Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-09-13
Washington County Court.

Washington County Court.
The September term Of the Washington County
, Court was begun yesterday morning in this place
The officers Of the court are as follows Hon TIM
othy 2 Reddcd Presiding Judge Hon James
H. Holden and Hon willard S. Martin, Assistant
judges, Melville T. Smile Clerk Horace w
Iyford, sheriff William T. Dillingham;, States
Attorney, and Henry Oviatt Reporter. The court
came in at ten O'Clock in the forenoon. Prayer
was offered by Rev. Elisha Brown, Of Montpelier
Proclamation WINS made by the sheriff. and the
panels were summoned as follows.
GRIND Jurors-D b. Wheelock, Barre Daniel
Chandler, Berlin; John NJ Fisher, Cabot, Ira $
Dwinell, Calais; willard Atkins, Duxburyi Ma
thaniel Davis, East Montpelier; William Hastings,
Mansfield; William Chaplin, Middlesex' J. C.
Emery, Montpelier; George Buckley, Moretowni
Martin Cobleigh, Northfeld Stephen Spencer
Plainheld. Lyman Fisk, Waitsfeld John Jack
man, Waterbury; Gideon Goodspoed, Warren,
james II Cole, Woodbury.; S c. Cobb, Worcester
Samuel Somerville, Duxbury, and Samuel S Ma
comber, Calais, talesmen.
Pe;d Jurors Charles Wheaton and W c. Nye
Barre; O. b. Bailey and Sylyanus Nye Berlin
Benjamin f. Scott and David C. Conner, Cabot
Levi D. Drew and 5. b. Fair, Calais, D. A. Gray,
Duxbury T. Ainsworth, Fayston Scion +. Cum
mngs and Elhanan W. Ormsbee, Fast Mont
pelier George 2. Miles and G. c. Eaton Middle
sex; George L. Nichols and willard c. Walker,
Montpelier; Francis Wooster and Martin Bemis
Marshfeld; D r. Freeman, Moretown, Cyrus
Johnston and j. e. Gallup, Mortified !. s.
Chamberlain, plaindeld William - circuit. Box-
bury; Thomas D. Poland and William Palmer,
Waitsfeld; William NJ. wade and D. j. Morse,
Waterbury, c. w. Bragg and Ilazen Lyford,
Warren; Rufus NJ Lawson, Woodbury.; George
l., Stone, Worcester
Mr. Lyman Fisk, Of Watsfeld, summonscd on
the grand jury, was too sick to attend, aud MIR j.
G. Gallup Of North6ed and George /. Nichols,
Of Montpelier, summonsed ON the petit jury, hay-
ing gone to the Centennial were excused till their
return home, }. NJ Fisher was appointed clerk
The court appointed Mr. J c. Emery, Of Mont
pcer to be foreman Of the grand jury. Deputy
Sheriff f. w Howe, Of Northfed was sworn to
take charge Of the grand jury, and Deputy sherTs
John yoodry and John l. futile, OF Montpelier
to take charge Of the panels Of the petit jury.
ADMITTED TO ruE BAR
Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Walter T. Wheeler, of
Montpelier, having been examined by the COM
mlttee and found duly qualified, was, on the mo-
ton Of Hon Homer W. ieaton, In whose office he
has been student admitted to the bar Mr.
