The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-24
DR., LANSING'S
STRONG WORDS

Concluded from Page 81
ing money from these very people. The judges
know they are lying and so does everybody else.
think it could he proven that there have
been fourteen men in each branch of our city
councils banded together in syndicate oil CRIME.
They have had heads who done business as
they call it, with the bribcrs, who were desirous
of putting through or defeating certain pieces
of legislation. These leaders fixed the price for
each vote and received the money.
BANDED TOGETHER
They have been banded together in thievery
and they are now banded together in perjury,
yet they are the rulers of our city. Through
all this the Christian men OF this city didn't
do anything. They might have grumblcd lit
tie. saying it wasn't right, but grumbns isn't
rising up and stamping out the evil.
When volators OF the law are arrested and
taken into court there comes the difficulty of
selecting jury. When jury commissioners have
been elected in the past their characters have
been left out of the question The character
OF one of them | know to be infamous. These
jury commissioners select the names to be put
into the jury wheel and these names are drawn
out when a jury is required.
| know Il family of six brothers. all honest,
upright, decent citizens, whose names have never
been drawn from that wheel, though they have
lived here all their lives They have not been
drawn because the two jury commissioners eN-
cudc the judge, whose actions are above re-
proach-dcsre that the iures shall be debased.
When the last jures were drawn we desired
to have one of the representatives of the leagne
present at the drawing lie was told to come
on Thursday; that the drawing would take place
on that day, but when he came he was told
that it had taken place on Wednesday. IheS
were afraid to let anybody see them at their
work. There noble. true men to he fouhd
on jurcs in this county, but they are not us
numerous IA they ought to be.
IT is openly alleged that some firms OF law
ycrs in this city succeed in having men on
juries who can be depended upon to give them
Il verdict whether they have law or justice on
their side or not. II this is true. these lawyers
should stop it and if it is false they should
come out and deny it.
ANXIOUS TO SERVE.
When the case of Grier came up in court last
week among the Jurors was man named Lof-
tlls who when called swore that he was not pre-
judiccd in favor of the defendant and had no
relation to the case. He was set aside and IL
developed later that he was intimately associated
with the whole infamous clique. He tried hard
by pcrjuring himself to get on that jury. 1T
has grown so that the honest prosecutors have no
more chance before many ilries than ii they
on until its rotenncss has smeled to heaven.
Take the aldermen, then. There are alder.
men in this city holding office today who issue
false warrants for the arrest OF fictitious people.
The constablcs can't find them, OF course; they
probably don't attempt to and then the costs
are just placed on the county. Jus. think OF
it. The taxpayers OF this city are compelled
to pay for the looking after persons VINO never
had an existence.
tnl hn Sllo one
licensed and licensed. We've succeeded in clos
ing up the former pretty thoroughly but there
are 800 or 600 licensed saloon keepers in this
city and not one of them keeps the law. They
tel me there is one saloon keeper in the central
city who keeps the law but | don't believe it.
| never knew saloonkeeper yet who could tell
the truth and keep the law The violation Of
the law is habit with them.
There is one thing more | wish TO speak about
and that is the vile thoater. understand You
are trying to have curfew law adopted keep
ing children OFF the streets after certain hours.
Aon should go 10 Il certain theater i'll this city
and see the children there. You shonld the
performances that are given at this place which
is one of the vilcst t!catcrs in this country.
The shows given ut it are viler than its vile
advertisements and even viler than the de.
| based human beings who perform in. them
OFFICIALS THERE.
| Our agent went into this theater little while
ago and the mayor Of this city and the chief
OF police there. They had come to inspect The
incffably obscene show being given, Yet what
| did they do? Only one thing. The mayor sent
| all the boys out Of the gallery and they were
presumably back there the next night This
| shows the utter violation OF common law which
is permitted in this city. That thcatC. is still
open in defiance OF the law and ihsra ar TO-
night probably five to one as many people at il
| than there are here.
The speaker then told of the organ
ization of the Municipal league for the
purpose of prosecuting the violators OF
law. ''rhe time is coming said he
"when the people must, and will. be
aroused to sense of their duty. When
these gentlemen looked at the obstacles
before them this question was put tC
them during Il discussion: 1t may take
one, two, three or five years; 1t may
take the expenditure of thousands OF
dollars; we shall undoubtedly meet
with no end of obloquy; despite this
are you willing to continue this move
ment until this city is made decent,
And the answer came from every mar
yes"
Referring to the Crier case. he said
| "A great case ~ ilIW It)luiiiS.
believe with the whole intenseness o
my conviction that the defendant Is
guilty and that the jury should re-
turn MIN so. l hope that not only
he but all the others may be returned
guilty. If this is not done, 1t woult
not be to the shame of the Municipa
League; it would be to our shame
each and every one of us, and The
outrage would be our outrage" H'
then referred to T. Il. Sturges, tn
leader in the reform movement. a!
follows:
| TRIBUTE TO STURGES.
"When Mr.. Sturges gave his nam'
as jury commissioner. the least sough
after of any OF the county offices, h,
did 1t solely for your good and fo
mine. He is a man who is tit to b'
one of the United States senators
from this state; more fit than any o
the men who have heretofore repre-
sented 1t. He is man, who, i
elected mayor of this city, would brin,
to the position unequalled qualities o
character. He is a man who is a.