The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-04
This Jury Recommends 1t. A
Serious Wrong Has Been
Done tine Owner.
NOT READ OUT IN COURl
Judge Peebl-s Said Sp cial Report Of Grano
Jury Should Not be Made Public,
and He Did Not
Read H.,

The next grand jury will investigate the
jury did not investigate the matter, be-
cause the judge and the solicitor did not
feel justified in compelling Col. c. l..
Harris to appear before the jury as he
was engaged in an important case at the
bar. Col. Harris, it will be remembered
returned the stolen, bonds to j. l.. God
frey, acting for client, fer a consdera-
ton of $1,000.
The grand jury completed its work yes
terday morning and submitted its report
to- the judge While the lrial OF tie hay
wood case was going on. Judge R. Il.
PeeDles suspended the trial for few
minutes to receive the report. When il
was handed up to him he read the first
part OF it, the stereotyped sentences about
having discharged all its duties as re-
qured by law and having examined the
county institutions and so forth, and
found same IN satisfactory eondtion, and
then stopped, saying that special re-
port followed which he would not read.
as it was not of interest to the public and
should not be read in open court. So
grand jury which dealt with a matter
the most important that has come to
light in this State in a generation ana
one that is of the greatest interest to
every citizen of the State. Evidently the
judge did not know what was in tie re-
port, or he could not have SAID it Gid not
interest the public.
The special report, which is printed be-
low in full recommends that the next
grand jury conduct a rigid examination
into the matter of the return to ]. l..
Godfrey, of Jonesboro, of his stolen
bonds for consideration of ST, 1000 paiG
into the hands of Col. j. c. l.. Harris,
CT this city, representing some client
who is said to have loaned $1,000 on
these bonds to friend who had got into
trouble and been compelled to leave the
State.
gentleman yesterday, commenting on
Judge PEBBLES action IN not reading in
open court the special report OF the grand
jury, said that he had heard yesterday
marring fer the first time III mis- life, that
Il grand jury report was not OF interest
TO the public.
The complete report of the grand jury
follows:
ITO Hon. Robt. B. PEBBLES, judge OF
the Superior court of Wake county: Your
grand jury has carefully considered ali
matters before it and has discharged its
duties as required by law We have ex-
ahmed the Jail, the county home for the
aged and infirm, and work house and find
the same in satisfactory condition. The
sureties on the guardians ponds were
carefully examined and appear to be am
pie Many of these bonds arc given in
surety companies and we consider this
the most desirable bond in such instances.
The books in the offices of the Clerk
OF the Superior court and the Register
o. Deeds are well kept.
SPECIAL REPORT.
The grand jury conceivcs it to be it's
duty to report one grave matter thai
has engaged its attention and makes an
earnest recommendation to this honorable
court on the subject The jury is IN
formed that in the year 1902 three North
Carolina State bonds, the property of j.
l.. Godfrey, were stolen from a safe
IN tic town Of Jonesboro, North Carolina.
Later developments have disclosed the
tact that these bonds have been re-
turned to said Godfrey, and on Septem-
Der IL, 1903. the said j. L. Godfrey, in
card published in newspaper in the city
OF Raleigh, made the statement hereunto
attached, which is made part of this
report. to-wit:
After the Legislature refused, as
stated in the News and Observer, to gran,
any relief, nothing whatever was heard
by Us of the stolen bonds until nearly
three weeks ago, when my attorney here
Cat Jonesboro) received communication
from a lawyer of Raleigh in relcrence
to them. On my return from Baltimore
where | had been on a business trip l
was Informed of the matter and imme-
diately went, with my attorney. to Raj
cIgh TO see Mr.. j. G.. l.. Harris the Raj
eIgh lawyer referred to. We had an
Interview with Mr. Harris about four
O'Clock p. m. August 5th. Mr.. Harris
declined i'll advance to give any Names
and we do not to this day know whom
he represented He stated, however. that
his client (who was perfectly straight