Wheeler is the son Of Mr. Benjamin Wheeler, a
well known and respected citizen Of Calais, and is
young man Of good abilities and promise
JUDGE REpFIrtp's REMARKS
Judge Redfed made some pertinent remarks
and suggestions both to the grand and petit jurors
Of which We quote the more important passages
10 the grand jury, among other things " No
higher duty is imposed on citizen than is
now imposed ON you Every grade Of offence
simple assault and battery, rum-selling, larceny,
assault with intent TO rob or rape, murder-the
highest crime known to the law--will pass In your
review scrutiny and Judgment Your eXamina-
ton will be secret and wholly e. p0rfe. The law
requires Of you TO warrant a presentment, so
much legal evidence rs satisfies your judgment
Of the guilt Of the party charged beyond a rea-
sonable doubt and such as you believe, il uncon-
tradcted, will insure the conviction Of the respou-
dent. The oath you have taken prescrhes the
trae rule to guide you in the discharge Of this
high trust. You will diligently inquire and true
presentment make you will present no man for
envy hatred or malice, nor will You leave any
man unpreseuted for love, favor, affection, or
hope Of reward You will present things truly as
they come to your knowledge, to the best OF your
understanding and according to the law Of the
state You have n full discretion, limited and
qualified only by your oath, 80 that you can pre-
sent innocent persons for trial and punishment by
malice and revenge, OF you may leave unpresented
the guilty through fear or favor. But you can
do neither without official perjury. conscien-
tious citizen ia the discharge Of this important
trust, can have no friends to favor or enemies
to punish. You have not come together simply
to put certain OF your fellow-citizens in trial
for crime and then return TO your homes but
to uphold and yindicate the criminal laws Of the
state 10 thoroughly sit all breache. Of law within
the county a. | trace them to the offender, and
when guilt Is found by the legal measure Of evil
dence, you have no election, but simple duty re-
qures you to present such offenders for trial and
punishment It is also your duty to protect the
innocent, as well as 10 punish the guilty, and you
will carefully distinguish between acts Of ignor-
ance and actual crimes The distinction between
trespass and larceny Is wide but dependent mainly
upon the criminal intent, and when the act may be
reasonably referred to carelcssness and ignorance
it is better to he charitable and solve the doubt
in favor OF innocence.
4 thorough inquisition H. not proved so much
by the great number you mag present for trial.
as in the careful discrimination you may make iu
the investigation. The times have changed and
we have changed with them Trusts are no longer
sacred the rights Of property are insecure; life
itself has become of little value The public
mind long accustomed to violence and arbitrary
domination over life and property doesn't readily
return under the restraints Of the laws OF the
land, and ideness and yagrancy much enhance
this evil. The law Of the land is the govern
ment. When it fails to uphold right and punish
wrong, to give full protection TO life and property
then government ceases and anarchy begins
The cure for these evils is with the citizens them
selves. When they firmly resolve to give
wholesome administration to the law, when the
punishment of crime becomes swift and search
ing, then government becomes benedcent and
citizenship secure. You will see to it that the
wicked and vicious may feel a wholesome dread
Of crime, and that the community may feel a cor
responding safety for life and property
Ihereare many minor offences where You have
concurrent jurisdiction with justices Of the peace
In such cases, where magistrate resides in the
immediate vicinity Of the transaction, he can
puhi1h pthHt0 Aluit eltttllA anu with less dram
upon the public treasury and unless you have
good reason TO believe that the ofense will escape
punishment, it is better to remit such questions
10 the local authorities. The law prohibiting the
sale Of intoxicating liquor except for certain pur-
poses, also gives you concurrent jurisdiction with
justices Of the peace. This matter will call for
your good sense and wise discretion This. like
all laws, should be enforced and the Legislature
having permitted concurrent jurisdiction in this
class Of cases ii would seem TO be intended that
the Grand Jury should annually take general
survey Of all parts Of the county, and II you find
in any place from faction or other cause, the law
is DISTRACTED and the condemned traffic de6es the
law, then see to it that the law is enforced"
Judge Redfeld's address 10 the petit jurors eau
TONED them first against allowing outside inter
ference to influence their yerdcts, and reminded
them that they were to try the issues on the evil
dence laid before them in court solely lie then
explained to them the importance of keeping in
mind the real question which was raised by the
parties in each case and warned them against de-
Gliding cases on extraneous points. lie reminded
them that parties themselves by their pleadngs
framed the questions To be tried and 1t was for
jurors and courts 10 decide simply what was
brought before them by the parties lie also
briefly commented on the Importance OF jurors
agreeing upon verdict, remarlSlng that in case