Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-09-11

| enabled 10 give the instructions OF
Judge Taber to the grand jury rela.
| tive TO the charge of the Free Press
against the proprietors of the Inde-
/ pendent.
The Judge stated in previous re-
marks that the only two men who
had come to him with a demand for
grand jury investigation were +. NJ.
Steninger and E. c. Riddle. proprie-
tors OF the Free Press. This Is OF
particular significance in connection
with the final paragraph. Phe Judge
made is clear that he desires absolute
justice regardless of ties of friendship,
that IL a crime has been committed
that the guilty should suffer, and that
If anyone has been wrongfully ac-
cused, that person is entitled to have
his reputation cleared. The Judge
spoke as follows:
Another matter wish you to in
vestigate is an overcharge made by
the Elko Independent against this
county. | say an overcharge, because
the Independent admits an oyercharge
was made by mistake. The Free Press
has demanded a public investigation
be made. have looked into the mat.
ter to some extent which makes me
feel ii Is best there should be an in
vestigation. understand il Is claimed
| h.. hn InIn
and intentional, and it has even been
intimated that some OF the county
officers derived some money. ! un-
derstand the Independent also desires
an investigation, which they say was
a mistake and they want their Tepu-
tation cleared. Now, this court would
certainly not ask you to 90 into the
affairs of these two newspaper who
| have been fighting each other for
some time. The thing | want you Il
look into is what concerns the public.
To see IL the Independent. in making
the oyercharge did it through mistake
or if it was done fraudulently and nm
der such circumstances as to warrant
action upon the part Of the grand
jury against them. also want you
to look into II for this further reason;
to see whether, irr case there was any
fraud connected with it, any of the
county officers had anything TO do
with II.
II is hardly necessary to suggest
to YOU what witnesses to call, because
when you call one or two you would
naturally find out who some others
would be. You will naturally call the
auditor who seems To be the one who
objected to the charge in the first
place. II SENS after Mr. Greathouso
pointed out the ovcrchargc the bill
( went back to the county commission
p crs and they passed II again. There
' Is some parts in connection with it
: could give you but il would only be
( secondary, and might be prcjudicial ia
p ono side or the other, and you are
5 going into il yourselves. On the one
2 hand Il you find it was not fraud the
J. officers of the county would be ab
s solved. and on the other hand IL yol
,. find Il was fraud, Mr.. Greathous
Q should be thanked. and if not the rel
y utation of the men should be cleared
n want to make this little statcmcn
right here: this Is one reason | read :
c YOU ;hc duties of grand jurors, IL tn
d county officers are not pcrformin
n their duties. or are dishonest, IL make
e no difference how much disgrace
II should cause him or his family, II
II your solemn duty to expose dishonest
Is and To take whatever action your IN
II vestigation warrants you in taking
II whether II being removing him fror
p Office or whatever else IL might be. o.
n the other hand you should CAREFUL
guard against bringing a charge ur
less you have sufficient grounds, b'
cause their regulations are as dear {
@ them rs yours Is To you. The on
thing I want to impress upon you
!, the necessity of fair and couragcou
n investigation on the one hand, an
ST fairness and justice on tho other an
70 don't think any Of the county officer
could object 10 such n charge to th
grand jury.
- could not express my contemI
~ for n person that was sitting on tn
r. grand jury to use that adyantageou
IN posltlon where you deal In secret
H.. punish an enemy, II the facts did M
a warrant II. Now. on tho other hand
r. Is Just rs important that you shoul
II not protect anyone through fricndshi
in or any kind OF business for politic'
reasons. u there Is dishonesty ! wal
" you to try and find II. or IL there at
Of INDICATIONS Of Il. 20 right on unit
ht you flnd out. II possible. want th
ys grand Jury to be able TO report on N
p, kind Of county officers We have.
q A 4.