The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-26
SEARCHLIGHT ON HIS RECORD.
CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGEl

-
reason, however, for believing that the
league is not making a sincere investiga-
ton or Mr.. Holtzman's record. 1t has re-
CURED several weeks of continuous and
pafnstaking labor on the part of this COM
mittee to inspect the voluminous dockets of
the Criminal Court alone, without attempt
Ing, with similar thoroughness, a similar
task in the City Court. Neither the Citizens
zens League, has yet inspected these rec
ords or begun such an investigation. So far
as we are able to learn, there has been
absolutely no manifestation of bona-fde
intention on the part of the league to in
vestigate Mr. Holtzman's record in office
1T is self-evident that the facts to be
relied upon in such an investigation must
be found in the records of the courts in
which Mr.. Hoffman served as prosecuting
attorney, but the Citizens League having
predetermined to award Mr.. Hoffman a
certificate of official good character, has
not taken the trouble to institute even a
perfunctory investigation to support its re-
report.
HIS OFFICIAL MISDOINGS.
1.-The committee has concerned itself only
with the record OF Mr.. Hoffman as a pub
lie officer. For obvious reasons we have
excluded from the scope of inquiry:
"First-His record as a politician, which
is already fairly well known to voters,
Suasion.
"Second-His present political affiliations
with James Reach, The Schlits Brewing
Company, Charles Poster. The Indian
apolis News and the Citizens League. These
are already matters Of public discussion.
''Third-His record prosecuting attor-
ney in the City Police Court. The con-
scientiouS examination of the S,S2i cases
docketed during his two terms In the Grim
inal Court was sufficiently stupendous
task without adding thereto the much
larger number in the City Court. A
cursory examination of the latter developed
much matter which might be used in the
way Of criticism of Mr.. Holtzman, but,
inasmuch as il was impossible to make a
complete examination of this branch of
his official career il has been deemed best
to exclude IL from this report. Further
more, for the purpose of such an inquiry,
the record of the higher court furnishes a
far better criterion. In the City Court the
public prosecutor has little or nothing to
do with initiating prosecutions. He cam
not know. in advance Of arrests. in any
considerable number Of cases the character
of the evidence. Hence he cannot be held
strictly responsible for the percentage of
convictions. The situation with regard to
the higher court. however. Is entirely Diff
ferent. The evidence behind each case has
been reviewed before the case goes on the
docket Of the Criminal Court. The case
reaches that docket only through appeal
from the lower court, where there has been
sufficient evidence already TO obtain a con-
viction; or by Indictment, when the grand
jury has found evidence warranting a trial
of the case. Broadly speaking. there Is
evidence in practically every case entered
upon the docket OF the Criminal Court
warranting a trial OF that case. The prose-
cutting attorney has himself presented the
evidence In most of these cases to the
grand jury. II the case Is not tried there
Is q presumption of dereliction OF duty on
the part Of the prosecuting attorney. And.
while 1t may be granted that In some mar