least forty
men in the county whose names
were synonymous with juries for
years, and these all republicans.
We would not charge one of these
men with rendering verdicts by
dictation, but we do know that
certain lawyer, who has been an
ardent republican since his arrival
in the county, was always glad to
have them on jury in which he
was interested. At the January
meeting of the present board, in
1899, one hundred and fifty names
were selected for jury duty for that
year. More than 90 per cent. Of
these were men had never be-
fore been called to do jury duty,
although some of them were old
residents OF the county.
The records of the January
meeting Of this year show that less
than 20 per cent. of the names
selected for jury duty are men who
never before acted in that capacity.
The personnel of every jury selected
during the last three terms of court
are sufficient guarantee that justice
mas been done in every case. Who
would charge such men as Charles
r. Foss, Thomas Fitzpatrick,
William Eaton, John Gowanlock,
|ohn B. Whitcomb, John Cren-
shaw, T. P. Craig, II. NJ. Strathern,
Samuel Young, Thomas Brophey,
Frank Rloa4aist, John Russell,
Steven B. Howe, and a hundred
,ther upright and substantial tax
layers, with returning vereiiets by
fictation but am irresponsible tool
# some disgruntled place-seeker7
These hbeloas attacks on the
,onrts Min mot be ioagoAten by the
people, and If the republican nom
nees, many Of whom are good eiti
.ens of the county, expect to hold
The confidence even Of their own
they will discounse-
aance sach atteranCes at once.