Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-05-31


That very peculiar institution, trial
by iury-a relic of the wisdom Of our
beef eating ancestors-is daily becom-
ing more and more a laughing stock to
all sensible people, and at last will be
coughed out Of existence, unless speedy
Improvement is made in its formation.
To suppose that an intelligent business
man must be incompetent to act as juror
because he is posted on all the affairs Of
the day, and has exercised his Judgment
by forming an opinion thereon, would
be considered travellers tale if it were
told as occurring in China or TimbuC-
too yet it occurs so often here that we
scarcely deign to be disguised with it.
Why not set aside a body of men to be
Kept in honorable confinement, well-ted
and clad, but denied the means OfknOw-
ing the doings of the outer world so
that they may be ready to act as jurors
in murder cases? Owing to the immense
circulation of newspapers, lin few years
no one will be capable of acting as jul
rors, and in sheer deepar we will have
to complete juries with idiots Temporal
rily loaned from our insane asylums.
The man who never reads the papers
will soon be as much of MS4S natarae as
three-headed twins or ten-legged horses,
and the threatened impossibility Of OBJ
tanning ignoramuses enough to consti-
tute jury, is our only hope for correct
ing the foOlishness of the present sys-
TEN, which is decidedly mockery Of all
ideas Of progress.
HOW TO GET A JUROR.
The difficulty in finding a competent
juror in murder trial Gas witness the
Otero case, in Brooklyn has suggested
my pian4to prevent the like trouble, in
similar cases in future.
To the better understanding of the
matter, [ will set down q few Of the
questions put to the parties called upon.
The first juror called was Mr.. Adam
Smith.
"Do you know anything about this
case ?"
II do"
"Have you formed any opinion about
it?"
"Does that opinion still RENAME"
ut does"
do you read the papers ?"
II do"
Mr.. Smith was rejected.
Asa Virgins called by the clerk.
Have you formed any opinion about
this case"
II have, but it is not Of such a nature
as to prevent me from rendering an i'm
partial verdict"
"Did you form this opinion from read.
ing the papers"
II did"
Mr.. Virgins was also set aside.
John Funk is next catechised.
"What is your occupation?"
Farmer"
'Have you read anything in the papers
about this case?"
mo, never read the papers"
"Have you heard anything about it ~
swell, yes; I suppose so. herr
some of my neebers say that an Irish
man killed three pesky Italians down t
Brooklyn"
could you give an impartial yer
dict 2"
II could"
| II GU say YOU uGsCi 4Cau GIC pdDCLo !
''No, I read the almanac only"
Mr.. Funk was sworn.
Laurence O'Brsen is next questioned
''Have you formed any opinion Of thi
case from reading the papers?"
II have"
"Are you Fenian?'
II am"
care you for Roberts or for O'Maho
ney?"
"For the one that fights the soonest.
"Then you must be Of a blood thirst
disposition, and not suitable for ju
ror.''
Mr.. O'Brien was rejected,
Frank Keyser comes next to be ques
toned.
what is your occupation 2"
Butcher"
"Then you occasionally smell blood ?
3 Eyes"
"Then you are not familiar with tn
aog Of life's fatal tide"
Fra. k Keyser is rejected.
After Sours were spent in this man
- an thew only succeed in getting two
aud I become so impatient that | starte
off to secure the services Of two Others
xgbo knew would make excellent ju
rors according to the present STANDARD
for one Of them asked me year ago
stouewall Jackson wasn't ska man tbs