The Dolores star., 1906-08-03
'INDICT OFFICERS
TELLER COUNTY GRAND JURY
FINDS EIGHT TRUE BILLS.
SHERIFF BELL IS NOT HELD


in Bringing Many charses-Forme'
Deputy County Clerk Indicted for At
tempted Bribery.
Cripple Creek, Colorado.-The Teller
county grand jury, after two months OF
practically continuous session, was dis
charged yesterday by Judge Sheafoi
| after submitting its report. True bills
were found against eight individuals
| six of them public officials. All with
| two exceptions were for misdemean.
| ors. The report was a lengthy and
| Wordy one, containing fifty-seven pages
| of foolscap, closely typewriter. Those
| indicted, together with the offenses
charged. are as follows:
Edward Bell, sheriff of Teller county
malfeasance in office. 'rhe specific
| charge against Bell is the charging OF
$500 to the county for the feeding OF
twelve prisoners. This amount had al.
ready been refunded to the county.
j. A. Curry, justice Of the peace at
Victor. excess charge of fee to the
amount of $500 and $500.
S. G. Patrick, justice of the peace
at Cripple Creek, similar charge, the
amount specified on two counts being
65 cents and so cents.
F. o. Weak, constable, Cripple Creek
| 80 cents.
F. P. Sheafor, constable, Cripple
Creek, As cents. Both of these con-
stables are charged with excess fees
c. A. Gillett, four counts, viz: NAL
| feasance in accepting the sum of So in
| cases which were dismissed. In this
instance in one case a charge OF as
sault and battery brought by a wife
against her husband, was dismissed,
| the defendant paying the costs. Other
| cases were similar in that the defend
ants paid costs, saving the county
considerable money.
G. 8. Hoag of Victor, captain Com.
/ pany X. Colorado National Guard, for
| mer deputy county clerk, was charged
| with attempted bribery on two counts.
| Those of Offering $4,000 to County
Commissioner w. E. Meek and s2,5OO
| to County Commissioner C. S. Dawson
| in return for contract to transcribe
the records of Ell Paso and Teller coun-
| ties.
Tom Brown of Goldfield, who was
| arrested about two weeks ago, had a
true bill found against him for the
murder of Chris Miller at Goldfeld on
! election day, November 8. 1904.
The bonds of the parties were fixed
So,OOO lOT " SSUU VI
those accused of malfeasance. The
charge against Sheriff Bell was imme-
diately nolled by District Attorney C..
c. Hamlin and approved by Judge
! Sheafor.
Immediately after the true bills were
returned and informations filed, Dis.
trict Attorney c. c. Hamlin nolled the
case against Sheriff Bell, and, in Ian
guage most sarcastic, referred to the
untiring efforts OF the jury in conduct
ing a thorough examination. In stat
ing that the case would be nolled he
seemed to treat the investigation as
| travesty on justice, and during the
| course Of his remarks said:
Il wish to say, however, that up to
the time that my active service before
the grand jury ceased condition of
affairs was disclosed by the evidence
| before the jury in the sheriff's office
which passed my understandings
condition of graft conducted month
after month, aided and supported by
perjury, forgery, falsifying of receipts
and records; but it seems that the
| jury, in its wisdom, has seen fit to
pass over all of these charges. 1t has,
however, returned one Indictment
against the sheriff of this county, and
| has returned it upon a charge which
it would be utterly, entirely and abso-
lutely impossible to convict him before
any jury"