The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-05
CHARGED WITH
MALFEASANCE
Mayor of Portland. Ore, In
dicted by Grand Jury.
DID NOT SUPPRESS GAMBLING
TRUE BILLS AGAINST OTHER OF
FICIALS.
n oRTLAND. ore. Jan. 4.-George H.

y ORTLAND. Ore. Jan. 4-George H
Williams. eX-chief justice of Oregon
territory ex-United States senator
from the state of Oregon: attorney gen
eral in President Grants cabinet and the
first choice of the president for the chief
justiceship of the United States; mayor
of eighty-three winters upon his head,
was indicted by the county grand jury OF
MultnOmah county today on the charge
OF malfeasance in office.
The indictment states that on July -,
1904. Judge Williams was mayor of Port
refused to enforce the statutes regulat-
ing gambling. This law was passed at
the last session of the legislature and
was signed by the governor on Jan. %
1903 II gives the mayor power TO close
disorderlY houses within four miles of the
city. and il is alleged that he failed TO
avail himself of that power.
Chief of Police Indicted.
An Indictment against Chief of Police
Hunt is almost identical with that re-
turned against Mayor Williams. IL as
game was being conducted at the Port
land club. and that the chief had knowl-
edge of the fact Peter Grant and Nathan
solomon were the proprietors of the
club. and although the chief knew that
they were violating the law, he made no
effort to arrest them. thus disregardinE
the obligation imposed upon him by the
municipal charter. Solomon has recently
been convicted of conducting gambling
place.
Nearly thirty witnesses including men,
5ers of the municipal council, the ju-
dietary. the police department attorneys
and alleged victims of the gamblers.
Other Indictments.
Indictments were also returned against
w c. Elliott. recently depOsed as city
engineer. against his inspectors. j. NJ.
against Il W. and r. NJ. Riner, con-
The Indictment against Elliott, Cay
wood, Chandler and the Riners is the
result of the investigation of the Lanner
Creek sewer frauds. The Indictment
cites the ordinance providing for the re-
pairing OF the sewer and states that the
contract was awarded to the Riners by
the executive board.
with the contract, but Caywood certified
that it had been properly done; that he
manholes and catch basins, and that they
were correct In number and position The
report was approved by Elliott as city
engineer, and the work was accepted by
the executive board
Alleged Grating.
The Indictment charges Elliott. his two
inspectors and the contractors with hav-
ing attempted to obtain money from the
tempting to obtain payment for work that
had not been properly performed when.
as the indictment alleges. they knew that
me contract had not been compiled with;
Other indictments returned by the grand
jury were as follows:
ayers of the Warwick club. for maintain
ing a nuisance It is alleged that on Dec.
%. 1904 freshman and Nease sold pools
on horse races 10 the injury OF public
morals, and they habitually procured idle
and evil-dispOsed persons TO frequent their
place of business and To buy the pools
Six minor indictments were returned.
Mayors Statement.
General Williams gave the following
statement to the Associated Press con-
corning the indictment against him:
The indictment charges me with no
criminal Offense. 1t simply accuses me
of not having instructed the chief of DO
lice TO do what was plainly his duty. I
have no expectation that the Indictment
VIII ever be prosecuted or that it will be
entertained for a moment By the courts
to the suppression Of gambling were
clearly set forth by the supreme court
Of this state last Writer when il was un-
dertaken TO compel me to close the gam
bling resorts in this city by means of a
mandamus.
In that decision the court held that
the closing of gambling was plainly duty
of the chief of police. to be done without
instructions from me.
Further than this I don't think that
any explanation is necessary. The in
dictment is the outgrowth of spite work
on the part Of a cOterie of men in this
city who have undertaken to dominate
me and run the city governments accord
ing to their views. After having failed
in every other manner that they could
devise. they have determined to punish
not submit to their dictation, and have
found in the majority OF the grand jury,
consisting of seven men, willing tools for
that purpose