Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-05-04
BEATTY DEFENDS
INDICTMENTS
Borah Says Judge Used Dis
Position for Political
Purposes

III. Beatty Thursday night in Wash
ington gave out an interview on the
land fraud Investigations in which he
defended District Attorney Ruick
against charges of improper methods
and also defends ex-senator Dubois
and the labor unions of the country
who have been charged with having
been influential in the returning of an
indictment against Senator w. E.
Borah. Judge Beatty said:
"The charge that Dubois or the la
Dor unions were in any degree re-
sponsible for the indictment recently
returned is absurd. The charge that
Ruick used his office improperly 10
Influence the grand pury is equally
absurd and untruthful Officially. 1
never knew AN Indictment had been
returned against Borah.
No influence Used.
ut would have been entirely proper
for me to have read the indictment
returned to me but it happened did
not. / merely glance at the signatures
to see they were in proper form.
Everybody in Idaho knows that for
many years Borah was the champion
and spokesman of organized labor. He
has been the special friend Of labor
ing people.
Il know of no ground to chargc
Justly that the labor people desired
in any way to influence the grand tury
to return an indictment against Borah.
It Is absurd to- say that they did or
could have influenced the grand Jury.
Now as to myself, / had rendered
my resignation to the president with
the view of retiring March 1st, when
the attorney general asked me to
withhold my resignation without stat
ing a reason. I did SO, not supposing
the request was to enable the presi-
dent and attorney general to decide
upon my successor before making
public my contemplated retirement.
Careful in Instructions.
"A few days later Ruick told me h.,
had been instructed from Washingtcn
to investigate timber frauds. It was
my Judgment that the timber frauds
should have been investigated a yea-
before they were, knowing the cases
and the position of the people .invol-
we'd. was careful to instruct the
grand jury that they should make no
distinction In positions That the evi-
derice should apply to rich men as
we'll as to poor men. referred to ma
person
7 was careful to instruct them 10
Keep secret everything before the
grand jury. never knew what evil
dence was presented to the grand iurv
It was agreed between myself and
Ruick that nothing should be made
known regarding the proceedings be-
fore the grand jury or as to anv In
dictments returned until after the con
ciusion OF the states prosecution OF
the Haywood Meyer and Pettibone
cases.
Il believe the information leaked
through witnesses or through Jurors
who were friends to Borah, as he has
number of friends on the gran,i
jury.
Looks for Justice.
Il have reason to known that an.
piications were made TO washington
70 suppress the Investigations In th.,
timber fraud cases. / have no doubt
that this was done to shield sono
person Of prominence and influence.
"Aftcr the report came out that
Borah had been indicted he and hts
friends accepted II as the truth.
! have reason to think there was
an object In making public some az
the information at the time II was
made public IN order to get the tim
Der fraud investigation suppressed
and the indictments laid aside. / be.
iieve the trials will go on and that
justice win be done eevrybody under
the laws
Statement by aorah.
The alleged indictment against
Senator Borah, while admittedly
found by the grand jury. has not as
yet been reported Senator Borah.s
statement follows:
II have read Judge Beatty's state .
ment and have only this to saw. Judge
Beatty for the past year seems to
have utterly forgotten the high posi-.
ton he holds. During the last cam
paign for the senatorship he used his
position in shameless and dishonor-
able way for his political advantage.
ssHe did not hesitate to demand and
receive favors from litigants who had
important litigation in his court and
so conduct himself as to compromise
to remarkable extent his dignity
and honor am sure 1t is TO the
credit and advantage OF the judiciary
that he is on his way to Egypt,