The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-06-06
THE OREGON OUTRAGES.

The showing made in the case of vii
lard n. Jones, convicted in the so.called
Oregon land fraud cases, is one that ic
a scandal to the administration OF
justice in the Republic. We are fully
prepared TO believe tho statement as
made in that showing, because the
general impression of fair. minded men
who were conversant with the proceed.
ure at the time, was practically TO the
same purport as the showing now
made.
The prosecutions were, in fact, con
Quoted almost wholly along political
lines, as charged in this brief; and it
is true that ga veritable reign of ter.
ror existed,' as now charged Attor-
neyGeneral Wickersham finds this to
be actually the case in his approval of
brief prepared by Henry p. Schwartz,
former chief Of tho field division Of
the General Land Office, and James s.
Smith, attorney for Jones in the pro
ceedings.
From this brief it appears that the
jury was packed, and that Jones was
deceived in thinking that he was get.
ting fair panel to try his case The
whole jury list was scanned for the
purpose of selecting names that would
be sure to convict without regard to
the testimony Witnesses were intimi-
dated and made to give biased and
false testimony under threat Of being
indicted themselves If they refused;
and details are given of these scandal.
Gus threats. The jury lists were for
warded to headquarters and checked
off there with the purpose of insuring
q conviction no matter what the evil
dence might be or fail TO be. The most
shocking memoranda were made on the
names of jurors so chosen, as that the
person was "a convictor from the
word 60, would convict Christi and
'yeilow-dog Democrat who would
convict any Republican on sight"
Men regarded as unfavorable,n mean.
their duty faithfully and honestly un.
der their oath, and would acauit if
there was no case made for convic-
ton, were labeled opprobrious dc
scriptlons and "with the most obscene
Of all obscene epithets
On the completion of the Jury lists,
Burns is alleged to have telegraphed
to W. Scott Smith, private secretary
of Mr.. Hitchcock, who was then Secre.
tary of the Interior, that "the jury
commissioners have cleaned out the
old box and put in 500 new names.
every one Of which was investigated
before they were placed in the box. -
This was marked confidential, and the
grand jury was said to be composed
of splendid men in which we have rhe
very greatest faith; and that meant,
of course, that jurors had been selected.
primarily grand jurors who would
surely indict, and afterwards petit
Jurors who would with like certainty
convict
An instance is given Of how Jones was
- Jobbed - into the acceptance as trial
jurors of men who had already ex.
pressed themselves as being convinced
of his guilt, and the brief charges
that the Government prosecutors in
dicted man jointly with Jones and
put that man on the sc.
cret payroll OF the Government and
promised him immunity Then thev
caused this man to write TO Jones
about the supposed fairness of the trial
jurors and 10 induce Jones to accent
men who had announced themselves as |
IN favor OF his conviction 1t is AL |
legged also that monthly for almost
year the Government agents submitted |
2 voucher signed by this dummy de-
fendant, and that the funds so received |
paid him So day for his duplicity. !
and daily BETRAYAL of men who in good |
faith believed him in jeopardy aud |
were Jointly with him seeking To do |
fend themselves -
All these things are hard TO believe: /
and vet II is evident that the judicial /
department OF the Government does be.
lleVe the statements made. because IL |
recommended the pardon of Jones be
cause OF this showing. IL was black
page IN American Jurisprudence. al
most equaling the vilest judicial tray.
estes OF the middle ages and OF the
worst of despotism And in this
manner was the fair fame of many a
good man sworn away. aud Senator
Mitchell OF Oregon driven TO a dishon.
pred grave; and President Roosevelt
was the central anlmus and agency
rom which all this judicial atrocity
sprung. he seeking 70 "break" these
snce 10 him.