The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-10-22
Upon His Petition the Court
Has Ordered an lnvestiga-
ton of the Case and Rob-
bins Will Prosecute.
CRITICISM OF JESSUP
LEADS TO THE ACTION.
Robbins Declares That He Will
Convince the Jury That
Green Is Guilty of Commit
ting a Criminal Assault.

Prosecuting Attorney Wilfred Jessup
in open court petitioned Judge Fox TO
impanel the grand jury SO thar the c;s;e
Of Bernard Green, the young colored
boy charged with committing an indie
cent assault upon three-year-old Hazel
Harris. a white child, could be up for
the consideration of this body. He
stated that he desired this action to be
cism by local attorneys and the public
in general of the action he had taken
in the matter. Mr.. Jessup also stated
that this action would relieve the court
of the embarrassment that had arisen
from the reflection which had been
cast upon the court and justice in
Wayne county as an outgrowth Of the
Green case. The prosecutor further
petitioned that some local attorney be
appointed to present the evidence in
the case to the grand jury and to prose
cute Green on any indictment that
might be returned against him.
Robbins Will Prosecute.
Judge Fox acted on the petition and
appointed John F. Robbins to prose
cute the Green case. Mr.. Robbins has
all along emphatically stated that he
believed that Green on the evidence in
the case could be charged with GRIM
inal assault. He states that without
appealing to prejudice or sentiment he
will convince the grand jury that
Green is guilty of a criminal assault.
The grand jury will convene Thursday
OF this week. Green was to have been
charged with assault and battery this
morning in the circuit court, but ow-
ing to the fact that another case was
occupying the attention of the court 1t
was necessary to postpone it, Mr..
Jessup then petitioned the court to i'm
panel the grand jury Mr.. Jessup hon.
estly believes that Green is only guilty
of an ordinary assault and battery and
he has been unjustly accused by some
that his action in the Green case has
been for political erect This, it is
needless to state. is not 80. His petit
tion to the court is as follows:
Comes now Wilfred Jessup, prose-
cutting attorney of the 18th judicial
circuit, and would respectfully state to
the court that there is now pending a
charge filed by affidavit against one
Bernard Green. Since the filing Of
this charge attorneys have seen fit to
take exceptions to the conclusion of
your officer in this matter, which ex-
ceptions have been given wide public
ity in the public press. Since that the
attorney for the defendant has, while
acting in such capacity in open court
seen fit to endorse the position taken
by your officer and like publicity has
been given to his statement.
The opinion of your officer as to the
charge which should be filed in this
matter has in no wise changed, but it
reaches from reliable source the ears
OF your officer that criticism has been
and is directed against not only your
officer impugning his motives, honesty
and his opinions, and at the same time
reflecting upon the court and the ad-
ministration of justice in Wayne coun-
ty. This case has by reasons over
which your officer has no control been
day of October, 1907. All witnesses
live within a short radius of the court
house.
Therefore to the end not only that
the administration of justice in Wayne
county whether the same is in it's con-
clusion or not satisfactory to public
sentiment, and to the end that this
court may be relieved of any charge,
attack or criticism, your officer would
respectfully petition that the grand
jury be impaneled and that the same
case be referred to it and that some
attorney of the Wayne circuit court be
appointed by the court TO conduct an
examination before said grand jury
and to prosecute on the part of the
state of Indiana such indictment as
such grand jury may determine the
facts justify. There is other business
which will be referred to the grand
jury and which your officer is perfect
ly willing to undertake.
Respectfully petitioned,
WILFRED JESSUP,
Prosecuting Attorney.