The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-04-18
fer Bannock county.

/
defendants, but by friends who
were attracted by a desire to see the
final outcome of the recent county
grand jury, which returned a
grand total of 81 indictments of
which trifle over half have so far
been disposed of. Bench warrants
based on the remaining indictments
are still in the hands of the sheriff,
but the accused men have disappear
ed.
Most of the indictments involved
alleged violations of the liquor laws
of the state in Pocatello and other
towns throughout the county. Men
of prominence in the county were
hailed into court for technical infrac-
tions of the local option statutes.
Today saw final disposition of their
cases, and the fact that in no in
stance was a jail sentence imposed
meets with the approval of the body
of the citizenship of the county.
No Jail Sentences.
Many reasons influenced Judge
Bulge in emitting Jail sentences. In
the first place the deplorable condi-
ton of the Bannock county jail is
such that a Jail sentence, in the
courts estimation would mean
far more severe than the
law contemplates In the second
place, his object in summoning a
grand jury was to suppress viola
lions of law rather than to punish
the violations. Before pronouncing
sentence upon those who have either
pleaded guilty or been found guilty
his honor interposed the invariable
query:
do you promise upon your word
of honor as a man that you will
hereafter obey the law? Do you
promise that you will not sell intox-
icating liquors in violation of the law
Or permit the use of premises owned
or controlled by you for unlawful
In every instance the response was
IN the affirmative. In pronouncing
ais first judgment, Judge Bulge
said in effect:
Suppression Not Punishment.
"All this court wants and all that
t has ever asked, is that the law be
,beyed. We may not like the law:
'ome may desire to change it. But
We have not that power. The law is
m our statute books. 1t must be
,beyed. l understand perfectly the
conditions in the present county jail.
70 imprison a person therein would
,e excessive punishment in my judg-
nent, But the law permits for the
emoval of a prisoner to the county
all of an adjoining county when
anitary conditions warrant. How
yer. in the cases before us today, |
O not belive that will be necessary.
realize that in many of these cases,
he defendants offer the excuse that
,ev have violated the law because
theirs have done SO. That is no
lstification. The law is the law, 1t
Just be obeyed."
Before the first of long string
{ defendants were brought before
he bar for sentence, County AT
,rney c. Dougless Smith addressed s
,e court as follows:
Smiths Recommendation.
"If the Court please: The prosecut-
lg attorney at this time and before
,ntence is pronounced upon these
aving pleaded guilty or convicted IN
lis term of court of the offense OF
a common nuisance OF
ther violations of the liquor laws or
le state of Idaho, desire to make
ne recommendation.
81 desire to say at the outset that
uring the present term OF court
lere have been a number of pleas
! guilty voluntarily entered by the
ersons charged with violations OF
le local option law, and this term
as been prolific in the number OF
,nvictions and pleas of guilty ana
there seems to be disposition up
, the part of all citizens who have
larged in this court to hereafter
there strictly to the law in this par /
cular, and | believe that they fully J
,alize that the law will be rigldly Il
Id strictly enforced; that no favor ?
Ill be extended and none escape the n
gil of the officers, and having a l
,rsonal knowledge of the unsanitary e
,ndition of the present county jail e
rowing the conditions under which q
en- are now incarcerated therein, s
Id feeling that in the event a jail c
ntence is imposed upon any OF the a
.rsons charged in this court with Ii
III