The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-23

The atmosphere about the big oak
door behind which the special federal
grand jury is conducting it's investiga-
tions is heavy with, portent. The seri-
BUSINESS with which witnesses are called
inside and the alacrity with which they
get out Of the building is not a bit: re-.
assuring to other witnesses who are
waiting.
1T is not a big crowd which hangs
around the portal Of the grand jury.
room on the fourth floor Of. the gov.
eminent building. The summons were
arranged to avoid that. The witnesses
that have been called are arranged in
classes, one for. each day, until Thurs
day. 1t is not jolly crowd either.
The suspense is terrific, much more so
than if any Of the witnesses had more
tions are to be asked. Only an atom
of relief is contained in the fact that
the witnesses have the general under
standing that anyone who is called be-
fore the grand jury gets an Immunity
bath. The really anxious crowd ism It
hanging around the corridors Of the fed
eral building. It is sitting around
Chamber of Commerce offices and other
places. just musing. l. =
Same Old Query. -,
"say,. was Blank called as a wit
ness?' is a frequent question in the
Court Commissioner Howard Abbott g
rooms as a makeshift smoking room.
Ono, he wishes he had been,'' is the
regulation answer. ..-. -..... -, T.. -
This little dialog gives an idea Of
the situation. The witnesses that sit
and watch the grand jury door all day
long den It feel particularly happy about
the .predicament they are in, but their
condition is seraphic compared with the
| feeling of suspense which prevails
among lot of business men who haven It
| had the favor of an invitations to call
on the grand jury, -ss1.. .:-.-.s
All Look Solemn. +
Witnesses who were called. by the
grand jury for Monday made up a
solemn party. They tried smoking and
! Joking. and that fell fiat. Then they
tried their hands at reading the morn.
ing papers. That wasn't absorbing
for at the slightest click Of the lock on
the Jury, room door every man sat at
attention with eyes glued on Sherman
Smith, the bailiff.s
/ The action in the melodrama is the
same in every act. A rap on the door
and Bailiff Smith rises from his chair
| hastily to-, turn the key in the lock.
c. G. Haupt, the United States district
attorney, whispers softly in Smith Is
ear After few solemn shakes Of the
head and reiterations Of the first mes
sage, Smith approaches the door of the
smoking room and holds up his fingers
with reckoning gesture. That ism Il
definite enough for anyone. Smith then
approaches the door and softly an
nounces the name Of the witness.
Mournful Good.Bys.
ssGood.by, old man; you re next, =
is the encouraging chorus. 9 Well, you
got thruall right, did is the
welcoming inquiry. The witness gets
out. some sort Of. an unwilling reply,
hastily puts on his overcoat and .hustles
/ to the elevator. The crowd that is
Eleftsss hasn't been able to decide yet
whether the witness is scared. or re
] lieved when he gets out Of the inquisi-
! ton.
! Judge Lochren's charge to the grand
jury yesterday was short and explana-
1 tory of the grand.iury system and the
i rules under which the jury works. He
i iHtimated that certain naturalization