The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-23
GRAND JURY MAKES CAUSTIC COMMENTS Federal Body Refers to Practice of Money Lenders BANKRUPT LAW VIOLATIONS Certain Justices of the Peace Are Held to Blame-Fewer "Whisky
 Cases" Are Now
 Reported.
LAW VIOLATIONS

A certain class of money-lenders came
 in for q share of censure in the report
 of the federal grand jury empannelled for
 the March term. which was turned in to
 Judge Harry T. Toulmin yesterday with
 batch of indictments. The report goes
 into details with reference to the prac-
 tiee of these money-lenders in Birming-
 ham in prosecuting garnishment and at
 tachment suits in the courts of certain
 justices of the peace after bankruptcy proceedings had been filed with the clerk
 of the federal court.
 The report of the grand jury follows:
 Tn the circuit court of the United
 States for the Southern division of the
 Northern district of Alabama, March
 term 1906.
 ITO the Hon. Harry T. Toulmin, Judge Presiding:
 "The grand jury empannelled, sworn and charged by your honor at this term
 Of the said court respectfully beg leave to report that they have, in compliance with your honor's instructions and the
 duties devolved upon them by law, care
 fully inquired into such violations of the law as has come to their knowledge com
  | trict and where the evidence justified the finding of indictments have presented the same.
 We wish to call the attention of the court to the fact that there are fewer cases presented to the grand jury com
 monly known as whisky cases better | described as sales of liquor by individuals | and so-called blind tigers than hereto fore, and we regret the want of d law l cases equally guilty with the seller in
 violating the law.
 As to Money Lenders. We find fragrant violations of the bankrupt law in many parties taking ad- 1 vantage of the same, and we also find equal violations of the same law on the | part of some creditors. It has come to our notice in several cases that a certain
 class of merchants have bankrupted after
 conspiring with friends and relatives to | conceal from the proper authorities goods | and assets properly belonging to the | bankrupt estates; this practice we find | general among large and small merchants. i and this body cannot refrain from ex- pressing the opinion that some stronger safeguard be thrown around the rights of l creditors than does exist in the present l bankrupt law.
 NONt yOhf npHOis lillS DOuN NlSltS lO 1 voice it's indignation at the actions of a class of creditors in the bankrupt mat l ters, that have come to our notice; among l these creditors who seem to have no con 1 science, we mention a class commonly
 known asi money-lenders in particular who are aided and abetted by magistrates, | constables and others in prosecuting these | unfortunate bankrupts, in contempt of
 the bankrupt law. by threats, intimida- | ten, fraudulent statements and in some instances by violence, forcing them to | surrender any property they may have | exempt under both the state and the | United States laws, in satisfaction for | indebtedness already discharged in the bankrupt court, even proceeding to bring
 new suit and garnishments against these | bankrupts before justices of the peace 1 Of other precints who have absolutely no | jurisdiction against the person or property
 Of these defendants, and we also find that | the justices of the peace have in many 1 cases rendered judgment against these 1 bankrupts without any investigation whatever and in fragrant defiance of the | law.
 / And now. having. as we believe, fully 1 and freely discharged the duties assigned | to us, we respectfully beg leave to close l our labor and be discharged. wv. J. RUSHTON, Foreman Grand Jury"