The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-06-30
THE JURY INFAMY.

The truly admirable character of the jurie'
which have served this last month in thu
State courts has caused deserved comment
but, although the result has thus apparent
" been good, we deem it our duty to expose
the monstrous nature of the system now IN
use for the choosing Of jurors, and to warn the
community against the dangers that are i'm
pending, flowing from that system.
Under the law, as it now stands, the Cover
nor appoints two jury commissioners, who
have salary of $500 year each. Their
duty is, when called upon by order Of court, to
furnish q venire that is, list of the names
Of those persons whom they designate. They
can choose whom they please. There is moth
ing to regulate them, except the fact that they
are removable at pleasure, without cause, by
the Governor.
Now the practical working of this is to
make Kellogg the selector Of every jury that
sits.
The process is very simple. Let us suppose
that citizen of this community, call him A.
has made himself obnoxious to the Usurper,
by outspoken denunciations Of his villainy-
and thank God, there are many such in this
great city-what is Kellogg's course? He
goes to the jury commissioners the ones now
in Office are Smallwood, white man, and
Casanave, a colored man-and says to them
Summon this list Of men as a venire for the
Superior Criminal Court" and gives them
number of names of his tools-for dis
graceful as is the admission, there
are such abject men in this city.
The commissioners summon them, or, say,
Messrs. Smallwood and Casanave refuse the
service, then Kellogg removes them instanter,
the law gives him the right to do it, and APP
points two men who will do his bidding out
of the venire thus formed the grand jury is
chosen, that grand jury brings in a true bill
against A for murder, arson, anything. Out
of the same venire is selected the jury to try
him. With such jury, so selected conviction
is secure then comes sentence by Atocha, and
the obstacle is removed from the usurper's
path. How beautifully simple is the whole
process. How easily under the power Of law,
ChA hcIOSb w q AOAOA . SCAi, any OHC
who oppose his infamies
The object in the selection of the exception
ally good juries we have recently had is appa-
rent. 1t is to lull the people into the belief
that the system is good one But wait until
next November, when political prosecutions
arise, and presto, the scene will be changed.
The haunts Of infamy will be ransacked to
obtain citizen judges for our tribunals and
our more intelligent and purer classes u
people that have recently filed our jury boxes
will find themselves reconsigned to the obscu-
rity of private life, while Kellogg, through his
vile instruments, wi II deal out his idea of jus
tice, and carry to yet farther lengths the judi
cial iniquities which, beginning with the mid
night order Of drunken judge, passing from
that to the Picayune libel suits, the Cohen
Railey trial, the Grant parish prisoners trial,
and eliminating for the present in the seizure
Of the forms Of the BULLETIN, have made
Louisiana courts, where presided over by Radi-
,al, judges of infamous notoriety throughout
he Union.
We have spoken of the danger forewarned
s fOrearmed.