Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-05-02
GRAND JURY
MAKES RETURN
INVESTIGATING BODY OF FEDER-
Al COURT RETURNS INDICT-
MENTS TO JUDGE.
PLEADS GUILTY
Writer Of Obscene Letter Throws Self
on Court--Liquor Violations arc
Charged in Indictments
Returned.

The grand jury In the United States
court has returned two indictments.
One is against George J. Johnson of
Brookfield for violating the postal laws
by sending an obscene and indecent
letter to Hazel Ong also of Brookfleld.
plea Of guilty followed the return of
the true bill. The other was against
Albert Fierce of Washington who is
charged with violating the liquor laws.
He entered plea Of not guilty. He will
be taken back to Davenport for trial,
owing to his belonging in that district.
Refuses Mier Case.
Deputy U. S. Marshal George Bidwell
Of Des Moines brought Alex Johnson,
suspected of selling booze at Ames
college, from Des Moines yesterday aft
ernoon. Johnson made a written con-
fession of his guilt and threw himself
on the mercy of the court. .. .
Attorney Sumner Siberell has been
active in behalf of the Wapello County
Civic league in trying to bring the
Matt Mier case before the federal
grand jury for investigation. United
States Attorney M. l.. Temple, however
refused to take the matter up at this
time, giving as his reason that the case
is at present hung up in the state
court, and the United States court will
not interfere. 70
Thirteen True Bills.
The federal grand jury returned thir-
teen more indictments about 2:10 this
afternoon, making total OF fifteen in
dictments and one charge ignored dur
ing the sitting Of the grand jury. Most
of the indictments were bootleggers
from Seymour and that vicinity. Among
the indicted are:
Antonio De Rooo Joe Madallozzo,
Jack Madallozzo, Joe Degard, Angelina
Degard, John Argenta, Argenta Socar-
ra, all Of Seymour; and Manual Corn
allies, James Wilson and Orville Wills,
of the western division in the Creston
district and Axel Johnson of Ames. All
were charged with violation Of the
liquor laws. There was one indictment
for violation Of the postal laws by send
ing an obscene letter through the mails,
but the sender's name was not made
public because of the indicted being at
large. -.
A true bill on this charge was return
ed against George J. Johnson Of Brook
field, Mo. The young man when ar
raigned admitted having sent an OBJ
scene letter to Hazel Ong also Of
He averred that she wrote
first, as his excuse for writing. Post
office Inspector c. S. Ranger reported
tIlS CdSC dilC ISSlIilSO OSAcAS tilc COuEl
this afternoon relative to his findings
in the matter. He said that Johnson
had an undue influence over the girl
who was said to be only 16 years of
age and mentally irresponsible. He
further stated that the parents of the
girl sent her to Keokuk to visit an
aunt in order to keep the young man
away from her, but that twas while
in Keokuk that the obscene letter was
from Johnson who was then
in Thayer. The court said that judg-
ment may be passed upon Johnson to-
morning.
May Finish Testimony.
The Walker damage suit against the
Iowa Central Railroad Co., that begun
yesterday morning, will probably con-
clude its testimony this evening. 1t is
not likely that arguments in the case
will be reached this evening The de-
Tense began hearing its witness this
Before Commissioner.
]. L. Doud who was arrested at the