Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-11-26
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.
Annual Report of Attorney General
Brewster.
WAsHrxsroN. Nov. a5.

WASHINGTON Nov. %.
The annual report of Attorney General
Brewster was completed today With refer
ence TO chief supervisors of elections. in
whose accounts over charges generally occur,
he suggests that all accounts of chief super
visors be taxed in open court. under the
inspection and examination of the district
attorney, or his sworn assistant and that
they must then be forwarded to the proper
department for further examination and
reduction, if deemed advisable and necessary.
The attorney generally directs the attention
OF Congress To want of proper legislation for
criminal cases. In preparing indictments. he
says, for offences against the United States
It Is found necessary 10 follow the common
law forms of the last century with all tech
nlcallties, verbOcity of descriptions repititions
and precision of statements formerly required
whereby that which should be simple and
concise, written accusation becomes a lengthy
and painfully confused mass of descriptions
and allegations, wholly unintelligible to the
defendant, who is called on TO answer, or Jury
selected 10 try the case. To reduce pleadings
to plain and comprehensive ststement of
facts, would serve equally to the advantage
of the government and defendant II is urged
that the lao regarding the trial of an acces-
sorry before the fact, be so altered as TO admit
II
he were principal, also that the United
States courts be empowered to make such
corrections in indictments during trials as are
now permitted in State court, The attorney
general saws the evils that surround the iury
system. in District of Columbia commands
condemnation. tie Gals attention To the
extraordinary fact that service as Juror ia the
district, means an enforced attendance at the
court aud almost total abandonment Of private
business for one-fourth of the whole year
The hardehips and injustice, that is not
imposed on the citizens in any other part of
the United States. would not be tolerated in
any community where the people have a
voice in framing their own laws.
The attorney general saws: at is a sub
Ject of belief and common report, the bust
ness of the Jury fixing fourishes 10 an
alarming extent in the District. Ii is assert
ed that men live, support families and even
become rich in the practice of this nefarious
profession. Such practice or profession
exists to some extent in nearly every large
city under the best devised jury system, and
notwithstanding the care attention ard safe
guard thrown around juries TO prevent their
being tampered with, but as the jury system
now exists that men should safely conduct a
lucrative business. In debauching juries in
the district it should occasion no surprise.
With but 26 jurors such as usually serve an
active jury fixed, would become acquainted
with at least two or three in few hours, and
that would give him strong beginning in his
efforts to thWart justice. With but 26 jurors
serving for three months. il would not require
one-third of that time for combined force OF
jury tixers TO become thoroughly acquainted
with the habits, character and business of
each juror and the Influences if any. nat
could be used to reach him and bring him
within their power. 1t is fact that unnec-
essary responsibility is placed on the officers,
who, although acting from the purest and
most conscientious motives, are liable at any
time to censure and reproach. 1t is recon-
mended that the number of jurors should be
increased to As, that the time of service
should be reduced to one month, that where
deficiency exists in Jury. that deficiency
10 be supplied from ,Ie UoX, and that the
improved system of drawing, selecting and
summoning Juries, should be adopted without
delay" The attorney general renews his
recommendation, that the system of paying
of L. :. marshals be changed from fees
to salaries, and says that it is estimated
that it costs the government $40 in
expenses for every dollar of the marshal's
emoluments, which shows that it would be to
the interest of the government to give the
marshal fixed compensatiOn.