The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-29
CHARGED WITH BRIBERY
Col. Melvin Grissby, a South Dakotan.
Accused of Accepting a "Fee."


Accused of Accepting a "Fee."
Washington, d. c., Jan. 27.-The de-
partment of justice has nearly concluded
Its investigation of the charges against
Colonel Melvin Grigsby of South Dakota,
the United States district attorney at
Nome, and Attorney General Knox will
probably take conclusive action in the
case at an early day.
1t appeared today for the first time
what the real nature of the charges Is.
Sworn statements have been filed with
The attorney general, saying that Grigsby
received $1,000 from the Pioneer Mining
company as the price of refraining from
prosecuting the company. Grigsby has
Employed Thurston & BallinEer, lawyers
pf this city, to present his defense to the
department of justice, but up to this time
The department officials who have the
matter in charge have not been satisfied
Of the innocence Of the district attorney.
Among the papers in the case Is the
sworn statement of Jafet Linderberg, in
which he declares that the fee in Ques-
ton was paid TO Grigsby by himself In
order to retain him as his counsel. He
swears that the money was not paid on
behalf Of the company, but by himself as
an individual. Other evidence on file,
however. shows that the $4,000 in question
was paid over to Grigsby by the Pioneer
Mining company and not by Linderberg
as an individual.
The district attorney admits tina he re-
ceived $1,000 from Linderberg, but, of
course, denies that 1t was paid to him for
any improper purpose. He says that he
was engaged as counsel. 1t is not unusual
for United States district attorneys to
engage In the private practice of law dur
ing their terms of office, and the depart
1nent of justice does not discourage this
usage.
1t appears from the information OBJ
tanned by the special agents that when
Grigsby landed at Nome on a certain Sat
urday in the summer of 1902 he Immediate
~ met representatives of the Pioneer Min
ing company. On the following Monday,
as shown by this evidence, Grigsby ap-
peared in the federal court in his official
capacity in connection with the Pioneer
Mining company's case, involving the title
of a claim in Glacier creek. A few days
later, and before the judgment in this
case was handed down, the Sl0,W re
tainer' was paid over to Grigsby, either
by Linderberg or by the Pioneer Mining
company. The department of justice
doesn't care very much whether the
money came from the individual or from
the company; the important point is the
object of the payment. 1t appears in the
testimony. and is admitted by Grigsby,
that the $4,000 consisted of s., 900 in cash
and 5000 in shares of the Pioneer Mining
company.
The department canno understand why
the mining company should have paid
Grigsby $4,000 for legitimate legal serv-
ices when it is shown by all the testimony
and records in the case that William H.
Nelson mad for some time been the sole
attorney of the company, that he was still
acting In that capacity and that the COM
pany did not have an unusual amount OF
litigation in prospect. 1t is also regarded
as peculiar that Grigsby should be able so
promptly to secure SO valuable a client
and to receive the substantial fee of $10,-
900 in advance.
Colonel Grigsby narrowly escaped dis
missal last year on account of insubordi-
nation. He left Alaska for the winter,
despite the specific ~rders Of the attor-
ney general. Aside from the disobedience,
no charges against the district attorney
were seriously considered by the depart
ment last year. The present charges,
however, are chiefly sUbstantiated by the
evidence obtained by the departments
own agents in Alaska during the summer
Of 1903.
District Attorney Grigsby is now in
Washington.