Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-12
HELD0NAGRAVE CHARGE
VIOLATING THE STATE LAW AND
RULES or THE COURT.
Three Jurors, Young Attorney. and
Superior Court Bailih Charged with
Contemplate Jurors Dismissed.

Three Jurors, Young Attorney. and a
superior Court Baiih Charged with
Contemplate Jurors Dismissed.
Yesterday morning Solicitor General
duBgniOn learned that some jurymen
had been guilty OF contempt of court.
Upon investigation ne found that three
Jurors in the Devine case had lett The jury
room and court house without permission.
HeIearned, TOO. that NJ. j. O'Connor, Esq,
had spOkel 10 one Of the jury before the
verdict was read in court, and that VIII
liam Hall. cOlOred, was the bAilif on duty
when the three Jurors left the building.
The Solicitor General drew up rules
against Mr.. UCOnnOr and the balm, and,
on his motion, they were issued by Judge
Adams and made returnable at 4 O'clock
in the afternoon, requiring the parties
named - appear and answer for contempt.
The court directed tae Solicitor General
TO draw similar rule against each Of the
three Jurors. When the hearing was
begun Judge Adams stated that
il was charged that the rules OF the court
mad been grossly violated by officers OF
the court and by members OF the jury
lie said that he was aware that n jurors
duties were as OnerOus and often as I'M
pleasant as his own, but that all owed
respect TO the court, and that it was the
duty Of all to uphold the majesty of the
law.
MIR. MI. O'Connor at this point arose
and stated that he regarded the charge a
serious one, and that he wished TO be
represented by counsel. lie therefore
asked that the investigation, so far as he
was concerned, should be postponed.
The court granted postpOnement until
3 a. N. Monday.
h.. a.. Of ha. tfr A Ia
Leod, was one Of the jurors charged with
contempt. He said in substance that it
was after the agreement had been reach
ed that he left the court house, but that
no one outside of the Jury
knew what the verdict was.
lie also stated that no outside influences
had been exerted upon the jury while
they were celebrating, and that he had
no intention Of violating the law.
"If the court believes that | have inten-
tionally violated it's rule OF any law then
] will gracefully submit to punishment"
Mr.. Evans stated that he left the court
house after ! O'Clock because the jury had
agreed upon a verdict, and because he
WAS fatigued and hungry and
wished to get something to eat.
That he left the building after
Bailiff Hall told hi2 that if he did leave
it would be upon his own responsibility,
and that he was absent about two hours.
Mr.. Wood said that he left the building
after notifying the ballif that be was GO
ing, when the bailiti remarked: "All
right; but you must not stay away long
or words to that effect" The court
upon hearing the statement Of the
jurors remarked that if their statement
were not believed to be true, and If the
court felt that they had not unintentlon-
ally violated the rules, the extreme PEN
atty for the violation would be imposed
The law required the imposition Of either
the seveTest penalty or none at all. Be
lieyinR the jurors had not intended to
violate the law the court discharged
them.
Bailiff Hall made his statement to the
effect that he had not given the jurors per-
mission to leave the court house; that he
had told them that if they left they would
have to go upon their own responsibility.
The court reminded the bailiff of the
oath which he had taken and deferred
,tn,, 20,