The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-06-06
An Experience as a Juror.

A correspondent of the New York Wortd
gives the following summary OF his experience
in the Court of General Sessions as a juror,
which will prove interesting to such as ore
familiar with the duties of that onerOus posi-
ton:
Several weeks ago received a notice from
the Commissioner informing me that had
been drawn as petty juror in the Court Of Gen
eral Sessions and would be required to there
present myself on the first day of the ensuing
month. Being desirous to personally partici-
pate in an experience of criminal life, sedu-
lously refrained from seeking any excuse, and
resolved to do my duty as man and as an
American citizen. So, arriving in the court
room at ansearly hour, / took my seat within
the inner railing, and improved the time by
studying the situation and surroundings. Out
side, in that portion of the room devoted to
male witnesses and spectators-the seats on an
ascending plane, as in theatre-was as mot
ley a collection of individuals as could we'll be
found. People well-dressed, addressed, and
only partially dressed, were jumbled together
in a most variegated confusion, nor were want
ing faces we'll befttlng this variety in costume.
1t was comparatively easy for even an lnexpe-
rienced physiognomist to distinguish between
the witnesses and the friends of the prisoners,
come to testify on their behalf or to sympa-
thize with their fate-be it acquittal or convic-
ion,
The study of these countenances is inter-
r1lpted by the opening of door at The further
end of the apartment, and stir in that neigh
borhood. Heads are turned and bodies bent
ouriously around to see the cause of this COM
motion. It is the arrival of the days batch OF
criminals, marching in from the van which has
brought them from the Tombs. A queer-look-
ing lot, but the greater number owning, that
vicious type of face which is as unmistakabie
an index of its possessor's character as II 1T
were written upon his forehead IN leglble
words. Then comes the rattle of clanking
handouts, and one by one they are swallowed
BY the prisoners box, only to emerge on the
call of the District Attorney.
All this time my fellow.jurors have been ar
irving, and now take the opportunity to no
tice those with whom / am associated. Two
circumstances first attract my attention-the
large proportion of Germans, and next, how
manv of them are young men-that is, men
who cannot have voted at more than one
Presidential election. A very great majority
are apparently men of intelligence, competent
to think clearly and Judge fairly. Two or
three, however, are undoubtedly of that obsti-
nate, chuckle-headed race who, having imbibed
one ooverty-stricken idea into that odd COM
pound (which they are pleased to call their
minds" are immovable as the everlasting hills,
to which class belonged the celebrated Judge
who wanted to hear only one side of case,
because when both had spoken they confused
him SO that he was unable to decide:
Most of the cases are for larcenies, either
grand or petty the former when the property
Stolen is above the value of S25, and the latter
when under. These are often uninteresting,
though now and then some droll incident will
enliyen the proceedings. In one of the last
cases of the term two small boys were arraign-
ed for petty larceny-stealing some chickens, l
think. was their offense. They pleaded guilty,
and. as IL was the first time they had ever been
in trouble, the Judge, as he usually does in
such instances when good character is proven,
suspended Judgment, the more particularly that
the mother of one of the boys interceded for
him, and testified to the strength Of her affec-
ton for him, which, / trust, exceeded that of
her arm. No sooner were the boys told that
they were free than, following her unfortunate
eFspring, she swung her hand around and
dealt him most lusty cuff on the side of the
head that made him stagger; then, as ne start
ed to run, she gave him tremendous thump
on the back. Perceiving this effusion of ma
terpsl feeling, he incontinently bolted she
after him. It is feared that the boy did not
enjoy himself when he arrived home.
An extremely odd instance of circumstan-
tial evidence occurred in one trial which is
worthy of being recorded Workmen, going
in the morning to the building at the corner of
Broadway and Leonard street, found there a
man who, not being able to give any good ac-
count of himself or what he was Going in that
place, was handed over to the police, taken to
the station.house, and detained for examlna-
aion. He was previously searched and bro
ken-blaaed knife taken from him. Hardly had
this been done than porter, belonging to
store in Leonard street, about eight buildings
from the corner, came in to announce that the
store had been broken into during the night.
Il had been entered from the scuttle, boxes
sansacked and several drawers forced open, in
one of which he had found about three-quar-
ters of an inch of knife-blade The SER
geant Immediately thought of the broken
bladed knife taken from the suspicious man,
and compared the two-they fitted together ex-
actly. Upon this detective was sent to ex-
anime the new building, and discovered from
the roof rope hanging down about twenty
feet to the adjoining building, whence was a
clear level to the store entered. Around the
cocn drawers were noticed drops of candle
grease, and the end of a candle was found in
. pocket of the suspicious mans trousers. At
ter the verdict, the prisoner was identified as
one convicted of burglary several years ago,
but whose sentence had been postponed on
condition that he would leave the country.
This he never did, and SO, being adjudged
guilty, thai overlooked bit Of the hnife-blade
cost him FIVE years at hard labor in Sing Sing
One of the mysteries of large city came
cut in trial for manslaughter. The defen-
dant was standing at the door of asaloon when
he saw tipsy man coming down the street,
followed by a jeering, buzzing crowd of boys
and girls. The man picked up large piece of
paying-stone and was about to throw it at two
Of the children, who were running away from
him, screaming, when the prisoner knocked it
from his hand Upon this, the man struck
him; they clinched and the assaiiant was
thrown down. Rising to his feet, ne staggered
nm. he was found to be dead from conclusion