Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-03-30


names OF any witnesses who could
indict anyone for graft or for illegal
voting in the city election. and of
fercd IA special invitation to all par
ties to hand in any such names. so
that / could have them summoned
before the grand jury. | also made
the statement that II any indict-
ments were returned OF that nature
by the grand jury, and the Good
Government Club doubted either my
ability or willingness to prosecute
them, that I would have sworn in
any attorney the club might select
as assistant with equal power as
myself in presenting the cases TO
he jury and court. BUT / DID
NOT MAKE THE OFFER TO
HAVE AN ASSISTANT IN THE IN
YESTlGATION OF THESE MAT
TIERS BEFORE THE GRAND
JURY. / SAW IN ONE OF THE
DAILY PAPERS IN BLUEFIELD
THAT I WAS SO QUOTED. AND
CALLED THE EDITORS ATTEN-
TION TO THE ERROR.
while | appreciate at its full
value the underlying motive which
inspires the Offer to furnish an as
sistant TO investigate these matters
before the grand jury. | most re-
pectfully decline to have the APP
pointment made. as no such prom
Use was given nor is there any ne
cessity for such a procedure. or
course | am aware that such an of
Ter is an implied mistrust of my
own official integrity. as well as
that of the splendid body of men
who are serving as grand Jurors at
this term of the court And If
! thought for one instant that the
cause of justice could be served by
The appointment | would have IT
made. But | don't see the necessity
or merit of it, The grand juries
IN this state are never to be used
rs weapons for partisan warfare or
personal malice. nor should they
lend aid to further the cause OF
civil suits. For all of these reasons
and many more | repeat my decli
nation to make the appointment
suggested.
II beg to advise, however, that ]
shall be glad to receive the names
OF any witnesses whom you may
think could throw any light on the
matters of the alleged illegal voting
in Bluefield, as we'll as witnesses to
any grating by public officials or
others. The Good Government
League has never furnished me the
names of a single witness before
the present grand jury outside those
whose names crept out in evidence
today.
Il also suggest that there will be
future grand juries before which
witnesses can appear. I also advise
that should the investigation of
these matters before the present
grand jury not bear the fruit you
think they should, complaint can
always be made in such cases be-
fore any justice of the peace and
the parties guilty of grating or IL
legal voting can be sent up with all
witnesses to the criminal court.
also suggest that impeachment pro-
ceedings would lie against any offi-
cial guilty Of graft. All these wea-
Dons are at the hands of any citizen
who seeks to apply them, independ-
ent of any action in the first in
stance by a grand jury.
yours truly,
"A. NJ. SUTTON"
Now the Telegraph either mis-
quoted Mr.. Sutton or Mr.. Sutton
misrepresents the Telegraph 1t is
up to the Telegraph TO say which.
The promise TO have sworn in an
assistant prosecuting attorney in
case any indictments were made
vas useless. for any attorney may
appear for the prosecution after in
dictments are returned as a matter
>
promise was to do only that which
the law required, and which could
have been done without his consent.
He absolutely refused to allow an
attorney selected by the Good Gov
eminent Club to appear before the
grand jury.
Great Investigations were made
as to soda fountain sales on Sunday
and I'm an attempt to indict The
Leader and stop its publication.
The whole crowd was white
washed" and are now saying, BE
hold how good am T."
II our contemporary can't answer
any of the other questions will they
tell who misrepresented the mat
ter-the Telegraph or Mr.. sutton?
But We would be glad to have the
other questions answered also.
F,vnrs- rua,t 90 hf- 4r.1.v L.