The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-08-04

bIlIS anu keep track OF the import
ant work of the grand jury. Form
.er District Attorney Peter Fisher
/ Jr., appeared before the board and
urged the payment of the bills for
detective work. No formal action
had been taken on these bill up to
four o'clock.
"T'll stay here until I get as much
of it as can. | can't expect to get it
all. The practices of violating the
law have been too long established in
Kenosha county to expect any man
to get it all. We must dig and fight
for it. The lid is being clamped down
pretty tight now and we have to pry
pretty hard in order to get a peek in
side. We feel that when the grand
jury has completed its work that it
will be work worth while to Kenosha
county but there is much yet to be
done and more expenditures to be made
and | want to feel that we have back
of us the support of the county board
of supervisors and the officials of Ke-
nosha county"
| This was the statement that Special
Prosecutor Mortimer E. Walker made
to the county board this morning in
discussion of a bill filed by the Rus
sell Detective Agency for payment for
work in connection with the prelim-
mary investigation and the grand jury
probe.
Total of Bill Over $4,000.
The total of the bill was in excess of
ten thousand dollars-to be exact $1O,-
ALIAS and the presentation of it fea-
tured the opening session of the meet
ing of the board today. The bill cover
ed not only the cost of the preliminary
investigation of conditions in Kenosha
county but also the work that has been
done in the grand jury investigations.
1t was shown that the work was done
under contract made by former
District Attorney Peter Fisher and it
was said that it had been made with
the advice and consent of Circuit
Judge E. B. Belden. A copy of the con-
tract was in the hands of Distict At
torney Symmonds and it was to be
presented to the board this afternoon.
Members of the board showed no sign
of their attitude toward the bill and
the statement was made to them that
it might be difficult to itemize the bill
and give details which would expose
the secret work of the grand jury
May Hold Up Bill Indefinitely.
eff there should be an insistence
that all the details of this evidence
be laid before the board" said Mr..
Walker, lit would greatly embarass the
work of the grand jury and we should
be forced to counsel you to take no
action on the bill rather than make
such disclosures"
at would be absolutely contrary
to the law to make public these facts
at this time" said District Attorney
Frank Symmonds in support of the
plan of Mr. Walker. 1t was suggest
ed by the attorney that the board
might make allowance on the bill and
appoint committee to confer farther
on the matter with the understanding
that every bit of information possible
would be given to the committee
Support of Officials Paramount.
81 am not at liberty to go into the
details of this BILL" continued Mr.,
Walker in addressing the board, 'but
l will give any information possible
which will not interfere with the. work
of the grand jury This is large bill
and the investigation Isl not complet-
ed. The work has been done, and it
has disclosed some evidenced which
must be kept secret"
Speaking Directly to the members of
the board Mr.. Walker said:
ut is quite important that we know
the attitude of the board. I personal
ly do not care to go on with this work
if it hasn't the support of the board
and the officers Of Kenosha county. I
| feel that it is great work and that
it has the support of the board and
every good citizen Of the county I
! want at this time to ask every member
of the board to help US in this inves-
| tigation To come to US and advise
with us as to conditions. 1t is not mr
desire that any money be wasted but
we have to dig and dig deep for the
/ evidence. If we could have the peo-
1 pie give it to US gratuiously it would
save the people lot Of money"
i Mr. Walker advised the board that
/ all expenses incurred by the Grand
/ jury could be taken care of under the
law by the order of the circuit Judge
He held, however. that some of the
work for which the bill of the detec-
tives had been presented had been
done before the grand jury had been
| formally called and under the contract
made by the district attorney with the
consent land approval of the circuit
judge,
Symnonds Asks Aid.
The first request of the new district
attorney of Kenosha county, Attorney
Frank S. Symmonds, from the county
board this afternoon was for the en-
ploying of a plainclothes man to CO.
/ operate with the official in his work
/ The salary of the man is not TO ex-
| coed $3.50 q month. It is expressly I'M
derstood that his identity shall be
known only to the prosecuting attor-
ney. Attorney Symmonds declaring
that if his identity must be revealed
even to a very small committee or cir
| Gle his value would be take naway.
at is my desire to entirely coop
crate with the board" declared the
new district attorney just after noon
today when he addressed the board. 81
have no axe to grind. shall do my