Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-07-01

of court hoping that there would be
such emphasis put upon the violators
of the law that it would notnecessitate
the doing again of the work done by
some during the last few months try-1
ing to have the will of the people car
ried out as expressed at our last |
election.
1--WE have been assured, many of
us, by our county attorney that he was
in sympathy with what had been done,
and we have been assured by him that
everything that he could do in his
official capacity would be done to
carry out the wishes of the people as
evidenced at our last election.
''This morning the community was
thrown into q state of amazement,
shall I say a state of Indignation?
For have been approached by men
who have expressed themselves keenly
disappointed by what what was done
by our county attorney in moving a
continuance OF the cases of the fifteen
blind piggers indicted by the grand
jury.
1.-THE county attorney doubtless had
some reason for disappointing the
people. I am sure I speak the senti-
ment OF the people present when say
that there is no desire to do any in
justice to the county attorney"
Voice in Audience the county
attorney that he relieve the strain that
the people are under by stating to
them, If he will, why it was that there
was this wholesale relief given to the
piggers.
G. J.-I want to know first what
those who have been condemniRg me
have to say.
Olson-Inquire of the chairman why
he has not invited you to be present.
Has any one presented you with a
hand bill or In any other way invited
you toAbe present at this meeting?
G. J.-There had not. I have been
treated in most unchristian manner.
Olson-You have right to ask the
executive committee of the Civic Fed
GRAFTON what charges they have to
make against you.
| G. J.-Well have just asked for an
explanation.
Rev. Peterson-I will say about the
same as Rev. Mccullough, that We
would like to know the reason why the
county attorney has acted as he has
done. met him on the street today,
told him what was going on and asked
him If he would be here tonight. he
said, don It know whether to &c ol
not" I guess there is NO more dan.
ger to talk about it than to continue
the cases of the blind piggers.
G. il don't believe you asked me
whether would come or not I have
not been asked. No one ever said 8
word to me about the matter in my Of
fee. Afterwards the county attorney
admitted that Mr.. Peterson had inter
viewed him. I will say here you
approach me as if I were on trial and
certainly will not present any de-
tense on opening.
Olson-Was this meeting called to
ask Mr.. Johnson to defend his action:
Or was it not called to express the in
dignation of the people. 1.-The county
attorney then pulled poster from his
pocket and read the call for the mass
meeting ] I want to ask you who has
written this hand-bill. It is signed
"By Order of the Executive Committee
of the Civic Federation" but some one
person has written it. Mr.. J. has q
right to know who has written these
and who is paying for their being put
out.
Co. Atty.-Furthermore I want to
say, you have simply met here to ex-
press indignation, to condemn me, yet
no one has had the manhood to tell
me in my Office or on the street about
it and invite me to be present.
Olson-I ask Lawson to be fair and
state his reasons for calling this meet
ing.
Lawson-The object of Pres. Nc
Cullough in asking Mr.. J. to express
himself was not to put him on trial
but that afterward if this should come;
to q trial he might know the reason
of the public condemnation of his
conduct in this matter.
Olson-Is there any thing before the
meeting to show what the County At
torney has done. ~. i
Lawson-The county attorney has
postponed final action on these is in
dictmenta for seven months Ann a4