The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-10-07
BROWNS CHARGE
IS VERY SWEEPING
Judge Declares Society Gamblers ss
Bad as Green Cloth Variety
Holly Denounces ISLANDERS.

of a few motions and demurrers of,
minor Importance, the work of the
district court at the second days ses-
sion has been taken up with the work.
of empanelling the grand and petit
juries and in the deliverance of Judged
Browns charge to the grand jury.
The charge to the grand jury wa]
the most sweeping ever given to al
grand jury in this district. JudgeI
Brown in making the charge recalled
the method of selecting jurymen, the
character of men necessary to make.
the work of the grand jury what the
law intended that it should be. He
told them of the power and dutieM&
the grand jury. He said it was the
duty of the grand jury to investigate
all crimes, both felonies and misde.
meanors that occur in the county from
which the venire was drawn. Judge
Brown dwelt at considerable length
upon the character of men who should
compose a grand jury, saying that
they were only representative citizens
of the community from which theY
were drawn.
] The chief object of society, SAID
Judge Brown, is to reach a higher
plane of citizenship, morally, socially
intellectually and spiritually. The
grand jury is the guardian of the peo
ples rights and of the peoples liber
ties. The jury was especially charg
ed to investigate those crimes which
affect the rights of the people anc
strike at the very root and foundation
of society, and the homes and happ
ness of the people.
The charge stated that there wer
some crimes so revolving as to caus
the people of the community to rise u.
and see that the criminals wer
brought to justice, but said that ther
were numerous other crimes again
the common law that it was the duy
of the grand jury to investigate AM
bring indictments against the peru
traitors. Perjury, as crime that mod
vitally affected society and its fri
quency was discussed at much lengt
in the charge and the jury was 81
pecially warned to investigate -
oughly all cases where there 2wasp
possibility, of perjury having BED
practiced
In regard to gambling Judge BroT
created quite a sensation in the co1
when he said that the man WI
gambled over the green cloth for
living was no worse than the socieI
woman who sat in her home and pla
ed cards for prize or the churs
member who raised funds for Il
church by means of rattle. In fa
the jury was instructed that If lenienl
were used it should be in favor of Il
green cloth gambler, who possi1
does not know better, while the mel
ber of the church and the society y
man know that it is violation of
law to gamble in any form
The all to common practice, OH
part of many otherwise good citizei
of slandering the various officers
the state from the governor down.
constable was decried by theh jud
and the jury was especially Instruct
to investigate the official conduct
the various officers under their JUL
dietion. He told of the oft repeal
charges of direliction on the parI
the county officers and said that if
charges could be substantiated
bring indictments against the offd :
ing officers, but he said that in
the charges could not be substantid
that the officers be vindicated and
slanderers brought to Justice.
Judge Brown told the grand II
that the state would have - E ~:
officer who would appear before
for the purpose of Investigating
alleged violations of the state
laws and the conduct of the va
officers, pertaining to the enforced
of the prohibition laws only, and
it was the duty of the jury to
fully weigh the evidence presentd
this special attorney and II JUS
bring true bills against the law
lators, whether they be officers
lbootleggers
The following are the membed
the grand jury selected this nlorI
3. Houx, foreman, Sam i. 4
George Dotts, Nat Dickerson, 4
Harrison, John Chouteau, ]. RS =
e. H. Gill, L. NJ. Phillips, Il
Frogge, James M. Martin and
Smart. The petit jury panel has
yet been completed.
Two Crops Year.