The San Francisco call., 1906-05-01
Prevents an Inquiry Into
Contributions for the
Campaign.
Evidence Against the In
SuranCe Officials Is
Withheld.

NEW YORK. April so.-The Grand
Jury for April. upon the completion
OF its term today. returned a pre-
sentiment TO Recorder Gon. il which
& declared that il had not investigated
political contributions by insurance Of
aciais because District Attorney
Jerome had advised the jury not to 90
so. The jury stated also that it had
oslzed Jerome for the evidence against
~sgs s..-.sr.oe o...-isls nd that he r 8
ouposed action because he desired first
u secure an opinion from the Appel
late Division OF the Supreme Court OF
this State on the question whether such
political contributions constituted lar-
ceny. such an opinion, Jerome had
tol6 the jury, would be given early in
May, and the cases then could be
take up by a special Grand Jury,
which he had asked for.
Justice Greenbaum, the District At
tcrney informed the jury, had already
decided that the contributions were
Ia sny, but Jerome expressed his
doubts whether this ruling would be
e stained by the Appellate Division.
Jerome said it was in order to Sc
cure such a ruling before indicting
any Of the insurance officials and at
taching to them an indelible stain that
he took the case against George w.
Perkins direct to the court instead of
before the Grand Jury in March.
eff Justice Greenbaum's ruling be
sustained" the District Attorney said,
'at VIII be in order to call as wit
nesses Cornelius n Bliss. treasurer Of
the Republican National Committee,
snd George 3. Cortelyou, its chairman
end Postmaster General, and indict a
large portion Of the officers of every
financial institution in this city"
Recorder Gon accepted the present
rnent and discharged the jury. but in
FORMED IL that il had not done it's full
duty although It had rendered a sig
nal service IN accentuating the ''un-
eQuivocal responsibility which now
rests upon the District Attorney
IN his argument to the Grand Jury
70 induce it to withhold action Jerome
reviewed his action and that Of the
March Grand Jury in asking the court
for q ruling as TO whether political
contributions were criminal. Jerome
ssid the courts ruling was such that
the March jury could not comprehend
A. and decided TO do nothing.
AN indictment is not simply an ac-
cusation in the eyes Of the public. .
said Jerome. Whatever is done with
that Indictment, # remains and al
ways VIII remain a definite ruling"
ssrhat was the ruling OF one Judge"
eaid Jerome. at is not clear ard
simple proposition Of law. A lawyer
IS eminent as ex-Judge Tracy, who
does not represent any insurance COM
pany or a person connected with any
Insurance company, says that IL IS per-
fectly plain that it does not consti-
tute larceny. Among others I may
mention Governor Folk OF Missouri
and Governor Deneen of Illinois. from
both of whom It has been possible to
get their opinions. Governor Folk hav-
fne been Circuit Attorney for St
Louis and Governor Deneen having
been prosecuting attorney for Cook
County. Ill, and there are number Of
others.
The moment Judge Greenbaum's de-
c.sion was rendered an order was en-
tered and an appeal at once taken
which win be brought up for argument
before five Judges of the Appellate
division on the first Friday Of May.
We VIII then have an authoritative de-
assion on the apparent facts OF this
case which VIII enable a Grand jury
~r.a District Attorney to act and act
o. ence."