Morris tribune., 1883-12-05

service are always found among the jurors severai
who. although their names were placed 10 the jury
box, and they have responded to the summons
are in public employment and therefore exempt.
In selecting talesmen the marshal may summon
man or men from among the bystanders IN court,
persons passing along the public streets, or from
any of the stores. banks, counting houses, offices,
hotels, or residences in the city Ii the method
adopted for selecting and procuring jury is primi,
tive, inefficient, and censurable, tho result attained
by that method cannot be sufficiently condemned.
JURY FIXING
: 1t is the subject of belief and common report
that the business of 'jury fixing" fourishes to an
alarming extent in the District 1t is asserted that
men live. support their families. and even become
rich in the practice of this nefarious profession As
the jury system now exists, that INSCRIPTIONS men
should safely conduct lucrative business in de-
bauching jures in the District should occasion no
surprise. With but twenty-six jurors such az
usually serve, an active jury fxer would become
acquainted with at least two or three of them in
few hours, and that would give him strong
beginning in his efforts to thwart justice.
1t is recommended, in the interest OF justice and ae
a matter of economy, that the number Of jurors
should increased to tortyeight that the time o!
service should be reduced to one month, that where
a deficiency exists in the jury, that deficiency
should be supplied from the box. and that an i'm.
proved system Of drawing. selecting and summon
ing juries should be adopted without delay.
SECURING JUSTICE FOR TIE GOVERNMENT.
Independent of those crimes committed in the
District of Columbia, which for ofenses affect
ing the citizens Of the District alone, there arc
others of a public character which are against the
whole people of the United States In every case
where a government official has committed a crime
against the government he has been prosecuted
with determined vigor. When the crime has been
committed and tried outside OF the District. justice
has been accorded the government: but when the
crime has been committed and tried within the the
government. person in the employ OF the gov
eminent who betrays his public trust commits
crime against the United States. When that crime
is perpetrated within the District, past exper-
fence proves that he should be tried before
jury other than that engaged in the trial of
the local crimes committed in the District.
Laws have been passed by congress broad enough
to make every fraud or attempted fraud upon the
government crime to be severely punished. The
one great difficulty now encountered Is tne wan OF
laws. Ali plans to defraud the government, or to
steal from the public treasury, no matter where
contrved. are mostly consummated in Washington,
and when the guilty parties are arrested their tris
must OF necessity take place before jury drawn
in the District The arrest of one set of defendants
brings to them the sympathy and active aid OF all
others engaged in similar schemes If the defend
ants are wealthy as is often the case, by ilDerai
expenditure of money they secure the acquaintance
and friendship of prominent men VINO are or a So
cial disposition, and whose open and public asso-
citation aud companionshp with the defendants Is
not without its helpful effect It is not easy to de-
termne what method to adopt for the trial OF these
public cases, as any change will be objected to be-
cause it may increase expenses. Change OF venue
and special or struck juries have been ADOPTED
justice because of the defects of local juries and
both methods, wherever existing. are commended.
It Is of the utmost importance that either or both
methods should prevail in the District
submit that the desired end might be obtained
by extending lin such form and under such limita-
tons may be advisable) the jurisdiction of the
United States circuit and district courts the judi
cial district of Maryland, as to includsthe cog
nizance of crimes committed in the District OF
Columbia. By this the circuit and district courts
of that judicial district would have original jurs-
dction over all crimes committed in the District of
Columbia which are offenses against the general
laws of the United States, and their Jurisdiction
would be concurrent with that of the courts in the
District of. Columbia that the prosecutions and
trials could be proceeded with in either courts The
advantages to be derived are, that where the trials
take place in the circuit district court in Mary
land, the Jury would be drawn in the manner now
prescribed by law, from the people Of the entire
State of Maryland, and the chances OF obtaining
an impartial jury would be greatly increased.