The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-11-13


VINO had indicted him and held the
jail doors open for him, without a
particle OF evidence upon which to
base 70: as ii now appears. If Mr..
Rinc1 had no evidence with which to
convicted, it is presumed the grand
jury had no evidence TO indict. 1t
had not gotten away. At least that
is not suggested. Are we living in
Russia, or in the 9Th Judicial Dis
trict Of Kentucky, United States of
America?
We are not Attorney for Mr.. Brad
ley Wilson and have no special rea-
son TO defend him and will not do so
when he is in the wrong. We are
in favor OF law and order. We be-
lieve in protecting every citizen in all
OF his God given rights. as well as
those guaranteed to him under the
laws of our State and Nation. Under
the same idea. we believe in giving
Bradley Wilson a square deal. He
did not get it in Daviess county, if
reports are true. We are opposed to
the cowardly Night Riders and the
cowardly Postum Hunters, but the
worse than farce enacted in the Da-
viess County Circuit Court, in our
opinion. has done more to encourage
this class of lawlessness than any
thing. which has happened in twenty
five years. Only recently a half-dozen
former members of the Ohio County
Fiscal Court were indicted by an
Ohio county grand jury, and some of
them were so worried that they al
most lost, their minds. When the
cases came up for trial they were
dismissed for the want of evidence.
This thing has gone far enough. The
Commonwealth Attorney ought to
know whether or not the grand jury
is simply indicting innocent men for
pastime. Moreover. the Circuit JSdge
should cite the members of thar ,
good" grand jury OF his to appear |
before him and explain why they in
dicted Bradley Wilson without any |
evidence. If they permitted them
selves to be used as the tool of some |
man, or set of men, to break down |
the reputation of their fellow man !
and through that means break up !
some lawful opposition in business, :,
they are the worst of criminals, be- |
cause, on top of it all, they have
violated their oaths. Talk about con-
tempt. The most dangerous thing
which could happen to any free peo-
pie would be to have their court, or
any arm of it, get into contempt be-
fore the bar of public opinion.
Personally, we have the highest
regard for Judge Birkhead and Mr.. !
Ringo, but we have no more regard |
for their rights under the law than !,
for those of Bradley Wilson. or the |
poorest, lowliest citizen who treads
Gods foot stool. We hope the Judge
and Attorney will at once take steps
to investigate the actions of this
good" grand jury and unless they
10 their usefulness as officers of the
law will be seriously impaired.
The grand fury system is getting
nis disfebute anyway, .'"e' are
called into We box. the Court. and
the commemorative At
.orneS, make long stump speeches
ii Which they dilate on the morals
md ethics of the universe from Adam
Town, not forgetting TO swell the
Jurors with their own individual i'm
Dortance and added dignity, because
Of their exalted positions. Meanwhile
he audience is whispering and tit
-ering When at last the court APP
points a foreman, upon the advice
IF the Attorney, or some court Off
,ial and the Jurors retire to their
secret place. to listen to rumors, and
ndict some one on suspicion or up
On the evidence of some cOwardly
cur who has spite to vent and who
would not face The man he accuses
IN open court for the world. This
must be so, for at least four fifths
Of all the true bilfs" returned are
dismissed or filed away, for want of
and ssais is not only
true of this hut of every other dis
Irict. In the mean time, if the &C
cused, who is never to be tried, can
not give bond he goes to Jail, at the
expense of the tax payers, for days,
weeks and often for months. We
make the statement that the inno-
cent man who is indicted by grand !
jury, no matter II he is triumph
antly indicated by Jury '6f his
peers" never RECEIVERS from its eff
fects. there will always remain a
sore spot, which discredits the in
situations of his country In his es-