The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-03-21
The Tables Turned.

Jury, q NUMBER or persons charged with COnSp1r1ng
to fraudulently despol the public domain have been
released from those charges 1t is considered i'm
proper for prosecuting attorney to attempt to in
fuence grand jury in the performance of its func-
tions.
According to the light thrown on this case the
prosecuting attorney felt that it was necessary for
him to do something extraordinary, for it appears
that his failure to secure indictments against the
accused parties likely to result in the dsfavor
of his official superors, if not in his removal from
office. He has stated that he was directed by the
Departments of Justice to bring indictments against
the parties charged that he did not move in the mat
ter upon his initiative but obeyed instructions
nearly possible
Upon charges made by several of the grand jurors,
the prosecuting attorney placed trial for max
ing effort to influence the grand jury and
acquitted. The complaining grand jurors then
indicted for jeopardizng the prosecuting attorney
and their pending.
Out of this mix-up of side issues and main issues,
the real defendants emerge untainted and the visible
malefactors the prosecuting attorney (according
to the court of last opnion) and the grand jurors
who charged him with being a malefactor.
Primarily the cases were instituted to wrest
eral quarter sections of land from the possession of
parties who charged with having secured them
in irregular way. Up to date the persons origin
ally accused in full possession of unarnished rep
uations while several of the instruments of justices
are under the cloud of judicial and grand jury
sure. These the net results of attempt to
protect the public domain from despoilment, far
as this remarkable prosecution has progressed.
The cases were brought in the Federal Court for
the District of Idaho and are known to the record
as the United States against John l. Wells, Patrick
Downs, Louis NJ. Pritchard, John Kinkad, William
d. Q d.,
Martin, James T. Barber and Sumner G. Moon. All
of these defendants have been rendered spotless.
Senator Borah was indicted along with the others,
accepted trial and was acquitted.
United States Attorney Rtck was the prosecuting
officer and the Government sent him a couple OF
assistants from the Department of Justice The
decision was rendered by Federal Judge Whitson of
the District of Washington sitting for Federal Judge
DIETRICH, of Idaho District.
In its war upon the land grabbers of the west the
administration has not yet reached place where 1t
can throw up its hat unless it is satisfied with the
escape of defendants the arraignrnent of accusing
grand jurors, and the embarrassment of of its
prosecuting officers through the criticisms Of court
In the northern portion of Idaho there is a notable
aggregation of so-cal1ed offenders against the law
that says thou shall not commit larceny upon
the public domain" They were apprehended about
the time that the hand OF Justice tell upon the
southern bunch of presumed land grabbers. They
were indicted, tried and convicted
1t is supposed that the Federal attorney neglected
to deliver speech to the northern grand jury, or,
if he did make speech, the fact has remained one
of the secrets of the grand jury At any rate,
the parties arraigned found guilty Their good
name has been furnished although it is presumed
that on the face of the evidence representatives of
both the north and the south were about equally
involved
In, tnese iS again demonstrated the with