| Show INFAMIES the united states grand jury was discharged today they reported one hundred and fifty three mostly 12 some are for unlawful cohabitation and adultery but mostly fur for illegal voting this is a political racket to continue the political life of fred T dubuis dubois and the supremacy of the republican party in idaho the following gives other particulars tic ulars regarding the illegal voting proceedings noted in the foregoing on saturday may 31 there developed in the third district court of idaho sitting at blackfoot Black foet an abominable political plot almost a week previously certain parties who had had official connection with the last election in idaho at which territorial officers and a delegate gate to 1 congress had been voted for were summoned to appear before the grand jury at blackfoot poll books of precincts where I 1 mormons cormons Mor mons were living were sent for to be produced before those inquisitors inqui it WAS at once surmised that some scheme was afoot to make political capital at the expense of the mor mons pa r or of those who had resigned their membership in that church prior to registering but it was for a time uncertain what the procedure was to be doubt upon this point was soon removed about the middle of the week it became known that a number of mormons cormons Mor mons 11 whose resignations eions as members ot of their church had been tendered and who had thereupon registered and voted had been indicted now the offense thereby committed against the territorial terri toral statute it offense it was was misdemeanor barred at the expiration of one year by the statute of limitations it was known that more than a year had bad elapsed since the election and it was further generally gent rally supposed that the dismissal of a large number of indictments at malad three or four months ago abich had been found against resigning mormons cormons Mor mons had been accepted by all concerned as a fl final nal settlement of the vexed and troublesome matter but political exigencies which chieh have arisen since the dismissal of those indictments have impelled a certain clique cliftie of conspirators to begin these prosecutions again this could not be done under the territorial law because under it as above stated the offense if any had been committed was barred barret sl but a delegate to congress had bad been voted for at that election hence a congressional statute designed to secure fair elections of members of congress including delegates could it was hoped ly by the conspirators be made to apply the indictments were thLe therefore found under section of the revised statues of the united states a violation of which constitutes a misdemeanor which to is not barred by limitation for two years the th clause in this section which the he prosecution relied upon makes t an offense for any person not hav ng a lawful right to vote for a delegate to or a member of congre so ao to vote one of the defendants who had been indicted was arrested and his case made a test one on demurrer james H hawley esq of the law firm of hawley reeves blackfoot appeared for the de defense feuse and united states district attorney wood for the prosecution the demurrer to the indictment was argued last saturday forenoon and aad was based on the proposition that an act to constitute an offense under the section under which the indictment was brought must be a violation of some law of the united states relating to the qualifications of electors mr hawley made an excellent argument in support of the demurrer he showed shoed how absurd it would be to punish a violation of a territorial law under a penal section of a congressional law there was no pre genbe that any law of congress forbade the mormons cormons Mor mons in idaho to vote hence if they had done so no law 0 congress had been violated by thern them in so ao doing mr wood held that section united states revised statutes made it an ottense for any person arso not having a lawful right under the territorial law to vote for a delegate to congress to east cast au such eb a vote and that a person might therefore be punished under this law of congress for violating the law ot idaho relative to elections judge berry after helping mr wood with his argument rendered a decision in his favor and adverse to the demurrer it is expected that under this de cislon ci siona a large number of indictments will be found perhaps as many as of course those who were indicted under the territorial law but were dismissed after the taking of their plea cannot be re indicted but all alleged mormon voter sat the lastelic last election for delegate to congress except these are liable to indictment several objects are sought to be gained by this ae indicting inducting indic ting process it is no secret that if the accused will pledge support offer of certain kroml prominent client republican politicians the cases against them will be dismissed dU missed conversely there is an implied threat in this gormas proceeding gorm that if the resigning cormons mormons Mor mons DS support the democrats the cast cases against them will be pushed thu itts it is sought to make and brandit h a gigantic club with the hope that thai they can be intimidated the more criminal prosecutions the more fees this thi financial proposition alto has boa its weight while an reason and unjust hatred of the mormons Mor mons 11 their religion and their friends is 14 doubtless a factor of the scheme idaho presents the deplorable sight of a commonwealth whose courts and governmental machinery are run by and in the interest lute rest of corrupt and g politicians at the expense of justice good order and the public welfare and at an enormous cost to the taxpayers idaho juneo |
