The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-19
Tn GRAND JURY
MINISTERS GO
ASK THEM TO TAKE ACTION
,caINsT SABBATH DISSERTATIONS
AT THUNDERBOLT.

,ent-In That Case 1t Will BE Up
20 Petit Jury-ResOIutiOns. Com
mend the Indictment of the Tybee
s.Ioonists Calls Attention of
Grand Jurors to Their Oaths.
AZ stated would be the case the
D,ioisterial Association adopted the
-.solutions of the committee having in
barge the attempt to shut down the
ssbbath dissertations at Thunderbolt.
The resolutions are addressed to the
Grand Jury and request them to act in
the matter at once.
1--WE believe that the grand jurors
will act. said Rev. w. A. Nisbet in
sneakng of the action of the associa-
tion. They are serving under oath
and have sworn to investigate all
charges brought before them. We
have brought the charges and l do not
believe that they can afford to stultify
themselves before the community, even
if they should be averse to acting
against the Thunderbolt management.
In case they should refuse to act, 1
cannot predict what course the Minis
tefldl ASoOCldIlOIl Will pulOuSs IIOW-
ever. we will not let the matter drop.
But on that line 1 can say nothing
forther, especially as 1 am confident
the grand jurors will act on our reso-
utions l have been instructed to for
ward the resolutions to them at once
and l shall send a copy to Mr.. Angus
tus Merkle, secretary, tonight.
In case an indictment is returned
and d petit jury fail to find the man
agement and it's individuals guilty,
then of course we can do nothing at
least as far as 1 see now. The law is
the law. The fact there is and has
been d violation is evident 1 do not
see how any juror, sworn to do his
duty can fail to bring in conviction"
Resolutions as Adopted.
The resolutions follow:
The Ministerial Association has
learned through it's committee that the
Thunderbolt Amusement Company,
While admitting that they are violat-
ing the Sunday law, refuses to dis
continue the same.
1t being not only the duty but the
sworn obligation of grand jurors to
make diligent inquiry into all viola
tons of the law that may come to
their knowledge, the Ministerial AS
ISOLATION deems it to be its duty to
of the Su2erior Court of Chatham
county to the violation of the Sunday
laws, not only at Thunderbolt, but
anywhere in the city and county.
In this connection it may be we'll to
note that the Grand Jury has only re-
Gently indicted several parties at Ty-
bee for selling whisky on Sunday If
it is a violation of law to sell whisky
on Sunday at Tybee, the same law
should apply and hold good at Thun-
derbolt, in the city of Savannah, or
elsewhere in the county of Chatham
and state of Georgia. We heartily
commend this action. of the Grand
Jury if the law was violated at Ty-
bee
Believing that upon the preserva-
ton of the Christian Sabbath mo-
mentous consequences of the future
are dependent, we appeal to the pres
ent Grand Jury of Chatham county
and all authorities whose duty it is,
by virtue of the Office they hold, to
exercise the full powers with which
they are thus vested, and to dis
bent upon them under the oath they
have taken, to make full investiga-
ton and diligent inquiries concerning
these open violations of the law of the
state.
Called Attention to Oath.
Just here we may be pardoned for
quoting the oath each member of the
grand jury is required by law to take
before becoming qualified to serve as
such:
You shall diligently inquire, and
true presentments make, of all such
matters and things as shall be given
you in charge, or shall come to your
knowledge touching the present serv-
Ice; the states counsel, your fellows
and your own you shall keep secret I'M
less called upon to give evidence there
OF in some court of law in this state.
You should present no one from envy,
hatred or malice, nor shall you leave
anyone unpresented from fear, favor,
affection or reward, or the hope there
OF, but you shall present all things
truly and as they come to your knowl-
edge, so help you God
Under this oath it would seem i'm
possible for a conscientious grand ju-
ror' who believes in discharging his
duty, to allow any violation of law
mat shall come to his knowledge to
escape 'diligent inquiry and under
TINS oath he is bound to do so whether
ne wants to or not
Section No. $50 of the Revised Code
OF Georgia says:
Whilst grand jurors are bound only
10 notice or make presentments of such
oHenses as may or shall come to their
knowledge or observation after they
sHdH nave been sworn, yet they have
me right and power, and it is their
uuty as jurors, to make presentments
OF any violations of the laws which
they may know to have been commit
yea at any previous time which are not
barred by the statute of Imitation
The Supreme Court says the solic-
Ilor general may search for evidence
ana nave witnesses served with sub
poena. AS to evidence, however, there
II plenty of it. So far as the affairs of
me Thunderbolt Amusement Company
are concerned, if we may be pardoned
Tor the suggestion, the grand jury
might send a committee of its mem
perS or anyone else i'm whom they can
55Spose trust and confidence out to
Inuhderbolt any Sunday afternoon in
search of evidence and they can get all
sney are looking for, but If they (the
strand Jurors) will only make 'diligent
INJURY, as they are sworn to do, evil
NeIlce viii be forthcoming.
To StO0 All Violations.
The Ministerial Association. neither
IS body nor as individuals, desire
- single out Thunderbolt to be made
a. example Of, but we have an equal
HeSlre TO see any and all violations of
Nv and Sabbath dissertation stopped.
MS association, having in some meas
~ at least endeavored to discharge
- uuty IN this matter. we now wait
see If the proper authorities will
make an artua1Ixy -.