Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-04-12
An Indignant Juror speaks Out in
Meeting.

From the Bellows Falls Times Of last week.
EditOr IF The Times. Having spent the
past week at Newfane in the capacity of ju-
ror sitting upon a criminal case, have learn
ed from sad experience how men are treated
there who are called from their comfortable
homes to act in the capacity in which did.
Not that my case is particularly different in
any respect from that Of others do / make
this complaint. but for the purpose of calling
the attention of the people Of Windham coun-
ty to the deplorable neglect on the part of
somebody to provide such comforts and sur
roundings as the necessities of jurors demand
while sitting upon an important case and feel
ing and compromising the responsibilities of
their position.
| arrived at Newfane on Monday night last
and was placed with the iurymen on the fol
lowing morning. The trial had proceeded
but short time before ! observed with .cx-
treme satisfaction that the presiding Judge
was very attentive to our needs and necessi-
ties and watched with diligent care every
thing pertaining to atmospheric changes in
the court room, directing ventilation by the
frequent adjustment of windows, &c. and all
other matters pertaining to his own comfort
and that of all others under his immediate
supervision. But when our duties at the
court house were ended for the day. and we
were conducted by the sheriff over to the jail
house, known, also, as hotel, with "a sense
of fatigue more painful than that produced
by the most severe muscular labor, and shown
into our miserable pen, where we were to
spend our time when not in the court house.
then and there was when our misery COM
moncod. Up in the end of an attic at the
head of n stairway leading from the two sto-
ries below was our sleeping ROOM IA small
room. with door opening from the stairway
in one end and window in the other end
through which the poison and vitiated air
from below. ljail included,) after being
breathed over by eleven men found its way
to the outer world. In this miserable hole
thus situated, We tried to sleep. Some did
sleep by spells, some were nearly sufocated
and know one man who did not sleep on an
average over three hours during Tuesday and
Wednesday nights. On Thursday, by the
kindness of deputy sheriff Phelps we were al
lowed to take Il vote whether we would pass
the night there. or take our chances in the
court house, ON the settees and such other
furniture would afford us n resting place
We chose the latter, aud while we did not get
much sleep, We did, l think appreciate the
good and wholesome air of the court room
For one, | appreciated the change. But that
was no suitable place for a set of jurymen to
pass a night with the strain upon their nerves
that their position imposed.
And now after the experience | have had |
am ready to protest and declare, with all the
soul there is in me, that the arrangements for
the accommodation of jurymen at Newfane
are an abomnatiOn and disgrace to the coun-
ty of Windham. And furthermore. feel it
to be the duty of the leading men in the
county to take this matter in hand and set
such train Of movements in operation as
shall secure such conditions and surroundings
as the necessities Of jurymen demand Judge
Barrett holding the court told me on Friday
night in the cars, on our way from Brattle-
boro to Bellows Falls, that he sought seclu-
sion in private families all through the State
when he holds his courts, and not at the ho-
tel, and that jurymen needed that freedom
from external influences as he did Jurymen
should be at ease, and their surroundings and
conditions made as near to what they are at
home as possible. | found the Judge in full
sympathy with me in what am here stating,
and should be required to undergo such tor
lures again, hereby give notice that while
Judge Barrett presides at the court / shall not
accept the situation | will further state
that if | had known the judge as now know
him and had understood the rights of Jury
man, l should have made my complaint in
open court and / should have been sustained
in it, too. This / state for the information
and guidance of jurymen hereafter And
now call for this much needed reform. l
ask it in the interest Of justice and humanity.
| may not be called to that duty again, and |
hope in God, whom | reverence and adore,
that may not but some of my fellowmen
will, and | want them as well treated as an
intelligent, merciful man would treat flock
of merino sheep, or herd of Jersey bulls
All of which is most respectfully submitted.
S. NJ. BLAKE
Bellows Falls April l, 1873.