The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-20
FEDERAL GRAND JURY BEGINS WORK
Every Land District in Oregon Will be investigated and
Evidence of Corruption of SensatiOna! Nature
IS Promised.

, there is considerable doubt whether Unit
+ cd states Senator John H. Mitchell and
Congressman Binger Hermann. who are
no" on their way from Washington. ID.
G., 10 ask the privilege OF appearing be
Tore The federal grand jury i'm their own
| behalf viii be granted their wish.
II IS stated on good authority that these
gentlemen will not be allowed to go be-
tore the Srand Jury unless that body be
/ Heves mat they have evidence necessary
Tor the jury TO know
Have No Legal Right.
IN charging the jury today Judge Bel
hnger sIatCU that if persons connected
! with the testimony were TO ask to appear
IL their own behalf he recommended mat
: their request be granted. but he Spe-
ChiCa.ly stated that this Is not a legal
/ right UI Such persons. HC added that n
would be proper Tor the Jury 10 allow
them to SO appear III the jury saw iii 10
90 So Ii the jury is at doubt on any
testimony. or If the evidence Is such that
IL VIII ADMIT of an explanation. then the
, gentlemen VIII be called by the Jurymen.
but IT. on the otner hand, the testimony
! Is deunitc and certain. and If there is no
; need for explanation on the part of Sen
atOr Mitchell and Mr.. hermann, or II II
is Il statement of fact that IS being de
batcd and the admission of the gentle
men would encrUach upon the prerog-
auives o. The trial jury, then the priv
lego TO appear will be denied In any
case, II is che opinion that under no cir
Cumstances will the officials. in the event
OF their being allowed in the jury ROOM
be permitted 20 tell their story according
10 their individual desires. They VIII be
subjected TO the same rule Of procedure
as prevails in the cases of the other wit
nesses examined
Why They Confessed.
The reason for the postponement Of the
second conspiracy cases on trial has be
come apparent At was aScertained today
that on the evening of Monday. Dec J.
10 in
into conference which lasted until late at
night Al that meeting were present ).
A. ID. Puter, Emma l.. Watson. Horace
G.. Mckinley, Marie J.. Ware and perhaps
ID. w. 1rapley. It was argued by them
that they were at a disadvantage; that
they had been convicted, with the eXCep-
ton of Miss Ware. and that there was d
great deal of trouble ahead from which
they saw no means of escape. Al these
things considered. PuJer, Mrs Watson
and Mckinley aid not see why they
should suffer in silence while the inSu-
gators OF the conspiracy rested in peace
and security. They then decided to tell
what they knew. Miss Ware. however
held out She did not cOncede that she
had anything 10 confess. She, however.
az last consented TO go before the grand
curry with whatever testimony she might
DC able 10 give.
Minimum Sentence
In return for this. it is said. the de-
PENDANTS were assured that they could
hope TO receive the minimum sentence for
the crimes of which they had been con-
victed
AS 10 the cases which were postponed,
il is unlikely that the public will ever
hear Of them again The agreement made
was being carried out today when S A.
ID. Puter and Horace G.. Mckinley went
before the jury and told what they knew
of the frauds in which they were con-
Marie Ware was in readiness TO tes-
tify but was not called today. Clyde
lloyd of Eugene Ore. and Thaddeus ;.
pbtter were also witnesses today. Potter
IS an attorney In the office of +. Pierce
News well Er-v-f awe of Portland.