The Nome nugget., 1902-06-02
MIR. M'GlNN'S BOOMERANG.

man who lives for any length of time in Alaska must be asonished at nothing Therefore we are not surprised to find that United States Marshal Rich ards and private citizen, City Councilman J. D. Jourden, have been cited by the district court to show cause why they.sheuld not be adudged guilty of contempt. This matter is serious one, since it involves the character and reputation of federal official and the integrity of one of the socalled safe guards of human rights and libertes-the jury system.
 We take it for granted that Assistant United States District Attorney McGinn, who has made the charges, under oath, against the gentlemen named, must have been sure of his premises before taking such an important step, for it is important to Mir. McGinn well 10 the other parties concerned and the public generally.
 For official of the government to charge an other with securing and irng secure the cor ruption of trial jury is no small matter It is fraught with the greatest moment, and is of com manding interest to all. The charge of contempt, which really involves the crime of ''jury fixing" as will be seen by article elsewhere in this paper grows out of the recent trial of Joseph H. Wright former postmaster of Nome for embezzlement Be cause of the fact that jury acquitted Wright this action for contempt to have been brought. So far Wrights trial and acquital concerned, the having been decided, may be permitted to indulge in few comments, at the time express ing the belief that Assistant District Attorney Me Ginn's charge of contempt will fall to the ground
 During the trial of the 1t remarked by many who witnessed it that the prosecution of the case by the assistant district attorney was miseraby weak and inefficient He gave the impression that he had been too busy with other matters to give an important case, like the he was conducting on behalf of the government, that consideration and preparation that conscientious efficient and pains taking prosecuting attorney should. Mir. McCiinn is probably better acquainted with this matter than are his critics, but the fact remains that the criticism was made, whether justly not. To an unpreju- diced observer it would that there was merit in the criticism. This is not the question, however If there miscarriage of justice the fault must lie with some one. Mir. Mc(iinn makes slow haste to fasten the blame the jury and thus relieve his own shoulders of the odum attached to his failure to secure . conviction This jury was, apparently com posed of an intelligent body of men. Some of its members are we'll known business men, whose repu- tations will compare more than favoraby with that of Mr. McGinn. Yet in his sworn complaint Mr. McC;inn charges some of these men with having been suborned.
 If the jurors acted as Mr. McGinn in his sworn affidavit testifes, and if United States Marshal Richards and Mir. Jourden were the principals there is no man in Nome, worthy of the name, who will not wish to punishment meted out to fit the crime But, on the other hand, if Mir. McGinn should ail of his object it would seem to that he himself will be left in precarious condition.
 We suppose that the department of justice at expects to hear that Wright has been