Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-06-16
DEAD BEAT JURORS.

We assure ihe editor Of the
Abingdon VIEGIN,AN that in our
structures upon dead-beat jurors we
J ad no reference TO him particular
y, and if we have wounded him It
vas accidental. The whole of our
information on the subject was OBJ
tanned from others as we are rarely
allowed an opportunity to inspect
he composition Of juries either at
Abingdon or elsewhere, The peo>
Die Of Sullivan congratulate us and
say they know we referred to
Blountville. The people Of wash
ington congratulate rs and say we
struck at Abingdon. The ire Of
the YrReINIAN is all wrong, and
some of its statements are positive
ly Inaccurate. Please compare
these extracts from It's last issue.
ave copy the foregoing unkind ana
uncalled for philippe from the Bristol
NclC5 of the "a inst, which we had
not seen till our attention was called
10 il a day or two ago.
The NciOs ought TO have known that
the Jurors Ia all our Courts are Tegu.
idrly dram, and that i'm no case are
others summoned except where en-
pannelled iurics are so engaged as to
make an extra one necessary, in which
case the Sheriff'is directed TO improviSe
jury from among the bystanders."
Thee are two or three gentlemen
residing in Abingdon who are FIRE.
quenHy put upon extra juries, particu-
larly Where property is 10 be valued OF
damages assessed.
Ii has been the custom of the Sheriff
at seasons when farmers are busy t.
make up his extra juries, ~ far as lac
can. from citizens Of the tOtOH, and
these are the persons whose motives
are impugned by the NelOs, and whom
that paper virtually charges with
Preiury."
We arc truly glad that the
neighbors Of the editor have COM
menced calling his attention to
matters Of local interest. How
iuries Gin all our Courts are regu-
larly drawn" and yet low it can be
that "two or three gentlemen resi-
ding in Abingdon are FREQUENTLY
PUT upon extra jules" the Virgin
Ian can of course explain, but we
will await said explanation.
How it can be that "the jurors
in ALL of our Courts are regularly
drawn" the News ought TO know
"a-d vet how it can be that it has
been the custom Of the Sheriff at
seasons when farmars arc busy to
make mp his extra juries, as far as
he can, from citizens of the town"
the News ought not to know.
Nov this soft Of talk the Vir-
gilman ought not to indulge in.
That journal does great injustice
70 its character for accuracy when
it accuses MS of charging these
town jurors with perjury and when
it accuses the News of entertaining
from the hour of its birth the opin-
ion of Abingdon that nothing good
could come ont of it. The News
supported Mr.. Gibson for Congress,
Judge Campbell for the Supreme
Court, Judge Johnson for the Sem
ate, and Abingdon for the Asylum,
and that good old burgh shall yet
know-God willing-that we have
other good things in store for it.
The plan of drawing jurors iniis-
criminately from the county is the
life Of the jury system. To sum-
mon them from the town as far a,
Il ey can be obtained destroys the
system and makes the jury farce.
There need be no perjury implied
and no such charge is intended by
the NEWS. The innocence of both
Judge and Sheriff we are perfectly
r.,,dy to admit, for we never donbt-
e,l K, l,at We Say again that reform