The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-03
United States Grand Jury Makes
Its Report
FINDS GUILTY OFFICIALS
Says Some of the Commissioners
Have Been Guilty Of fragrant Vlo-
iations of the Law-FIlthy
Jail Bedding.

The United States grand jury adj
journed yesterday afternoon and during
it's session sixty-three true bills were re-
turned
The final report was submitted yester-
day. when thirty-1ve indictments were
handed In. It reports that the making of
count erfeit money seems to be on tho
increase in this section Of the country
and that special effort was made to find
indictments against persons suspected OF
breaking the law In this regard.
The report says that in cases where
the evidence failed to make out proper
case, and where in their Judgment the
public good and the interest of the gov
eminent would not be subserved by their
prosecution. and particularly where such
| prosecutions were founded upon the tes-
timony OF witnesses whose frequent at
tendance before the commissioners and
in previous cases, properly entitled them
to the designation Of professionals and
raised a degree Of suspicion upon our
minds that they were Influenced more
| by the desire to profit by the allowances
| for per diem and mileage to witnesses
than by desire to suppress crime and
uphold the law, we have declined to find
true bills. In so acting, we believe that
we have discharged our duties, saved
the government the expense OF needless
and unsuccessful prosecutions and saved
the good name of the United States court
from the imputation Of extravaganza and
oppression to people who were not actual
or intentional violators of the law.
counterfeltIns on Increase.
1--WE regret to state that 1t appears
from the evidence before US that the
offense of counterfeiting the money and
coinage of the government and of pass
| ing counterfeit and spurious money and
CON- seems. to be on the increase In this
portion of the country. and in every In
| stance where the evidence would support
| the charge, we have found and returned
| true bills of indictment. We indulge the
hope that our action In this respect, and
that of subsequent grand juries when
needed, will have the effect of rendering
the preparation of such offenses so
hazardous to the offenders. and that the
| punishment melted out to those who are
convicted of committing Them may check
and reduce the number of such cases,
and contribute to suppress crimes of this
| character.
Improper Practices.
1--WE have also carefully investigated
the conduct in proceedings before the
United States commissioner for this dvi-
sion of the district. We have ascertained
that In some instances there have been
fragrant violation of the laws by certain
officers and witnesses and wherever such
has been shown to us to have been the
case, we have found and returned indict-
ments against the parties offending.
''These matters embrace those to which
we desire to call particular attention,
| In all other matters pertaining to the
laws of the United States. where we had
| reason to believe offenses had been COM
mitted, we gave them our best and most
| careful investigation, complying therein
| with your honor's instructions. The
many accessions to the population of this
division of the district within the past
| few years has doubtless brought many
| additions to our former criminal class,
and we only hope that by great watchful-
! ness and discharge Of duty by those to
| whom the enforcement of the law Is en-
trusted that the violations of the law
may at least be kept within the limits OF
their present number.
Important Matters.
while we regret the fact that our de-
alterations have consumed more time
than they should, we beg to offer In e1-
tenuation of our action the fuSther fact
that this extra time has been taken in the
investigation of matters which to the
jury appears to be of vastly more Inn
portance to the government than the cx-
ira time and expense as we are of the
opinion that violations of the laws and
the prosecution thereof should not be
measured by either time or money and
| especially so when these violations arc
committed by the sworn agents and Off
GERS of the government. whose sole duty
is to uphold rather than violate the law.
1--WE have hastily examined the county
jail, where a number of United States
! prisoners are confined. and while 1t Is as
we'll kept as the average jail, we are of
the opinion that more care should be
given to the cooking and feeding In order
| that nothing but clean and thoroughly
cooked food be used, 1t appearing TO us
that cleanliness has been overlooked in
some instances.
| 1--WE would further recommend that