The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-04-12
The End of Ceurt.-The April term of

The End Of C0urt.-The April term Of
Circuit Court closed on Friday evening o.
last week.
The jury rendered verdict in the case
of Trafford as. the Deer Creek Iron Com
pany, which was not concluded when oui
report closed last week, of S990.94 for the
plaintiff. This was one of the cases re-
moved from Bel Air Court. The cases
removed from Hartford county and tried
here during the last term, cost upward OF
$1,100, which will of course be collected
off Hartford county. There were but sixteen
cases tried in the long session OF three
weeks, the majority of which were of a
very trivial character. In one case OF
larceny the loss was estimated at 81. So
In another Of assaults and battery the fine
was 10 cents and week in Jail. Such
trifling affairs should be kept out of the
Circuit Court by the Justices of the Peace.
The small commitment fees, which go to
the MAGISTRATE, ale acquired at heavy
cost to the taxpayers of the county
When the ponderous judicial machinery
which is kept in operation, is compared
with the amount of work done, the quanti-
ty seems inconceivably small; and the
wonder is how so much time can be con-
sumed to so little purpose.
Let us take look at this mill of the gods.
And first we have three Judges, and
forty eight jurymen, three clerks including
assistants, sheriff and two assistants, one
crier and five baliffs. The number of reg
ular jurymen is found to be entirely mad
equate, and numerous "tallies are sum-
moned, who receive S. so for days SER
vices if the work lasts only an hour. The
pay of the regular panel, who are not con-
sidsred safe by the lawyers when they have
a bad case, still goes on. Formerly the
Court used to consist of one Judge. Then
three bailiffs were found sufficient to do
the waiting; but with an increase to the
bench it was found that more bailitfs
would be necessary, so that details could
be made when the Court wanted bunch
of game, or there was an auction to cry,
and the business of the county not suffer
by the walters being short handed.
Our clumsy and expensive judicial ma
chinery has survived it's day of usefulness.
The Grand Inquest of the body of Cecil
county," is.a humbug, and the Petit Jury
isn't much better. An honest, sensible
Judge would dispose of ninety mine cases
out Of every hundred that are tried before
juries in a more just and equitable manner,
and in infinitely less time than they are
got through with by the jury. The in
terminable bosh of the lawyers before
juries would be cut short, if the Judge had
the case before him.
The practice of compelling twelve men
to agree when the half of them are con-
WINGED that the other half are ignorant Of
the merits of the case they are shut up to
agree upon, is one Of the most stupendous
judicial farces that it is possible to conceive.
We might go on to point out absurdities of
our clumsy Judiciary, but for the present
these will suffice.
County Commissioners.-The County
Commissioners were in session on T uesday
and Wednesday last, chiefly engaged in
examining and passing accounts, prepare
tory to the next levy.
In the disputed question of locating
bridge over Big Elk Greek, two sets of ex-
aminers were appointed, one consisting of
David Palmer, John r. Russell and John
p. Wilson to examine the Parke, Smith &
Co. site, and the other consisting of James
McCauley, George F. Harlan and DR.. R.
C. Carter to examine the Brewster site.
The reports of Messrs. Lindsay and Pal
mer, examiners Of Back Creek read, Messrs.
Moore, Tosh and Henderson, examiners of
Stony Run road, and Messrs. johnson,
Ricaud and Shippers, examiners of road
from North East to Bay View, were each
received and adopted.
Messrs. Benoni, Cooling, W. r. Mearns
and Stephen Atkinson were appointed ex-
aminers to view and determine the pro-
priety of building bridge at or near
Maffit's Mill on Stony Run.
The tax-collectors were reappointed as
follows: