The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-01
INVESTIGATION TO Be
VIGOROUSLY PUSHED
Circuit Attorney Folk Will Try to
Ascertain Who Revealed
Grand Jury Secrets.
JURORS TO BE REC0NvENED.
Ten Are Republicans, but They
Deny Having Given Informa-
ton to Organ of That
Party.
JURORS TO BE RECOMMEND.

Circuit Attorney Folk has decided 10 push
the investigation of the report that one of
the members OF the Grand Jury had d.
vulsed secrets of the body for the benefit
of Il morning newspaper. which were pub
l!sl,ed Saturday. He will request Cyrus T..
Blanke. foreman of the Grand Jury. to re-
making further inquiry. and should the
identity CT the person who CAV the infor-
nation be made known, his punishment for
committing q misdemeanor will probably
follow.
Mr.. Folk and the grand Jurors express In
dignation that such a reflection should be
placed upon them. the latter demonstrating
their d%isapproval through the resolution
adopted Saturday. Individually the grand
jurors are men of high standing in st.
Louis. That they should be suspected CT
violating the oath they took when sworn
in by Judge Wood as grand jurors, this
oath expressly providing against the giving
away of any OF the secrets of the Grand
Jury room. or its proceedings, they deem TN
insinuation which they will not tolerate.
Ten Are Republicans.
The Grand Jury Is composed Of ten Re-
Iublicans and two Democrats. and in this
connection, 1t seems more than a coinci-
Gence that the Globe-Democrat the Repub-
lican organ of St. Louis. should be the pa.
Jury room. Whose names appeared on the
list OF those indicted was NOW only to
the grand jurors, the court and the Clerk
of the Court. Some Of the indictments were
certified to the Court of Criminal Correc-
ton. Warrants had not been issued. and
the Sheriff. therefore. was not in possession
of the Information as to who had been
indicted.
1t has been customary in the criminal
courts for the Grand Jury to make its re-
port to the judge of the court under whose
jurisdiction and instructions the body
worked. and for the court in turn to hand
the indictments over to the clerk. Such III
dictments as are against persons known to
be in custody. are then given to the press,
and individuals who ask for information.
The others. however, are locked up In the
clerks desk, and carefully guarded until
warrants can be issued and the persons in
Gicted brought in by the Sheriff, or his de-
puties.
Alleged Interviews With Juror.
The Globe-Democrat Saturday morning
not only published the names of thirty-two
persons indicted, but gave an interview pur-
porting TO come from one Of the members
of the Grand Jury. of 4 nature
in strict violation of the oath Of the grand
juror. thus quoted, were made. This caused
the Indignation resulting in the scathing
resolution adopted and signed by the jurors.
which The Republic again produces:
st. Louis. Mo. March 80. Iel.-We the mem
iHgs OIL lUe htbtu eiA SeAs. tiS
article which appeared in a morning paper. Civ
Ing the names of persons alleged TO have been
by this Grand Jury and purporting to
have been an Interview with a member OF SAID
Grand Jury.
We especially refute and emphatically contra
dict the statement contained in said article that
there was any suspicion whatever on the part OF
said Grand Jury or any member thereof that any
influence whatever actuated the Circuit
Attorney or anyone in his office in the discharge
CT their duties. and we state that our experience
with the Circuit Attorneys office convipces Us
that politics does not enter there and that 1t 10
above even the suspicion OF such.
tSignedl
c. +. RlGnke. William Apple.
Byron Nrsent. Peyton 7. Carr.
". G. Day. Frank \. Thompson.
John W. Donnell. Alfred l.. Morreli.
John 7. DuT, Ben Westhus.
]. S. Bapiis. ]. L. Griswold.
In connection with this interview the
lohe-Democrat said: THE February Grand
Jury. just adjourned, was made up Of solid
them but is well known in the mercantile
and social life of st. Louis. Twelve better
men il would be hard to get together.
They are not known as in the least active
in politics. nor have they been identified
witt political movements"
AS has been stated. the political COM
pleXion of the bod? was ten Republicans
and two Democrats. Cyrus F. Blanke, fore
man. is one Of the vice presidents Of the
Merchants League Club. the Republican
organization of st. Louis, and was
talked of as a possible Republican candi
late for Mayor.
Benjamin Westhus. another member of
he jury. is a candidate for the Cfty Coun- |
I'll, and was nominated after he became q |
OF the Grand Jury.