, 1874-05-31

Hartman-1t is q humbug and farce ver-
diets are rarely given according to tho law aud
| the evidence.
Reportor-What proportion Of the Jurors arc
I able to understand the testimony
Hartman-A very email one. Many Of them
60 to sleep, and have seen many Of them IN
! that condition. 1t does not make any difference
whether the hear the Testimony OF not. as their
minds made up, aud what interest ia it to
them to listen to the comments OF the attorneys? ?
THE LAWYERS STORY.
Having secured the views Of Constable tho
next thing to be done was to get those OF an al
torney who is familiar With the ins aud outs Of
the Justices Courts. aud such an one was found
in H. A. Wilder, who related lis experience in
this wise.
Reportcr--I understand. Alr. Wilder, that you
nre posted in the mysterlcs-not exactly that,
because the buying Of jurymen is as evident as
dnylight-but say the abuses OF the jury system.
Mr. Wilder-Ies, have seen it all, l guess.
An ILLUSTRATION.
Reporter-1lustrate it.
MIR. Wilder-Wcll, the best illustration OF tbs
syRte1u is III relation to. landlord aud tenant A
man has house that is worth good deal Of
money to him ; the tenant refuses to pay the
rent, aud he sues him. Then comes in the p1ac-
tice OF putting up jury to favor tho tenant.
aud enable him TO win the case. proba-
bly, he ia paying $40 OF $50 month
rent. It costs him about halt to win
the suit, and he is just $40 or s25 Khead. When
the suit is commenced, some one invariably tells
the tenant to take jury. He calls ona Consta-
BILE, and tho Constablegets him up jury to giye
M verdict for him for SO much money There arc
.nd hoy da 16tnns aa ese 5nt sls
on jurics. Tho get So or - apiece, or whatever
thoy eau squeeze out Of the party after giving
verdict for him: The Constable Is generally tho
mddleman, and he or somebody fog him, goes to
one Of the leaders Of gang Of professional
jurymen and tells him he wants jury at such
3 time and at such place in certain case. The
middle or outside man geta them together, and
has them there. and the Constable impanels
them. In order to guarantee proper verdict, he
has to tell them that there il so much money in
it, whether there il or not.
THE RAs0ALLY coSsTABLEs.
Reporter-Do tho Constables ever .'bcat" the
jurymen?
lfr. Wider-Yes-pocket all they ee. from
the party who wants to win the case, Some
tlmes they only treat the intelligent Jurors, You
know that the parties can have Jury OF six or
OF twelve. Sometimes each party calls for six,
aud, the two gangs having been paid to bring in
different verdict, Why they disagree,
DISHONEST LAWYERS.
Keporter-Are not the countenauceB Of these
fellows familiar to tile attorneys who practice III
the Justice Courts?
Mr. Wiider-Some Of them are; but there are |
LAWYERS WHO Assist III packing the juries. The |
jurylneu belong in different parts OF the city.
and, after hayi ng served on the South Side for
while, they emigrate to the West Side, and then |
to The North, going through atl the courts where
their services are needed. They can only be ex- |
cuHcd from serving for CAUSE, and when ono |
does not know any cat1He, he is obliged to tuko |
them, no matter how corrupt tloy may be. |
Even If half dozen are excused, the middle
others there. and the eame kind Of
men AZ those dismissed, arc placed on /
the venire. Three or four panels might be |
exhausted, and still you would be confronted
selected si1 or twelve, az the case may be, 10
matter what the evidence is, or loT plain tie
law, tho chances are nine in ten that their YER
dict will be contrary to both, because they have
been bought up By, the party who has weak
drink for giving such and such verdict, and
il the middleman has not divided with them,
they Will SO to the party who won the suit and |
say say to him: :. u went yout ray: You had no
get 81 OF 81. and then again they do not
THE BUNS PAID.
Reporter-What ate thoy usually pail2
Mr. Wilder-lt depends on the amount in
volveu. The tenants who wish to beat a iani
lord out Of his rent pay tue most; and, often item
timee whom an arrangement has been made aud
40 money paid down, the midd1emen bone
'lients until they are almost wild.
Heporter--The Constables work through the
niddlemen?
Mr. Wilder-Yes, aud toll you the Constables
Ire making more money than any LAWYER.
PoWEH OF TILE JUSTICES.
Reporter-Cannot the Justices prevent the
packing Of jurics
Mr.. Wilder-No. The law s.yB that they are
o be excused perempto orily for Cause. but if
ellow porjures himself, and you don't know he
lying, how can you help yourse1f7 You are
obliged to stand by and see the case decided
:onfrary to the law and the evidence.
kGpQrteT-ThB ByBtem fuIlat he 4 frnuH than , |
Alr Wlder-YeB. If man is not up to the
TICKS, no matter how good case he has, the
1erdict will be against hum and that often in
rnE CRIMINAL COURT.
hepolter-Does the practice Of packing juries
prevail to any extent IN the Criminal Court?
Mr. Wlder-ln my opinion, it does
MMTp9f;eIm"ho MTp W;1da- no 9et Up the {uries there7
men Serve there and know OF five or ak in
''1nces where juries Nero put up.
hcpolter-Can lawyers have men put On tho
10 thst they Niu be available when their
j, NE, Wild, Well, it is done; but Charley
aeeu ~ aoea not EMO" anything about it, because
10 cannot Keep track OF tbs BailIs and The
hsras .re aao nvedt;1nng else Even professional
be use OF nan standing up and arc1;r1 ~ ,
'uch fellows, when he knows three nr fous
hem are certain t9 50 against him There IL il
lis success entirely to packing juries. As thincs
IRE now, Il man has no show on tho merits Of TIA
ase unless he makes the trickery Of the hnsi.
less special study, or packs jury himself
'ince the legislature allowed 1urors pay, thei.
numbers have increased immensely. aud there f,
re three now where there WAS one before
WIT NOT PROSECUTE THEM? {
Reporter-Why are they not prosecuted for
'erjury when it is known that they have sworn |
alsely? :
Mr.. Wuder-I don't know. What is every
ody q business is nobody's business. No une I
akes any interest in the matter. II appeals arc 1
Rken. one cap genotally get Justice IN The hich,