The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1920-02-20
CHARGES AGAINST WHITE.
FOR MISCONDUCT WILL Be.
PROBED BY GRAND JURORS
ATTENTION CALLED TO LAW ON
SUBJECT BY JUDGE TURNER
OF CIRCUIT COURT.
WEBSTER WILL Be PROSECUTOR
Court Declares Its Willingness at All
Times to Name Any Officials Neces.
sary to Aid in Ferretins Out Any
Crimes Committed.

Under instructions from the court
THIS morning the charges made openly
against Attorney General Looney B
White, before the bar association will
be investigated. These charges ,were
made last December when it was stat
ed by Attorney James G. VOORHEES,, OF
the local bar, that Attorney General
White had been publicly drunk in
open court No investigation has
been made heretofore.
In his charge this morning. Which
was unusually long and exhaustive
Judge Turner declared that the court
had always welcomed the assistance
OF citizens in the enforcement of the
law, but he took occasion to make in
directly defense of the court against
the criticism which had heretofore
been made in the Whoite case. but
made no direct reference to these
charges.
In the course of the charge Judge
Turner said that while the supreme
court had apparently held that an at
torney general could be removed alone
by impeachment in the legislature
that 1t had been provided that he
could be indicted as any other citizen
for any offense He said that it was
the duty of the grand jury to investi-
gate all charges of offenses against
any official, and if the facts justified
10 present or indict them Judge
Turner also stated that he would give
the grand jury all necessary assist
ance and that if necessary an attor
ney general pro tenn would be appoint
ed to assist it.
AT the conclusion of the courts long
charge, which covered the whole realm
of the crimipal law, Attorney William
j Webster, chairman of the bar com
mittee, appointed to prosecute Attor-
ney General White for alleged public
drunkenness and neglect of duty,
arose and asked If he understood the
court to state that he would, if neces-
sary in any investigation that the
grand jury might make, appoint an at
torney general pro tenn. Judge Tur-
ner promptly answered Yes, the
court will do that; 1t has always done
that" ......
Mr.. Webster then added that he had
been instructed by the bar to appear
before the grand jury and that he ex-
pected to do so. After the grand jury
had returned, Mr. Webster, chairman
# the bar committee, stated to rep
resentative of The Herald that he
did not agree with Judge Turner's ap-
parent construction of the law, but it
was his judgment that if the attorney
general were indicted and convicted
he could be removed from office under
the statute.
Judge Turner's charge to the grand
jury required nearly an hour and a
half for its delivery. 1t was one OF
the most exhaustive that the court has
ever made, an effort being made to
cover all offenses. The liquor laws,
the road law, the sheep tax law, etc,
were all fully charged, The general
duty of the grand Jury was stressed.
He also vigorously charged the anti
law and the law which for
bids the sale of tobacco to minors I'M
der tighten years.
The cort called upon all good citl-
zens to aid the court in any way pos
sible in ferreting out and Furnishing
crime. He said that he knew that the
grand jury would welcome assistance
from any source.
The grand jury is composed OF the
following: Frank Short, Dave Trous-
dale. Allie Sparkman, NJ, H. Fly, W.
l.. Thomas, w. w. Blair, 7. E, Sprak-
man, L. d. Grimmett, J. c. Kennedy,
Thomas Sayce, John f. Stephenson,
w. NJ. Baird and w. 0. Wtherspoon