Imperial Valley press., 1934-11-02
WILL. ASSIST
PROSE.CU
IN DEFE NSE
y Indicted Official To Be Aided
By Man Who Fought Against
Him In Behalf OF keyes.
WILL REMAIN IN Off CE
County Attorney Rules Indict-
ment Does Not Disqualify Him
From Duties.

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 2. U.P) -
District Attorney Buron Fits today
surrounded himself with a battery
of brilliant legal counsel to battle
an indictment charging he perjured
his testimony in explaining his
handling of a Hollywood Glove
mart" case in 1881
The indictment was returned by
the county grand jury last night
and named as co-defendant Fits
sister and confidential secretary
Mrs. Berthal Fits Gregory.
Fits was offered the services oil
Jerry Giesler, noted Los Angeles
criminal attorney, and several 9TH
er barristers of repute.
Oddly, it was Giesler who de-
Tended and Fits who prosecuted
the latter's predecessor in office
Asa Keyes, on bribery charges III
1929. Keyes was sent to San Quen-
tin.
Fits blasted the indictment as a
political plot fostered by superior
Judge Fletcher Bowron and DR.
John p. Buckley, foreman OF the
grand jury. He accused Judge Bow
ron of hand picking the jury fol
the specific purpose of attacking
him.
The indictment was based upon
an appearance Fits made before
the 1881 grand jury to explain why
ne had dismissed morals charges
against John p. Mills, millionaire
San Diego realtor before being
brought to trial. Mills was accused
of being q patron of love mart,
allegedly operated by Mrs. olive
Clark Day and William Jobelmann
Charges against the couple also
were dismissed when young girl
star witness disappeared. The grand
jury at that time gave Fits a clean
bill of health, accepting his expla-
nation the case was dismissed for
want OF evidence.
The present grand jury retained
Clyde Shoemaker, deputy state at
tornev general, as special proSecu-
ter. For three months, the old case
was investigated Officials indi-
Gated that other and more serious
charges might follow, involving at
least two other persons.
Buckley, the foreman, said in a
formal statement that "the indicI-
ments speak for themselves"
"They were voted by the jury in
pursuance of its duty ne said
1.-The task was neither easy nof
pleasant"
Although the indictment set bail
at 5000 each, Fits and his sister
were released on their own reeo6-
nizance pending arraignment No
yember 9.
BY a coincidence, the true bills
were voted just six years and 9
day after the 1923 grand jury in
dicted Keyes for accepting bribe
in the Julian petroleum Corpora
ton fiasco. Keyes served 10 months
in prison before he was paroled
He died, a broken man. only a few
weeks ago.
Fits who prosecuted him was
elected to succeed him as district
attorney in 1928 and in 1882 was
reelected. Previously, Fits serVe1
partial term as lieutenant COVER
nor of California.
Fits, attacking Judge BoWrof
who instructed the grand jury
demanded "full and fearless eH-
pose of the disreputable and ma
licious forces back OF the whole sit
uation having access to the present
grand jury This, he said, wa
mere important than that he b'
cleared.
Prejudicially instructed and in
decently manipulated, the majority
of the present grand jury has beer
used by Judge BoWron and politi'
cally ambitious foreman, Dr.. Buck.
ley, as political weapon agains
me and my office.' he said.