The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-25
GET HIM AS WITNESS
WAS THE SUM AND SUBSTANCE OF
WHAT JUDGE BARROW
SAID TO THE GRAND JURY.
INFORMATION HAS BEEN FUR
NISHED," SAID THE COURT.

No Truthful Man, the Court said,
VIII Make Statement He Is Not
willing to Swear to and No Hon
orabIe Man Will Make Charges
on Information and Refuse to
Give the Name of His Informant.
NO truthful man will make a state
| ment he is not willing to swear to, and
no honora BILE man will make charges of
this nature, upon Information, and
then refuse to give the name of his in
formant" said Judge Barrow in his
charge to the grand jury yesterday
! afternoon, anent the statements made
by Rev. A. NJ. Williams, in his ser
mon on gambling.
The purpOrt of Judge Barrow's words
was a strong suggestion of the fact
that the minister should be called be-
fore the grand jury. He said that in
| formation had been furnished upon
| which the grand jurors could take ac-
ton. He repeated his commentator
of the officers of the court, and said
| that any contrary imputation was I'M
just; that if processes were called for
they would be issued and served with
out fear, favor or affection.
Jurors Asked Advice.
The grand jury was in session for
two hours, the great part of the time
being spent in the consideration of the
gambling question. Just what was be-
ing done in the jury room could not be
ascertained, but it was evident that the
members were planning a campaign.
Both Judge Barrow and Solicitor Gen
eral Osborne We're called before the
jury.
After a two-hours' session a single
indictment for hog stealing was re-
turned. Immediately after the session
was ended several members of the
shrevialty, armed with papers, set out
with the evident purpose of raiding the
policy shops, whose addresses had been
furnished them by the jury.
Not Induced by Agitation.
Judge Barrow's charge was as fol-
lows:
lit is proper that l should again di-
rect your attention to the charge of
the prevalence of gambling in SaVan-
nah. l do not do this on account of
any agitation of the question which
has been going on. Agitation is no
chinery of the law. judicial investi-
cation ought to be absolutely free from
extravaganza in speech or conduct. l
call your attention to this thing again
because information has been furnished
upon which you can take action. When
information is furnished as to the ex-
istence of crime, then it is the duty
of the grand jury to act.
Information has been furnished.
The charge has been publicly made
that there are 1000 open gambling
houses in Savannah and again one
hundred. This charge cannot be ig
nored. Neither you nor l can afford
to let this matter rest where it is.
What sort of d place would Savan-
nah be to raise a family in if one
half of it was true? What sensible
man, who was thinking of moving to
Savannah, would come here and bring
his family if this charge was made
and no action was taken? 1t ought
to be probed to the bottom. What the
truth is l do not know. l never was
in gambling house in my life and
never in my life lost or won a dollar
at any game of chance. 1t is likely
that l will be the last man anybody
would talk before. However, the state
ment is made that the policy shops
are here, and call your attention to
it and invoke your action.
who Made the Statement"
I'm pursuing your investigation and
in reaching the offenders, you have no
right to excuse any man from testify
| ing on account of inconvenience which
may result to him or to his business.
1t is the duty of a citizen who knows
of the existence of crime to testify to
it before the grand jury so that the
offender can be punished. No truth
full man will make a statement he is
| n
able man will make charges of this
nature, upon information. and then
refuse to give the name of his In
formant. Who is the man who said
there were 1000 open gambling
houses in Savannah? Let US have his
name and let us bring him to the book.
Then when we get the evidence, let
us crush the offenders.
In determining the course you will
pursue in this matter, it is proper for
you to know that, in order to indict
1T is not necessary that these places
should be in operation now. II any
man has carried on this business In
Savannah within two years, he is In
dictable even although he may now be
closed up. You are not confined to the
condition of things to-day at ALL You
have right to look back two years.
If there were policy shops in full blast
last week. or last month, or last year.
they are just as much indictable as
If they were in full blast to-day.
Retire Policy Tickets.
Il repeat what 1 said to you the
other day about officers of this court.
There are twelve men, all told, in the
clerks office and sheriff's office of this
court. They are all honest men and
faithful officers and can be depended
upon. Their character and good name
is their chief possession. They have
lived many years in Savannah, some
of them all their lives. qno are
known to our people, and any attack
upon their official or personal charac-
ter is unjust to them. If you call for
processes from the clerks office they
will be issued promptly and correctly,
and if you place them in the hands
of the sheriff they will be executed
promptly, without fear, favor or affec-
ton.
81 will only add that it is for you
to take the initiative in this as in all
other criminal prosecutions. If you will
indict them. the rest of us will try
and see that policy tickets are retired
from circulation in Savannah"
The Beef Trust.
The court did not charge the grand
jury in regard TO the beef trust, as
was expected. He explained to them
| that the testimony which had heen