El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-19
POLICE CASE CD
To GRAND JURY.
Bridgers Says Grand Jury
Refused to Indict For
Jail Holocaust.


why haven't you presented evidence
TO the grand jury on the charges you
made in your speech at the courthouse
Monday night regarding the conduct of
police officers towards women prison.
ers?" was asked of district attorney w.
W. Bridgers.
Il am going to do so. There is no
grand jury in session now" he said.
That affair that you say happened
at the city jail. occurred so long ago
that two grand juries have met since
then" asserted Seth Orndorff, county
commissioner, who heard the conversa-
ton.
VIII Present to Jury.
"As soon as a new grand jury is en-
paneled. 1 will present the facts" said
Mr.. Bridgers.
why didn't you present the facts
about the Jail holocaust Mr.. Bridgers
was asked.
q did present them, but I am not the
grand jury" he asserted.
"You had plenty OF evidence. didn't
youg" he was asked. Then he was
told: THE Herald printed considerable
about the holocaust much of it sworn
testimony in the justice court You
suggested that The Herald probe your
women by the police. Why not use the
stuff we printed about something we
know has happened?"
Has Ample Evidence.
Il have all that and more too. at
my office. You can see il if YOU care
to-" replied the district attorney.
We'll, why didn't you get a report
out of grand jury on the affair, them"
4 don't know. l am not the grand
jury; I can only present evidence and
advice. The grand jury is master Of
its own actions"
WAS it an anti ring grand iury?"
The Herald man asked.
Il think So said Mr.. Bridges, very
slowly.
IF you will look at the list" asserted
Seth OrndOrff you will see that you
are mistaken; that it was a ring grand
jury"
Nevertheless" said Mr.. Bridgers. 1T
refused to indict anybody for the q
deaths in the city Jail when the men
were burned to death while being
bathed in gasoline for vermin.'
The Grand Jury.
The last grand jury was composed
of II. W. Broaddus. foreman; Charles
Rokahr, ". W. Barbee, Paul Boland,
c H. Finley, r. Z. Hines. B. Blumen-
thai, 4. A, Kline, A. G. Rintleman, Ed
c. Held, A. H. Anderson and l. A. Shedd.
No Politics On Grand Jury.
There was no suggestion or idea Of
politics in the makeup Of the grand
jury OF which 1 was foreman and which
Investigated the Jail fire" declared
Horace W. Broaddus. Had there been
would have dismissed the jury and
the fact to the presiding
judge / never polled the grand jury
in fact I never thought Of politics as
an element in its deliberations-and, as
far as 1 know, the jury was about
evenly divided as to politics. For my
self i am Independent and vote for the
man rather than the party.
Voted Several Times.
We had all Of the evidence placed
before us in that horrible Jail affair
: nj
ful detail We heard the mayor the
chairman Of the sanitary committee
and the men directly in charge and the
survivors. We considered the entire
matter in an impartial and thorough
manner and considered the matter of
ndicting for criminal csreiessness. In /
act We voted more than once on the
question of indictments and, once the /.
vote stood six and six. But it takes a (
majority nine of the T. to indict and /
his majority was not voted by the !
ury.
DIR. Calnan In Dangerous Place.
we. had Frank Scotch and Dr. G.
3. Calnan before us at different times /
md we questioned them closely. I had I
never met DR.. Calnan before he came !
lefore us but he told a straight story
II the whole affair and so did Frank (
soften, whom / have known for 25 .
ears, and whose reputation for
honesty I also know. The evidence in
reduced and these mems statements
howed that DR.. Calnan and his assist
nts were right over the tub where
he gasoline mixture was being used
nd were in the most dangerous place
n the entire Jail The evidence showed
hat DR.. Calnan was blown through the
DOR and was burned and would prob
bly, have been burned to death had
he door not opened.
No Criminal CareIeEsness
While there may have been some
arelessness and the whole thing might
ave been conducted with more care.
re could not bring our minds around
o the point Of indicting on such a
erious charge when there was no evil
ence Of criminal carelessness that we
oUld find"