Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-02-25
PUBLISHER AND EDITOR TO AP-
PEAR BEFORE GRAND JURY
JEWELL IS STAR WITNESS
The Silly Proceedings Inaugurated
May Prove Boomerang to
the InauguratOr.

The usually quiet city of Grants
Pass experienced period of excite
ment just before 2 o'clock on Mon
day afternoon last by the arrest Of
the proprietor and likewise the
editor of the Courier on a charge of
libel sworn to by Judge Jewell. The
judge, who is Of serious turn Of
mind, ever refuses to see a joke and
the result was that the article pub
lished on February regarding the
gravel episode was taken in earnest
and, as he explained to friends, 1t
was intended to defeat his re-elec-
tion as Judge of this county. AS the
paper did not know that he was a
candidate for reelection, the intent
theory lacked foundation, but that
is a matter to be settled in the fu-
ture.
Sheriff Russell and Deputy Che
shire visited the office of the Courier
and read the warrants to the accused
and soon the two prisoners were on
their way to the office of Justice
James Holman. The whole street
seemed to have been appraised Of
the coming event and Sixth street
from the Courier office to E was a
crowded thoroughfare; the boys hav-
ing their own FUN at the expense OF
the luckless individuals on their way
to court. Here and there friend
shouted "I will go on your bonds,
Others said they would be up to the
Jail with such dainties from their
own tables as might be left" and MI
rlerons other "joshes" were made,
and everyone seemed to take 1t as
joke.
Arriving at the office OF the just
ice. the defendants were greeted
pleasantly by the iidge, who sad
that every consideration would he
extended to the accused and Y was
soon agreed the hearing should take
place on Wednesday morning at 1C
O'Clock, and the prisoners were al
lowed to go on their own recogniz'
ance. The complaint is as follows:
In the Justice Court for the Grants
Pass Justice District for Josephine
County, Oregon.
State of Oregon, plaintiff, vs.. A
E. Voorhies and c. G. Coutant, de
PENDANTS.
A. e. Voorhies and c. G. Coutant
and each OF them, are accused b!
Stephen Jewell, under oath and b!
this information, Of the crime o
libel. committed as follows, to-wit
The said A. e. VOORHEES, and c. G
Coutant, and each Of them, on tn
18th day OF February, A. D. 1910
in Josephine County, Oregon, thel
and there being, did then and ther
wilfully and maliclously publish II
a newspaper called the Rogue Rive
Courier" the following false AM
scandalous matter concerning Ste
phen Jewell, towit:
enlarged with Theft Of Gravel"
"The county Judge has men a
work filling up the deepest holes Il
the road south OF the bridge. The
have been taking gravel from privat
property for the purpose and Wed
nesday the owner chanced to ru
across the men when they were goin
after a load and there was an explain
alton demanded, claiming that the
we're entering upon his property an
taking away gravel, without hi
knowledge or consent. The mer
said that they were working for tn
county and had been directed b
Judge Jewell to get the gravel an
assured the indignant taxpayer tina
they had nothing to do with the thel
except as above stated. There wa
some more talk and It ended by tn
owner OF the gravel saying that IN
Judge would be made to settle an
intimated that entering upon a man
property and stealing gravel was yer
small business for a county"
With the intent then and there ha
BY the said A. z. VOORHEES, and c.
Coutant, and each OF them, to the