Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 April 1908 — COURT MONDAY. [ARTICLE]

COURT MONDAY.

Last Term Until September 14th. WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH PARKER Is One of the Questions Asked.— No Appropriation for Additional Counsel. The April term of the Jasper circuit court will convene Monday. The grand jury is called to meet on the first Monday of the term and the petit jury for the second Monday. Following are the names and places of residence of each:

GRAND JURY. Alter d B. Lowman Barkley tp. George Daniels Barkley tp. Emery Garriott .■ Marlon tp. Ray Wood Rensselaer Amos Davisson ...Union tp. Harvey Pierson Newton tp. PETIT JURY. George Potts Hanging Grove Jesse E1dridge.....................Uni0n Herman Flugal Walker Martin Cain Jordan Chas. R. Weiss Newton Leslie Alter .. - v Union Wm. C. Pruett .“..Jordan John Marlatt Barkley Simon Cook Hanging Grove Dan W. Meyers Kankakee Frederick Karch .Walker P.> B. Downs Hanging Grove Edward E. Paris Gillam James Jordan Marion Ralph Brown Wheatfield John W. Hoyes Hanging Grove

The question of what will be done with the embezzlement cases againßt Robert Parker, the former Remington banker, is being asked by the people of that vicinity who lost their money in his rotten bank. Unless brought to trial at this term of court he cannot be tried here until September, as this is the last term until that time. Of course a change of venue may be asked for from the county, and even then it is not likely that the change would be perfected }n time for trial before the summer vacation in neighboring counties. Newton county has a term of court in May, her last until fall,

and if a change of venue is asked for It is probabl4Pthe cases would be sent there. It is not believed Mr. Parker would gain anything, only a little time perhaps, in taking a change of venue in these cases. The failure was one of the worst that ever occurred in the state and the prospects seem now to be that the creditors will not get over 10 cents on the dollar, so much worse does it get as it is probed into. This is generally known, and the evidence against him is so conclusive, it is said, that apparently there is no possible escape from prison.

The creditors have asked the court to request an appropriation from the county council to procure counsel to assist in the prosecution, but nothing has been done as yet to call the council together for that purpose. The county reform law prohibits any officer, agent, employe or any other person from making any contract or in any way binding a county beyond any existing appropriation—that Is, there must be an appropriation made before the contract is made or services are rendered—and all contracts, obligations or agreements, express or implied, made or attempted to be made contrary to such provision are absolutely null and void. Such being the law it is not likely that any attorney will care to engage in the cases until an appropriation shall have been made.

True, there -has been unlawful departures from the plain language of the statutes, and several supreme court decisions, in this county, in the payment of SIOO to Mose Leopold, the present republican county chairman, and $l3O to E. B. Sellers for extra services in the McCoy cases' but such payments were absolutely illegal and void and the money can be recovered back, and we understand a demand will be made on the county commissioners that they recover same, as provided in the said act. In the event of their failure or refusal to act suit will be instituted on relation of the state for the recovery of thiß $230.

In the case of Dan Day, the murderer of Daisy Phillips, whUe the murder was apparently a most cold blooded one, there are a great many people who believe the boy Is hardly responsible for his acts, and Just what will be done with him is problematical. As stated itt»t week. it has been generally known for years that the boy was carrying revolvers, that he was carrying a shotgun up and down the river, hunting; that he was ugly when teased and had frequently made threats of shooting people, and to a few cases is alleged to have shot at people. Yet no effort

was made to do anything with him. Many have predicted that he vMU sometime kill someone, and now that it has come true a great hue and cry goes up. Why was he not taken care of years ago Instead of being allowed to run the streets, an object of pity and yet a most frightfully deformed and horrible looking specimen of humanity to gaze upon? The Democrat feels truly sorry for such fearfully grotesque and badly deformed creatures, yet it does not believe they should be allowed to run at large on the public streets, objects of horror and aversion, especially to strangers, women and children. They would be much better off in our charitable institutions and the public would be freed of their presence.