The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-09-11
PRIMARY
PRO PROBE ORDERED
Frankfort Judge Gives
Grand Jury Charge.
Corruption Of Ballot is Pronounc-
ed One of the Greatest
Crimes.

modern imitators of the Praetorian
guard, selling public offices at auc-
ton to the highest bidders, formed
the text of a homily delivered today
to the Franklin county grand jury
by Judge Robert Stout, who called
upon the grand jurors to back up
the warning he gave party leaders
in this county just before the Aug
ust primary. when he called them
before him and assured them that
at the September term he would not
know party or faction. but would
urge the grand jury to indict every
man guilty of corrupt practice.
Judge Stout said it ought not to
be difficult for an official inquisit-
orial body to learn the facts OF what
is common street corner gossip. and
he said he delivered warning to
the politicians because he did not
think it fair for a complaisant pub
lie to permit illegal practices to be-
come a custom and then without
warning hale guilty ones before the
court and punish them for conform
ing to a custom, however deplorable.
As it is, he asserted, no one can say
he has been dealt with unfairly and
caught unawares.
The Judge reminded the grand
Jury that the laws are the peoples
laws, that their enforcement is in
the hands of the people. and that
the grand jury is representative
body of the people.
1T is up to you gentlemen to say
whether the laws shall be considered
an impotent tumble of words in the
statute boks, and this court per-
functory institution sitting at stat
ed intervals to appoint guardians
for orphans and commit lunatics to
the asylum, or whether our laws
shall be living expression of pop
ular sentiment for justice and right,
and the court a potent instrument
for the enforcement of those laws"
Reminding them of the evidences
that in Europe one man has power to
declare war and call upon, millions
of his fellowmen to lay down their
lives on the battlefield for the
achievement of a. monarch's ambit-
ions. he asked them to consider
whether they shall by their actions
reassert that the people rule. over
here, or admit by their indifference
to violations of the law by powerful
political influences that poular gov
eminent is a myth and in Franklin
county one man or set of men can
control affairs, name public officials
and set at naught the will of the
people.
He told them that in the last ma
tional election the ELECTORAL vote Of
California was given to one candidate
by less than 200 votes; and that in
1884 the ELECTORAL vote of the i'm
perial State of New York decided the
national election by majority Of
about 1000.
Had the situation been known"
said Judge Stout, "a small corrup-
ton fund. a few men Indifferent to
their obligations, could have decid-
ed that election and prevented Grow
or Cleveland ever becoming Presi-
dent of the United States.
1.-THE duty you are about to I'M
dertake is not local. You can see how
the Commonwealth and the nation
are interested in honest elections
in Franklin county. AS the result of
and g-condoned out
RACES against the ballot. our free
are eopardized. Upon you
rests the decision in this instance,
stand against corruption, or wheth-
er she shall lag behind"
He asked them again whether they
would hesitate to return an indict-
ment because the guilty person is
high and powerful and might use his
wealth and power to injure them.
1T depends upon your manhood"
be said. "It's a mans job you have
and he offered to dismiss
from the jury any member who
he could not discharge the
duty.
Judge Stout referred in bis charge