Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-07-07
Dodging Jury Duty.

Galveston News.
1t is becomming customary to COM
plain that criminals do not always sue
ceed in getting justice done them.
This, however, only applies, in Texas,
to wealthy or influential citizens who
have committed murder. In no state
of the Union are minor offenses pun
ished as severely and as mercilessly as
in our own state
The man who steals a nea-bitten
pony, or an old coat from a house, is al
most certain to suffer for his crime by
years of hard labor in the penitentiary
hence it is that the number of convicts
in Texas is disproportionately large to
the population of the state. 1t is
much safer to commit murder, as far
rs the law is concerned, than it is to
steal, and this applies in a greater or
less degree to almost every state in the
union. The failure to properly punish
murders is, to great measure, caused
by the very people who complain most
of the inefficiency of the law.
1t is unpleasant for citizen 10 be
cooped up in a jury-box for a week, to
the neglect of his business and to his
great personal discomfort. 1t is also
disagreeable to assume even the par
tial legal responsibility of depriving a
human being of his life or liberty, but
it is duty each good citizen owes the
community, and it ought to be per-
formed.
The law, with its foolish require
ments as to qualifications of juror,
exempts many, but great many more
dodge the issue. When jurymen are
to be selected to try an important case,
it is surprising how few feel themselves
competent. One man, who would
make an excellent juryman, is exempt
ed because he is fireman.
Another, who has lived lifetime
and amassed fortune in this country,
turns out to be not citizen of the
United States. There is method in
that, too. Another, who has always
expressed himself in favor of lynch
law if necessary TO suppress crime, in
forms the judge that he is opposed to
capital punishment. But the great
open door through which most of them
dodge out of the jury is the assertion
that they have formed an immutable
opinion us to the guilt or innocence of
the accused.
The simple truth is, that the most
intelligent citizens are continually
guilty of evasions to get out of the way
of performing an unpleasant duty, and
as long as this is the case it will be
difficult to punish the higher order of
criminals as they deserve.
Springfield Mass Republican.
A few days after the war had been
declared at an end, Major Drewry went
to Washington, and, without the usual
ceremony of sending in his name, lest
he should be refused an interview,
made his way into the presence of Sec
retary Stanton.
"Mr. Secretary" said he, 81 want
my pardon rs soon as possible. I've
fought against you rs long as l could,
and I've been whipped; and now l
want to go home and go to work I've
got hundreds of acres of land that
have been lying fallow for the last four
years, and want to get seed into every
inch of it this spring, so I'll thank
you TO give me my pardon and let me
go?"
He talked so fast that Mr.. Stanton
couldn't get in word; but, being
amused and rather pleased at Major
Drewry's bluff manner, he asked at
last, "On what ground do you expect
to get pardon, sir?"
"On the ground, sir, that 1 showed
you how to build navy. You sent
your fleet of old wooden ships up to
Drewry's Bluff, and we knocked 'em
all to pieces, and showed you, sir, that
wooden ships weren't worth d.
And then you went to work and got
together navy that was worth some.
thing, and it's on the ground that my
men proved your needs to you that ]
want pardon"
The Secretary laughed and told the
honest rebel to call next day, as he
would like to talk further with him
Next day Major Drewry got his pardon
and, in return, gave Mr.. Stanton q
great deal of valuable information con.
cerning the South. He went back tC
his pleasant home on the James, and
has ever since been wise, enterprisine
prosperous citizen.