The New York herald., 1874-08-18
THE NEW JURY LISTS.

Increase OF Names the Present Year
! The Universnlfty of Claims for Exemp-
tion from Jury Duty-EIow the Names
Are Oht atned-Grand n nd Petit Jurtes--
Those Who Are Exempt by Law.
| The present period ia the annual one when the
important duty Of selecting Jurors for the ensuing
year is gone through with by that important func.
! uonary, the Commissioner OF Jurors AS the new
! jury year begins on October and Is supposed 70
! close on June l, the interval OF four months IS
given TO collecting the names OF persons liable the
lists being definitely made out IN August SO that
during the month Of September exemptions may
be claimed. II the fatal day, September 80, passes
without any claim OF exemption being made, tnen
there s help for IT, and the unfortunate citizen
must 20 through his year without a murmur or
else may murmur at his ease upon the payment OF
$50 eaca time, which may be made $3.50 II the
judge SO pleases, ano even Imprisonment II there
be any peculiar obstnacy on the part OF the Juror
Singular TO say, it is doubtful II there be any
thing more utterly repn2nant to the average 9th
zen In good repute than jury duty. He will
undergo any length OF time lost any amount OF
money spent, any humiliations, any privations, to
escape the thing. he Will get hundred letters of
Introduction, one alter the other, II he can only
finally reach the Commissioner OF Jurors twho at
that moment becomes Of colossal Importance IN
his eyes) and convince that oficer that he (tne
juror is an idiot. knave broken down invalid,
any thing that will enable him 10 escape the hated
dury All this Is, Of course on some occasions Of
no avail, as somebody has to serve: bnt the
superhuman exeruons put forth cause pos
sibly three-qUarters OF those VINO liable 70
escape on some excuse or other. Some people are
even willing 10 commit and do commit any amount
The timejtaken to select the jurors and make out
the years lists is fixed during the summer months
because OF the TACT tnat the courts vacations make
the matter more easy at that time. The plan Is q
simple one The Commissioner OF Jurors who still
Changes 81 the past four Years taxes the new d.
rectory, when IL comes out In June, and, by ita
aid carefully goes over all the names therein
which look likely people, taking mainly merchants
and smaller tradesfnen as being the most answer.
able. These tables or names and addresses are
used with the noll lists, which show the voters OF
each election district, and a most valuable addl-
ton II Is oeing hist which has been sworn to-
Then the rosters OF all the military and fire com
panes are taken, and the names which are CON-
prised in them are stricken on as not being eligible
Besides miitamen and fremen, the following
persons are exempt from jury duty
Aliens persons not citizens election officers nou-res
Do Or eDanse ga
and teachers IN pubIe schools and Colleges ieegraphc
sysny 6esdsa thsss persons mentally
estate.
Alter these lists are fully made out and all who
are exempt on the face OF IL struck OF, the duties
OF the Commissioner for time cease, and the
lists are sent TO The County Clerk, where they |
are placed separately IN large wheels, like the old
time drafting boxes during the war, and drawn |
out sngly. Those who are drawn are notified by |
regular blanks diled out with the names and ad-
dresses and stating the penalties in case OF non !
attendance. The num0er OF these blanks just now
circulating round the city is something appalling,
as Is also the number ofpeople made consequently
wretched. The names drawn are then thrown
away. and az the next panel needed the neces-
sary number Of names is again drawn rom the
wheel until Its contents exhausted. When
some big murder case Is on where exceptions and
objections use uD great many jurors the Com
missioner oil Jurors generally furnishes an extra
panel. This ofIcai always has some 1000 5000
names in reserve, winch can be produced at apy
moment Dwelling or lodging by any citZen from
October 70 June repders him liable lor petit Jury
and II is not necessary that he be assessed or
vote When jurors are nned board consisting OF
the City judge, Commissioner Of Jurors and
County Clerk sits each month TO hear objections
Jurors are entitled to So per day for service In the
oyer and Ierminer and General Sessions. Else
With the selection Of the Grand Jury the system
employed is entirely different. This, OF course
being d much more important todv, IL selected
with more care board, consisting OF the Mayor,
Recorder, judge OF the Superior Court and Judge
OF the Court OF Common Pleas ana the Commits
sioner OF Jurors, select the names they please
Tor service the Grand Jury all OF course
men Of cahbre and standing in the community,
and these names, like the Others, are placed IN a
box which Is used az The one already described.
Jurors mast De OF sound mind good character
and must know how TO read and write. TINS Is
called nave any reason 70 allege why they should
not be employed as jurors the way TO avoid 1t is to
can upon the COMMISSIONER OF Jurors. just at
present. OF course, the Office OF the Commissioner
Is daily crowded with all sorts OF people who alege
al sorts OF excuses Tor not serving even going so
lar az 10 declare themselves mentally tncapable
for the duty. All statements must be sworn to-
There is a law which declares that any person
onerlng money TO anv public oficer for exemption
is TO say, imprisonment for one
year and fine OF $780, All the points, indeed are
YET there are loopholes which admit OF the escape
ol great many The new lists contain some 5000
more names than last years, and there Is no
dah2er Oh there being any lack OF jurors.