The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-12-01
ON THE
VOUCHER SCANDAL

The present Territorial grand jury
the Legislature, but the matter will
be taken up in January as soon as the
next term of court opens and a new
grand jury is called. The principal objec-
ton to the present jury taking up the
work is the fact that at least two of it's
members are among the men mention
ed by the Federal Grand Jury as hav-
ing profited by the graft in the Legis-
lature and who would therefore be
disqualified. These men are Charles
Wilcox and T. r. Mossman and they
constitute just sufficient number to
prevent any indictment from being re-
turned, as of the remaining twelve
members, the number necessary to se-e
Bindt. He may have to have an OPP
Grafton performed which would prevent
him from acting during the remainder
of the term.
Another objection, even if there was
no disqualification of jurors, is that
the investigation could not be finished
by the time the jurys term will ex-
pire by limitation of law. The present
term ends the first of the year and by
the time the legislators could be
brought over from the other islands the
term would be over
The charges against the legislators
will in all probability be the first and
most important work which the newly
elected district attorney, w. T. Raw
Inns, will take up when he enters Of
flee. After the first of the year the
Attorney General will no longer be con-
cerned in prosecutions and the county
attorneys will be required to do this
work A conference has been arrang-
ed for this morning between Mr.. Raw
Inns and Mr.. Andrews at which time
the voucher scandal will be discussed
and a line of policy decided upon. Il
have consulted with Mr.. Rawlins, the
newly elected county attorney in re-
gard to the Federal jury report on the
legislature said Mr.. Andrews yester-
day, "as the matter if brought before
the Territorial grand jury will consume
a large amount Of time, owing to the
necessity Of bringing witnesses from
the other islands, and the investiga-
ton would probably not be finished be-
fore the county attorney takes over the
work of prosecuting attorney. The
great difficulty is that the Territorial
grand jury now has On it's shoulders,
because of Judge Gears Infamous
a, for rfytf
of work which keeps the jury busy
with the present criminal calendar as
it is turned out in Honolulu and other
districts. To stop now in the midst
of this work and commence an investi-
cation of the magnitude of the vouch-
ers of the House, would require an en-
tire cessation of this criminal work.
This term has already been prolonged
since September, including three ses-
s;ons of the Supreme Court, placing a
large amount of work upon the Attor-
ney Generals department, which has
kept all the members of the legal staff
busy in the various courts on criminal
and civil matters.
I'VE will however take immediate
steps looking towards the bringing of
ritorial grand jury as soon as matters
are regulated. The term has been ex-
tended far beyond the ordinary but
will be terminated by the first of the
year At that time this Office will no
longer be the prosecuting department
in the Territory, and therefore the
question for US to consider is whether
to begin the investigation tosrun into
the new regime, OF whether merely to
prepare the cases for presentation and
turn them, over to >fhe county attor-
ney. We will do what is least embar-
RAISING to the county attorney and Mr.
Peters and myself will meet with Mr.
Rawlins tomorrow morning and decide
what course to pursue. The depart
ment is of course ready to render ev-
cry possible assistance to Mr.. Raw
Inns when he takes up the investiga-
ton"