The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-08-28
MOLSEM JUSTICE.

might cnlde MN 1or 'JelllnB stOrleS
out of school, has been a Sheriff
in our county for years, and under
stands all the crooks and turns Of the
law and courts. Not long since 1
met him Just set free from an attend
ance upon the April term of the Su-
preme Court, and he was particularly
wofn and iaded. Said he, in the
course of conversation:
"I tell you, sir, this trial by jury,
which we hold so high in the scale Of
human rights, is the yeriest humbug
that ever was. For fifteen years ]
have attended every term Of our
courts-the Supreme, Judicial, the
Superior and the Law Terms-and
the longer live in this experience
the more disgusted l become with
the average working of the jury sys-
TEN. In squad Of twelve jurymen
there is no individual responsibility.
Eight of them might be honest and
intelligent; two Of them may be stu
pid and opinionated; and in nine
cases out Of ten, at least, you will
find two who are partial and un-
scrupulous--two men who are friends
of one of the contending parties, and
who will stick to him through thick
and thin.
"Only night before last" he went
on, 81 was out in charge Of jury
from six o'clock in the evening until
almost daylight on the following
morning. The case was one of con-
tract. The contractor had sued for
work done. The defendant produced
the written contract in court, and
showed that the prosecutor had bro
ken said contract in nearly every
stipulation, and also proved that not
half the work agreed upon had been
done; and, furthermore, he clearly
1 established that, as the contractor
had left him, he was a sufferer by the
Imperfect work thus improperly be-
gun. Upon the jury were found four
friends Of the prosecutor-men, ig-
norant, pugnacious and stubborn
They insisted that the prosecutor
was entitled to full pay, as per con-
tract, for every day work perform
ed, and for every article of material
furnished. And they sat back against
the wall and waited for the other
eight to give in. And atthree o'clock
in the morning, after having been
under lock and key for nine hours
lit was Saturday morning, and they
mast go home) those eight men gave
in!'
And my frind said much more
which I will not repeat. He told
things which he had known to trans
pire in the jury-room which would be
} hardly credited by confding pub
lie. One was where a tired jury de-
cided an important case by the flip
of penny, "Heads for the plaintiff
tails for the defendant" Heads il
J was and the defendant got his case
! My friends remarks and reminis-
9 cences brought to my mind a few
t items of my experience with Moslem
> Justice, and as we had plenty Of time
on our hands, 1 related to him thu
following, as I have it in my Log O.
o Three Years Cruise upon the wa
ters and shores of the Mediterranean
-1841-2-3 and part Of 1874.
We went from Jerusalem to Con
stantinople overland (when I say
we, "I mean Capt, VIM. Nichols
Lieut.. Charles G. Hunter, Midship
man John Mcleod Murphy, and my
self, all of the United States Navy
and q small town at the southerl
Y base of Mount Arijiah, in the Pacha
lie of Karamania. On the eyenin!
of our arrival I learned that an olt
Mollah imam of law) had come fron
Karakissar to hold court; and h
whose name was Ben Ahmed-had
certain portion of the Pachalic unde
his charge, and in all cases not eapi
|, tai. and not involving direct Stat
affairs, his decision is final. He wa
both Judge and jury-law-giver, ez
s FOUNDER and executor. From hi
: decision there was no appeal. Shoul
he prove to be corrupt, Of cours
there were higher powers to which b
=. was amenable-and woe to the of
Ger of Turkish corruption! | ha
, heard of the wisdom of these ol
!" Moslem Justices, and. as two Of th
ne cases which would be brought fol
Of or ward on the present occasion ha
v. been explained to me, / had a cur
: osity to see how they would be dii
posed Of. ~,
= II was near the middle of the fort
= noon when I gained favorable SCI
S, in an open court of the market plac'
fs' where the judgments were to'be rel
dered. Most Of the space was &C,
cred by an awning of cotton clotl
ed and the arrangement for order WI
perfect. Mollah was a man Of fu
three score and ten, tall and hant
= some; his flowing beard white
snow, and his eyes bright as clei
stars.
T. The first case was the dispute
Y H- possession of slave. The plant
NJ was an elderly man, named Must
all pha, by profession a jewel merchan
&C. The defendant was a youthful pea
ant. named Galbec. The slave was
Circassian girl, and quite pretty, al
III. az present in custody of the peasa
'ut Galbec, who claimed to be her own'
"The girl is mine, said the Jew
: merchant earnestly; 81 bought b
ten years ago when a mere child, al
have reared her and provided for h
until within a year past.
"The girl is mine, said the pea
ant. a stout, well-looking young +,
low Of not more than five and tive
ty. 81 bought her of her own faith
J for my wife three years ago. List
not to that old man. He would q
...,, T.o4.st1d ornent he render