The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-03-27
HARRIS WRITES LETTERS
County Attorney Calls on Citizens to
Perform Duties of His
0ffipe


County Attorney y. ]. Harris, follow
ing out his policy with regard to the gam
bling evil, as outlined in Thursdays Her
aid, yesterday addressed a communica-
ton to each of the twenty-four business
men who signed a petition sent to Mr..
Harris through the mails last Saturday.
In this communication the county attorney
calls upon the men who claim to have
knowledge concerning gambling houses 10
present what facts they may have to MN
in order that ne may reach the places
through the course of the law. Accord
ing to Sheriff B. 3. Wilson he has been
unable TO secure any evidence against
these places on account of being refused
admttance. This virtually puts the mat
ter of closing up the gambling houses
right up to those who signed the petition
sent to the county attorney. 1t is now
evident that, if anything is done they VIII
have to do il.
The county attorneys letter follows:
In a recent communication signed by
you and several other citizens, you call
attention to the notorious fact that gam
bling is being openly conducted and car
ried on in this city, at numerous places,
and especially etc, naming several local
tiles on Twenty-fifth street in Ogden City,
and requesting me to have the matter m
vestigated in order that such open viola
ton of law be stopped, and that the par
ties guilty of the same may be dealt with
as provided by the criminal statutese OF
this state.
Acting upon the suggestions and infor-
nation contained i'm your communication,
| have requested the officers to make a
thorough investigation of the report. and
to obtain evidence sufficient TO convict
those engaged in the unlawful acts com
planned of; and i'm order that all the facts
may be obtained, l would like personal
conference with you regarding the matter,
and wish. therefore, that you would call
at my office at your earliest convenience
NAV
be in possession of concerning the same.
"In your letter to me you state: we
submit that any investigation on Your
part will furnish you not only reasonable
cause to believe. but absolute proof tnat
gambling is openly and VIGOROUSLY carried
on and conducted at the several places
mentioned above. as well as other places
in Ogden City etc. Now, if such facts
can be established by competent testi-
mony, l will not hesitate to file COM
plants and TO vigorously prosecute those
engaged in such unlawful practice. but
I would not be justified in so acting upon
a mere rumor. or upon a general under
standing that the facts are as stated.
Specific unlawful acts must be charged
in the complaint. which must be duly
sworn to; and such acts must be proven
beyond reasonable DOUBT; before con-
Viction can be had. And until nave
reasonable ground to believe that suffi-
cent evidence can be obtained to secure
such conviction, or at least until assur-
dnceS are gwen me tnaL competent teSll-
mony will be brought forward to sustain
the charges made. my duty to the tax
payers of Weber county, upon whom the
expenses of such prosecutions must fan,
will require that / decline to institute the
proceedings.
In order that we may get our bearings,
therefore, and collect the evidence obtain
able. l request conference with you, and
each of you. as aforesaid; and further
more, if the statements contained in your
letter are founded upon information re
ceived from other parties, I desire that
you request your informants to call upon
me also, and give me the facts which are
within their knowledge.
"Our statute provides: Every person.
who has reason to believe that crime or
public offense has been committed must
make complaint against such person.
(Section 4611, r. S. 1881
"The officers have so far been unable
TO furnish me evidence of the violations Of
law complained of by you. and it therefore
becomes the duty of every citizen who has
knowledge of such matters to disclose
such facts to me, and to make the neces-
sary complaints for the prosecution of the
offenders. And l invite, and will appre
ciate the cooperation of all good citizens
in UNFOLDING and enforcing the laws of
this state