Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-24
GRAND JURIES OF
COUNTY USEDE0R
POLITICAL FEUDS
Attorney S. R. Kenworthy Calls
the Practice a Disgrace on
Community's Name.
IN ARGUMENT TO QUASH
Probable Judge Graves, If He Over
rules Motion. Will Take Up
First Case Next Week.

IL the members OF the board of sup
e-viscrs are 10 clean house they bet
Ter start in on themselves" declared
= Kerworthy. chief counsel for
Sheriff q. l.. Bruner. in his argument
before Judge r. c. Graves yesterday
afternoon in support OF the motion TO
Quasi the j. indictments which have
been returned IN the Magill-Bruner
cases.
Il know OF no county II the state
whore the grand jury has been so Of
ten used 20 fight political battles as IN
Rock Island county. II has been our
disgrace. The board for two years
has been attem ptinG 10 get some OF
its enemies. The supervisors, al
though no:hin. but a board OF audi
tors. appointed a committee OF five
70 investigate alleged corruption in
county affairs. This committee con-
ssitutcd itself into a sort OF grand
fury and examined some 70 Witnesses.
Ignoring the regularly elected and
drIy qua ifGd states attorney, this
BODY without any authority 20 conduct
the criminal Jurisprudence OF The
county. proceeded to examine its own
witnesses in its own way. for its own
rurposes. and to this day has not
turned over 20 the states attorney of
this county the evidence which II Sc
cured Does this look like a full, fair
and honest investigation in official
nisdoins3
Slsps Board on Wrist.
WHY. this same grand jury. ap-
pointed By the board 10 carrying out
It's bidding. passed a resolution criti-
Cling its masters. the men by whom
they were selected. for purchasing
county supplies from its own mem
bers. The grand jury slaps the board
on the wrist and says. You have COM
mitted a crime. but you mustn't do it
again
Mr.. Woods appointment as special
states attorney is not legal. and all
q the indictments returned by the
grand jury. while he was acting as its |
advisor. are invalid. The regular
states attorney OF this county was /
neither sick. absent or interested in /
the proposed investigation, and no le-
raI reason exists for his being sup
planted. There was no matter pend
ing before the court which necessi-
lated the appointment OF a special
This morning Attorney KenwOrthy
continued his argument. taking up the
question OF the legality OF the indi
v.duaI Indictment returned. The Mar
TN Nolan case. in which Nolan is al-eg.
ed to hare escaped from the county Jail
through a conspiracy with Lawrence
VI. Magill, former states attorney. and
Sheriff o. l. Bruner. by the payment
- money. was the first Indictment
Witnesses Appear.
Witnesses subpoenaed in the Magill-
Bruner cases by Coroner r. c. ].
Meyer made their appearance this
morning al the court house. Their
zervices, however. will not be needed
Tor week or more. since Judge
Graves has not disposed OF the motion
70 quash aid no special petit jury
aneI mas been ordered. L Is pre-
umed that witnesses were summoned
OF today in order 20 prevent their dis
appearance before trial
II the court overrules the motion TO
.uash. * Is understood Judge Graves
Epects TO start in on the trial OF the
asses without delay. However. Il !
you'd probably take until the middle =
{ next week before a jury could be ,
rmmCned. The court Indicated yes ,
srday afternoon that he did not ex- :
ect % remain here all summer and !
y each Of the u cases He plans to :
y one and allow the higher courts TO
ass on the points involved before ,
-cceeding. unless there IS a convic- /
on. which would necessarily change \