The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-05-16
In the Jury Box.

Perhaps there is no time in the life of
an active business man when he is more
tempted to rave at his clerks, stamp with
rage and utter curses loud and deep, than
at the moment he runs up against little
piece of paper properly signed and counter
signed, and endorsed "Jury summons. =
The unfortunate recipient of this unwel-
come insignia of citizenship grasps his hat,
rushes wildly from his office, makes his
way rapidly over to the Court House and
stalks dejectedly into the court room, where
the summons in peremptory tones an
nounces his presence as being required"
He is somewhat consoled when he espies
his friend, and his business competitor c.,
both of whom, as he rightly concludes are
for the once his brothers in misfortune.
Scattered about the court room are per-
haps fifty men of various nationalities and
ages They are all jurors in embryo, and
are waiting for the judge to open the court
When His Honor appears and takes his
seat on the bench thirty five out of the
fifty men get in row, filing Indian fashion
up to and from the Judicial bench, whisper
all sorts of excuses and touching stories of
domestic affliction and financial peril into
the sympathizing judicial right ear.
1t is plain to be seen that each one of
the thirty-fve is carefully considering how
he can best obtain the object which they
all seek-viz., immunity from the jury box.
Many of the excuses are frivolous, some
are legitimate and not few are palpably
''trumped up" Sometimes juror is ex-
cused upon his mere statement Of fact, but
as rule they are sworn to answer such
questions as shall be put to them by the
judge touching their right to be excused
The judicial examiner probes the anxious
applicant sternly.
Once bound down to the jury box, the
juror becomes the type of class. He is
no longer broker, merchant, bank
president or saloon keeper His natural
identity is lost, and he is part and parcel of
the machinery of justice. To be sure, he
eats and sleeps like other men, but then he
thinks and acts only like a juror His
status is not firmly established, however,
until he begins to develop peculiarly
This done, he becomes an object of inter
est, especially to the lawyers.
The characteristics of jurors are dis
tinctly marked The foreman is recognized
as model juror for a good case, but too
sound for poor one. The second juror is
the proverbially obstinate specimen who in
variably insists that he is right and the
other eleven are pig-headed fools. He is
frst-rate man to have in the box if dis
agreement is wanted. The third is marked
down as always having leaning toward
the plaintiff S side of the case, while the
fourth is known as an easy-going, "happy
go lucky" sort of an individual, ready to go
with whichever one the ''other fellows"
favor. Number five is the inquisitive
juror. He is always asking questions of
the witness about matters which the law
yers have kept carefully in the background,
His brethren in the box respect him, but
the lawyers regard him as an irritating
thorn Number six is much given to ar
gument and contention He is always
ready for fight in the jury room, and,
being somewhat "glib, is generally able to
hold his own.
Seven is an unknown quantity. He is
possessed of great veneration for judicial
learning and discernment, and goes with
the Judge, if the Judge inadvertently exhi-
bits bias Eight is remarkable for moth
ing, except it be fondness for the news
papers. He will peruse his favorite paper,
regardless alike of the most startling testi-
mony and the fowery eloquence of counsel.
Number nine is attentive, conscientious and
analytical He weighs the evidence on
both sides, scrawls all day in his notebook
and votes according to his convictions. He
is looked upon with suspicion, and is fire.
quently challenged Ten is the silent juror.
He watches the proceedings with express
sionless countenance, is unfathomable, and
therefore dangerous.
Eleven, on the contrary, is as open as
the sky He sides with his favorite law
yer, and is always ready to laugh when that
legal luminary makes good hit. He can
be counted upon as prejudicial for one side
or the other long before the trial is finished.
, Number twelve is the last man in the
box, and he is likewise the last man to
make up his mind what he ought to do
, He is pleased with the appearance and
bearing of the plaintiff, but, on the other
hand, he is thoroughly impressed with the
Justice of the defendants case. In this
dilemma he awaits the first vote, and then
chimes in with the majority.
After the jurors have listened to a great
mass of conflicting testimony, been talked
, to and pleaded with by the lawyers, and
gravely instructed by the court, they are
led away by the court officer, who carries
a portentious looking key in his hand, and
are marched.into little ten-by-ten jury
, room. The key CRATES in the lock, the Of
ficer retreats down the stairway, and the
twelve men 'good and true" are left to the
Joint contemplation of bare walls and the
case under consideration. The bare walls
! look so cold and gloomy that the unhappy
, iurymen at once devote themselves exclu-
sively to the case Granted that all the
elements constituting a well ordered jury
exist, quick Justice is meted out, and ii
r oftentimes happens that loud pounding
on the door announces to the officer who
= has just left that the jury are ready witt
, their verdict. At other times boisterou'
language and veices raised high in angry
. contention show too plainly that the obsti
t nate juror has got himself hopelessly en-
' tangled with the conscientious juror. Ther
J the Judge goes away, instructing them tC
r hand in sealed verdict in the morning.
' When the morning arrives the judgC
! finds the jury in their seats, looking hag
e gard and worn. The obstinate juror il
suIlen and defiant, while the foreman tells
: the judge that they have not been able to
agree. The lawyers look disappointed, the
E litigants despairing. The jurors, if they
are discharged file sheepishly out of court
: collect in squads in corridors, and VOW ven
geance against one, who trips jauntlly
away, happy in the knowledge OF a duty
we'll performed-N I. Herald