The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-21
CHARGE is SERIOUS
GOVERNOR ASKED TO REMOVE
ATTORNEY OF ITASKA
COUNTY
AN ECHO OF RANDoLPH's CASE
County Attorney Charged With
Having Given Whisky to the
Jury in Important Muir
der Trial.

For the past week Governor Van SAINT
and Attorney General Douglas have been
considering case which may be des-
tined to have decided political signifi-
canoe, and over which Itasca county,
Minnesota, is at present very much torn
up, according to reports received at the
state copitol.
Charges of a grave character have been
filed with the governor against County
Attorney c. l.. Pratt, Of Grand Rapids,
asking that officials removal from Office
The charges grew out Of the now fam
Gus case of the State VS.. William Ran
dolph, indicted for the murder Of Frank
Sullivan, of Rainy Lake City. It will
be remembered that Randolph was tried
during the December term of court In
Itasca county, being defended by Sem
ator Baldwin and Attorney Waite, who
made a desperate fight to clear him.
Although the sentiment Of the county
was very strongly in Randolphs favor
the jury found the prisoner guilty OF
manslaughter in the first degree. County
Attorney Pratt was sick at the time and
the case of the state was tried by j. r.
Donohue and james Peterson. The de-
Tense sprung surprise when the hearing
on a motion for a new trial was taken
up, charging that the jury, while con-
sidering the case was supplied With
whisky. It is said that whisky BOTTLES
found in the jury room led to the in
vestigation. So strong was the evidence
that a new trial was granted by the
court on that one point. The case has
been widely commented upon.
The charges filed with the governor are
to the effect that it was County Attor-
ney Pratt who supplied the jurymen with
their liquor during that famous trial.
The charges in full, as filed with Gov
ernor Van SAINT, are as follows:
Text of the Charge.
Your petitioner and complainant, A. D.
Brooks, respectfully submits. prefers ana
makes the following charges against Z.
L. Pratt, county attorney of ltaSca cou1-
ty, Minnesota.
Your petitioner is the chairman of tho
board of county commissioners OF 1tasca
county, Minnesota. and as such chalr-
man, makes this complaint on behalf OF
said board of county commissioners of
said county and on his own behalf.
That C. L. Pratt is county attorney o.
the county of Itasca, Minnesota, duly
elected Eat the general election, held the
9Th day of November, 1900, and has duly
qualified and is now acting as such coun-
ty attorney of said county.
That said G. l.. Pratt has been guilty of
'tnalfeasance in the performance of his
official duties" as such county attorney
Of said Itasca county, Minnesota. IN I'M
lawfully furnishing intoxicating liquors
to a jury in a criminal case, the facts of
which are as follows:
That on the 18th day of February, 1901,
at Rainy Lake City, in said county, one
William Randolph did shoot and XIII one
Frank Sullivan; that subsequently there
to preliminary examination was held
before one Thomas Kinschella, justice
of the peace, in and for the county OF
Itasca Minnesota, at Koochiching, Mimi,
and said William Randolph was held to
the grand jury OF said county.
That the next grand jury OF SAID coun-
ty was convened June A. 1901, and at sad
term the said c. l.. Pratt, as said county
attorney, fafIed, neglected and refused to
euDpoena the witnesses to appear before
said grand jury in said Randolph case.
That the grand jury insisted and de-
manded that the witnesses be forthwith
subpoenaed and brought before it, which
was accordingly done as a result thereof.
an Indictment Of murder in the first de-
gree was returned against said Villa N
Randolph on June z, 1901. When the said
grand jury made it's final report, it REG
commended that the court appoint some
other attorney. to prosecute said case Of
That said case Of State VS.. William
Randolph was continued from the said
June term, 1901, to the next general term
of said court, being the December term,
When the December, 1901, general term
Of said court was convened, said &. l..
Pratt was i'll and absent and the court
Grand Rapids, Mimi, as assistant county
attorney to attend to the criminal bust
| ness that might come before said court
at said term.
That the case of State VS.. William Ran :
| dolph was called for trial on Dec. 8, 1901,
J. r. Donohue and James Peterson, OF
Minneapolis, appearing for the state, and
D. Waite and Charles Baldwin appear
ing for the defendant. An order was
made by the court that the jury i'm
paneled to try said case should be kept
together, under the charge of court Of
ficer. and that no one be allowed to COM
| municate with said jury.
That during the time said case was ia
| progress and during the time said jury
was celebrating upon a verdict in said
case, the said c. L. Pratt, the county at
torney of said county, did willfullv,
wrongfully and unlawfully give, provide
and furnish to the said jury intoxicating
| liquors, to-wit whisky.
That a verdict of 'manslaughter in the
| first degree" was returned by said july
| on Dec. II, 1901.
That subsequent thereto a motion for a
the grounds that the jury in said case,
| while said case was in progress and while
celebrating upon the verdict in said case,
was supplied with and used Intoxicating
! liquors, Which was granted.
That said county of Itasca has been
| put to great expense on account of said
| trial and will be further pu to great
| expense, in a retrial of said case, an
! l.. Pratt.
| Your petitioner and complainant prays
| that your excellency take action as the
statutes direct and that said G. L. Pratt
/ be removed from the office of county at
| torney of said Itasca county, Minnesota
Further that said c. L. Pratt, through
| his acts, has shown himself to be an un,
fit, unsafe, improper and incompetent per-
Son to hold the responsible position Of
| county attorney Of said county, and that
/ he be suspended from office during this
| Investigation. A. D. Brooks,
Petitioner and Complainant.
Governor Has Not Acted
Governor Van SAINT has as yet takel
no action in the matter beyond filing
the charge with Attorney General Doug
| las to investigate, and when that officia
reports the governor will, if the cir
cumstances seem to warrant it, appoin
a commission for the taking of testimony
as is the rule in such cases. This i
likely to be done within a few days
Reports from Grand Rapids to the eff
feet that Governor Van SAINT has prom
ised to pigeonhole the matter are denied
at the capitol The governor says tn
matter is taking the regular course ant
that he is ready to act as soon as thu
results of the investigation have beer
reported to him.
TFunaroI Of nTrs u1++So n-o-