The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-04-06
An Obstinate Juror.


Alternate ridicule and obloauy have
long been the uncomfortable portion Of
that one iurymanof the else unanimous
twelve who inexorably refuses to agree
with his exasperated associates on
verdict; but there have been cases
in which his seeming peryersity has
proved ultimately to be the salvation
Of Justice, and o venerable English
Judge, recently deceased, was won't to
cite one instance in his earlier Judicial
experience when such peryersity led to
On astounding discovery Of mistaken
truth.
Aman was on trial before this Judge
in the Court Of Common Pleas for
the murder Of a neighboring land
lord, with whom he was known to have
bean on bitterly unfriendly terms, pro-
tested actually with prayers and tears
that he was wholly innocent of the
dreadful crime, though acknowledging
his eumity to the dead man on account
Of some disputed boundary between
their properties, and that the clothing
he wore and afterward concealed on the
day Of the tragedy was deeply stained
with human blood. As he earnestly
told and reiterated his story-he was
taking o morning walk, Us customary,
across the fields OF n certain farm, when
he stumbled upon the body Of man,
who was lying dead amongst some
corn with two deep wounds in his
breast, apparently made by o pitchtork
near at hand. Raising the PROSTATE
figure to ascertain II life yet renfnined,
he was stained by the blood, and dis
covered that the victim was his own
quarrelsome neighbor. Humanity at
first impelled him to give an alarm /;
but in another moment tho thought OF
his well known differences with the
slain man filled him with cowardly fear
Of being connected with the murder.
The idea so increased in its terror that
he turned back to his home, removed
his discolored clothing, and hid it in
the barn where the police afterwards
found 1t.
But this story did not appear reason.
able to the Court and despite the priS.
oner's passionate persistency in II, and
despairing cry TINT /" God and his con.
sciencs'knew him TO be wholly limo.
cent. the case went to the Jury with
apparently absolute certainty Of in
Simultaneous conviction
Such, indeed, must have been tho 70.
suit but for tho dissent OF one Juror,
and he the foreman. This person, .
man Of education, high social and moral
estimation and large properly, begged
the Judge to permit the jury to re-
tire for consultation, and then so rea,
soned, pleaded, and actually prayed will
his associates against their unanimous
\ judgment as TO fairly weary them final
ly into joining him ina verdict OF ac-
quittal. But the astonished Chiel
Justice Indignantly refused TO accept
the verdict, and sent them back again
and again 10 their room, until at lasI
he was oblighed to acceptit. The un'
happy men, cursing their foreman
We're discharged in disgrace, with the
blood of IN unayenged murder left al
their door;" though the prisoner, d
his unexpected and seemingly miracu
lous release, fell upon his knees in cour
with the cry: "You SEQ, my lord, thai
God and clear conscience can sayt
the lost
When tho Judge subsequently heart
by Whit means so strange verdict hai
been effected, and that the man respon
siblc for il was both intelligent and o
high character, he obtained confer
ence with the obstinate juror and nd
jured him TO explain his incomprehen
sible conduct in the matter. The lat,
foreman e1acted q pledge OF secrecy !,
last during his own lifetime, and thet
calmly told why he had labored SO in
hexibly for the accused mans life. OF
the morning Of the murder the mai
doomed to be killed, who was the tith
ing-man Of the parish, called early I,
collect tithes on the speakers corn, AMI
was so arbitrary and violent in his man
ner. as to provoke indignant remon
strances. Becoming enraged, the 1.-THE
gqtherer assaulted the other with
pitchfork which he was carrying, AMI
which belonged 10 o neighbor, and Ii
defense Of his life the assaiied maj
wrested the weapon away, and in so do
ing inflicted wounds ofwhich the ag
gressor fell dead on his way homel
So the actual slayer was the coming
foreman OF the jury-a position he SO
cured for himself at great pains and ex
pense, that he might save an innocen
man from dreadful punishment for 6
crime which he had himself committed
In self.defense.