Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-12-20
Aanraster fntelIige1lrer.
The Bogus Juryman.

TUESDAY EVENING, DEC. 40, 1881.
The Bogus Jurynan.
The disclosure of the presence in the
Mouat jury at Philadelphia of an i'm
postor, who personated a juror who had
been summoned but who had not an
swered, seems to show carefully organ
lied scheme to fill up the jury panels of
that corruptly governed town with pur-
chasable instruments. There is obviously
a great deal of money in the business,
and the probability is that it has been
long practised. 1t does not appear to
have been originated for this Mouat
case, for the false juror was put in the
panel for Judge Biddle's court long be-
fore the trial and when Mouat expected
to be tried in another court. Moreover,
Mouat's counsel is a reputable attor-
ney, and it is not likely that such
scheme would have been prepared es-
pecially for his client without his knowl'
edge. MOuat, however, seems to have
secured this juror by his luck, rs he was
the last juror called and had to lie taken
by the commonwealth, whose challenges
were exhausted. Ofcourse he might have
been held back 10y the clerk for just such
a situation. and for this reason sus-
picions may arise against the clerk that
he was in the conspiracy to acquit
MOuat. Still that would he 4 lnOnstrOus
charge against such All officer, and it
will not do to make it against him with.
ont further evidence.
1t may he, as we suggest, that this
man got on this jury panel without
special reference to the Mouat case, but
simply rs a serviceable instrument in
any case in which he might be required
and would be paid for. The man he
personated has not been 1T his home
since the summer, being away in New
York. He was returned by the sheriff's
officer rs not found. Here then came in
the work of the personating gang. They
found a man to answer to the name, and
had him call at the sherff's office, de-
clare himself to he the desired juror and
receive his summons. The plan was as
simple as it was bold. 1t seems to
carry with it, however, the convic-
tion that the sherif1's officer was in
completely with the conspir;:tOrs or else
exceedingly negligent of duty. II is, OF
course, the duty Of the sheriff to know
that the men he summons Oh the
panel are the. men who are drawn :
and he cannot he ignorant of
the necessity for great vigilance in
city where so many rogues lie in
wait for an opportunity for successful
rascalily of every kind.
One warranted suspicion is that this is
not the only case Of false persOnatiOn that
will Ike foand in the jury panels of Phil
adelplia. If they are closely criticised
it is very likely, indeed, that it will be
seen that somebody has discovered
every juror that the sherlff's officer
has failed to find; and has had
them for hire. But whether this
scheme was arranged for the special
benefit of Monat, Or was IN old institu
ton by which his luck nearly enabled
him to profit, its danger to the jury sys
tenn is equally great. The publication
of the jury wheel has been the ardent
aim of lawmakers and judges, and many
guards have lately been thrown about it
But of what avail are these if the juror:
who are carefully selected can be 81
boldly personated by hired instrument:
of criminals : IL does seem rs though
the dangers OF the jury system are he
coming SO great rs to give reason fol
despair of its further usefulness. Ont
thing seems clear, and that is that M
juror should bc put in the wheel who il
not too well known to lie falsely person
ated. The judges and lawyers ant
court officers ought to have persona
knowledge of every man in the panel
They ought t5be men who are known
of their fellows and who have Won theil
confidence in tLeir lives.