Omaha daily bee., 1917-01-31
GRAND JURY HAS
BUSY DAY ON I1a
EVlDENc|
Host of Witnesses Examined
and Two True Bills Returned
High School Heads
Are Subpoenaed.
RUMoRs OF VICE PROBE
H. G. of L. Said to Be Slated
for Investigation by Body
This Week.
INSPECT THE COURT JAIL

Court house gossip has it that one
OF the grand jury probes planned for
this week will be into the H. c. of l..
The little bird credited with whisper
ing with information in the face of
discouraging frowns from the sixteen
jurymen and the county attorneys
chief deputy, who is head ringmaster
and whip-cracker at the utra-secret
conclaves, limited that the body may
wreStle with and floor thee vampire
wretches" holding the high hands in
the game with Mr.. Common People.
Mr.. Common People says the cards
have been stacked.
The grand jury knocked off work
for the day early yesterday afternoon
after alb usy session at which two true
bills were returned and host of wit
nesses subpoenaed and examined in
the closely-guarded chambers on the
fourth floor of the court house,
- Make Vice Sweep.
1t is understood that the initial true
bills returned by the present grand
jury, the first in Omaha in two years,
were against persons charged with
violations of laws governing vice sup
preston.
Rumors that the grand jury is max
ing thorough investigation of moral
conditions OF the neighborhoods in
the territory contiguous to the Cen
trail High school and the High School
of Commerce with view of dry
cleaning the environments Of the stu
dents were heightened when sub
poeneas were isued for J. c. Masters
and X. F. Adams, superintendents of
the two institutions.
Both Mr.. Masters and Mr.. Adams
appeared before the grand jury as
witnesses. The subpoenae for Mr..
Adams, superintendent of the High
School of Commerce, was issued
shortly after / o'clock and he entered
the star chamber" before noon.
Gus Miller a Witness.
Another witness who waa called to
testify before the grand jury soon
after it got down to business Tues
day morning was Probation Officer
Miller. most active OF juvenile court
workers and who made e,the statement
several weeks ago that there were
conditions in Omaha vitality affecting
the moral welfare of young people,
which the body could do we'll to in
vestigate when it met.
One of the first acts of the grand
jury Tuesday morning was to inspect
the county Jail Sheriff Clark acted
as guide and escorted the members
of the body through the county bas-
tile, showing them every nook and
corner. Prisoners were quizzed by
the jurors as to their treatment and
of the conditions there.
:. To Inspect Hospital.
One woman prisoner volunteered
the information that the were
treated fine; we ought to be happy
The county hospital, the unsanitary
and crowded conditions OF which have
been aired so often that the body
will have hard time condemning it
any more than it has been already,
public and private homes for children
and other institutions are also slated
for inspection.
George E. Haverstick, banker and
club man who was named by
Judge Sears as foreman of the jury.
appeared to be at home in his new
role as he walked at the head of the
sixteen men in their saunter through
the jail corridors. When queried as
to what the hours" of the grand jury
would be, Mr.. Haverstick replied
with smile, that we're always on
the job"
Ever mindful of the new law per-
tanning to grand jury leaks" the wit
nesses and others connected with the
inquisistorial body's Investigations are
doing their best to maintain clam
like reticence. The red tape con-
nccted with getting in and out of the
star chamber sessions is redder than
usual and many court housers of
timid dispositions fairly walk on tip
toe and hold their brcaths when they
hover in the vicinity of the closely
guarded portals to the room of mys-
terry.
1t is said on good authority that
the grand jury session will last only
a short time. Many believe the limit
will be ten days.