The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-29
Fer A GRAND JURY
Petition Is Presented to Judge
Dana Today.
Contains More Than Quired
Number of Signatures.
ONE WILL BE CALLED.
District Judge Has No Option
i'm the Matter.
Items Of Interest From the
County Court House.

County Court House.
| A petition containing 544 signatures
was filed with Judge Dana of the dis
trict court this morning asking that
grand jury be called for the purpose
or investigating sewer and paving
scandals which are alleged to exist.
The list was completed some days ago
put for some reason there has been
hitch in filing and it will probably be
several days more before Judge Dana
announces his decision in the matter
There is but one question. however.
to be considered by Judge Dana. and
that is as to the number of signatures
and their legality, as the statute is
plain on the case and makes it the
duty Of the judge to call a grand jury
upon the presentation of a petition
containing 400 names or more in a
county with a population of 10000 or
over. Judge Dana has been busy this
week with $4,000 damage suit
against the Santa Fe railroad and will
petition until some time next week
when he will make his decision.
For months past there have been
rumors af1oat of Irregularities in the
office of city engineer and others con-
nected with the contract letting for
the city. These rumors resulted in the
resignation of former City Engineer
McCabe and others have been men
said to have existed while he was in
Office. The investigation has been in
the hands of City Attorney Dreaming
and the city council and it was at the
request of the former that the petition
was prepared which has been present.
ed to Judge Dana.
There is but little doubt but a grand
jury will be called and there are ru-
mors Of number of complaints
which will be heard by that body
when formed, and not all of them are
connected with the city contracts and
their letting and completion. When
the grand jury is called it will fail
upon County Attorney John Schenck
to present the charges. though he Is to
be assisted by City Attorney Dreaming
and a third attorney. who Is to be
with resolution recently passed by
that body.
City Attorney Dreaming is outspoken
in his charges and claims that nearly
every job OF contraction which has
been let by the city during the past six
or eight years fairly. reeks with graft
which has been participated in by city
officials and the contractors. Though
these charges have been made openly
during the past six months but little If
has been done looking toward
bringing the perpetrators to justice. It |
is said that the evidence presented will I,
number of druggists who have been
handling the liquor proposition contrary |
to the statutes.
1.-The money stringency which seems !
to have affected the rest of the world |,
doesn't seem to have stopped the trans !
fer Of real estate" said S. J. Hodgins, |
register of deeds. this morning. AT .
any rate our work has been heavier ;
during the past three or four weeks .
than it has at any other time this fall. /
Property of all kinds seems to have t
been changing ownership at a rapid !
pace during the past few days and 1t ,
has kept the force In this office on the /
move to keep up with the work"
The damage case of Ella D. Coltrane I
against the Santa Fe railroad for $685. !
700, which has occupied the time of the
this afternoon. The case has been one
of unusual interest to the lawyers of
the city and has called for an attentive
audience from this profession since 1t
thrown down by the coupling of train
at williams, Arizona. in 1903, and
claims that she sustained injuries from
which she has suffered since. I
Shortly after the accident she signed
a quit claim for damages against the
as at the time she did not feel
that she had sustained an injury. She
claims that she thought that she was
signing a receipt for her Pullman fare
which amounted to so so and which
was refunded at the time as she had
had a controversy on this subject.
Richard Constable. a farmer living
near Vinewood Park. who was fined
few weeks ago for shooting at tres
passers on his property. this morning
caused the arrest of J. G. Glenn and
r.oufs Ruthford two colored boys. for
nuntinE on his place Thanksgiving
5ay without first obtaining his per-
mission. ~
Ernest war6eld. diminutive spe-
.imen of the Ethiopian tribe. was
rested this morning charged with
The warrant was sworn
,,1t by his wife. Grace. who alleges
hat he Is an able bodied man. Huh"
ia culated Judge Simons this morning
when the culprit who Is about the size
IF seven-year-old boy, was brought
n. at thought that your wife said
you were an able bodied man" The
defendant grinned as though he felt
hat he had made a point with the
SQUIRT, but was held on the charge.
Jesse B. Carlet. a farmer boy living
With hIs narents in the kingdom of
Chief Stahl near Auburn. apnlied at ,
he office. OF the county attorney this
for advice about obtaining a
,eace warrant restraining Merle Nor
AN and Jack May from doing him
violence. 1t seems that Moran and
Nay wayieid the c1aintiff while he
was on his way home from prayer
meeting on the night of October aath
md while one Of them held off Car
et's friends at the point of revolver
he other one gave him a beating. For ,
his thew were fined by Justice Of the
Peace George Lunn of Auburn. Carlet
claims that since they were fined that
1he boys have promised TO even scores
and that he Is afraid of them. They