The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-04-12
GRAND JURY
INCONSISTENCIES
REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE AN0NY.
NOUS ACCUSATIONS AGAINST
SHERIFF AND JUDGE.

TO certain cnlrScS which HiaHIieoli!
were trumped up for political effect
only. is cheerfully given space:
During the past few weeks the
county has been stirred up over ru-
mOrs OF malfeasaEce IN office on tho
parl of the officers Of the County
Ccurl.
These rumOrs and charges to tue
effect that there was wrong doing
and that there was to be an investi-
cation of these offices have been
sOwn broadcast all over the county
and were used as politncal argument
against these officers and especially
against Judge Preston and Sheriff.
Logan, Notwithstanding the fact that
the charges had not been presented
to either the Board of County Com
missioners or to the Grand Jury.
On April LIST certain charges werc
preferred before the Commissioners
but were not signed by any person
but signed "a Number of Voters and
Taxpayers of Polk County"
In other words. parties opposed t.
the reelection of these officers at
tempted to defeat them by s0wine
anonymous rumOrS broadcast
throughout the county and brought
their charges before the Commis-
sioncrs on an unsigned paper, some
thing that is always regarded as 4
cowardly and unfair proceeding.
That all may know just what these
charges are and what ilimsy fOunda-
ton there is to the whole matter anu
how undoubtedly the whole thina
was gotten up for political effect We
give them together with the findings
of the County Commissioners upon
them.
The charges and findings are a.
follows:
March 30, 1912.
TO the Honorable Board of County
Commissioners of Polk county.
Gentlemen:
ave, number of taxpayers of Polk
county, find that there are some ir.
Irregularities being carried on b.
some of our officials which We be
licvc is illegal. The sheriff, or hi
deputies, have made practice of go
Ing out into all parts of the count.
where negroes aud other common la
borcrs are employed in large mum
brrs, raiding their camps and quar-
ters, especially in the phOsphat
mining district. They arrest thcs
llcn for gambling, yagrancy, an.
other offcnscs without warrants ans
sonnet ines shoot them down if the.
itampt to escape. After maxim
these arrests, they allow the prison
crs, who can, to give cash bonds for
the payment of "a fine and costs a
figured by the Sheriff or his deputy
Those who do not have the read.
cash often get their foreman or super
intendcnt of the mill or mine to pu
up the cash or stand good to the Of
ficcr for the payment of such fin
and cost as he sees fit to fix. l.
such cases the men are left on tn,
works where they are arrested. TIL
officer then reports these cases t.
the County Judge and enters q plei
of guilty for the defendant. and n
case is then docketed against tho de-
fendant with . fine and cost. II
figuring the cost OF such cases "
find that the defendants are charge
with a preliminary hearing. and l.
many cases. excess mileage /
charged by figuring the mileage thre
ways to and from the county sea
when tho defendant has never bee
taken from the works. We are ais
curious to know how a man can b
arrested. committed. released twic
with returns on two warrants 70
one offense, thereby making an ex
ira sheriff's cost of $l.S5 in eacl
case
Now, gentlemen. We have bee
illegally advised that such proceeding
arc not legal; that preliminar
hearing is not necessary when tn
defendant confesses his guilt and n
warrant has been sworn out for hi
arrest. We are also legally advise
that preliminary hearing coul
not be legally held without the d.
fendant being handled at sue
hearing. To show you that mar
i such cases have been handled in tn
r manner We call your attention to
few that you may investigate fc