The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1889-01-17
Purging a Grand jury.

Ever since the Board of Supervisors
mt its December meeting, drew the
Grand Jury for the present term OF
the Circuit Court in this district, II
has been believed, and freely talked
upon the streets. that goodly proper
ton of its members were not likely to
be very vigilant or enthusiastic in
their efforts to ferret out violations oi
the law generally, and especially
those of the local option law.
In fact, ON more than one occasion,
men who were suspected of the Illegal
sale Ufintoxicating liquors, and Others
who are known to oppose to the en-
forcement of the local option law have
been heard to exult over the fact that
"thc grand jury was all right" and
there is no danger Of indictments.
The thing became so notorious as to
reach the ears of both Judge Chris
man and District Attorney Miller; and
when court convened on Monday
morning, and the Grand Jury was
about to be impaneled Mr.. Miller
arose and stated to the court that
there were gentlemen upon the jury
who would possibly be defendants in
matters that he proposed to investl-
gate, and that there were Others, who
on account of business and social re-
lations with possible defendants would
not be acceptable jurors, and he there
fore challenged them for favor, and
asked that they he excused by the
court. To this very modest request,
Judge Chrisman politely and readily
assented, and Messrs. G.. Cummings,
Jno. Mosal, G. Parish, r. Ii. Smythe,
Louis Burnet (eOD and John Hart
were excused from further service,
and the sheriff instructed to substitute
other names in their stead, which he
did.
When the action of the court be-
came known, more than passing rip
pie of public interest was created and
the ex-jurOrs expressed themselves
as highly incensed; while the friends
of law and order congratulated them
selves and the district upon the fact
that they had as judge and attorney,
men who knew their duty, and were
upright and courageous enough to per-
form it, at all hazards.
The ex-.urors have filed with the
court q protest against its action, de-
claring that it reflects upon them as
friends and sympathizers of law
breakers, and asking that their pro-
test be spread upon the records of the
court. At this time Judge Chrisman
has taken no cognizance of it.-New
Mississippian.
1t is too often the case that the en-
forcement of law is rendered absolute
ly abortive, by the action of Boards
of Supervisors in Stocking" grand
.juries for the express purpose of pro-
tectiDg criminals, and the public re-
buke this vicious practice received
from District Attorney Miller and
Judge Chrisman in the above instance
is most timely, and will be heartily
commended by all law-honoring and
law-abiding citizens.
In one instance at least in
this county, not so long. ago eth
er as to have escaped the MEM
DRY of the coolest inhabitant,"
three out of four of the grand jurors
selected from this beat, were by COM
mon reputation, well known gam
blers, one of them living i'll almost
open adultery with another mans
wife, and all three in open sympathy
with violators of the law the n regula-
ting the sale of liquor( Chapter 80 ofthe
Code). Sandwitched in with this de-
lectable trio, was sufficient sprinking
of the same sort of material from 9TH
er beats, to absolutely lock the wheels
of justice and prevent the returning of
any true bill against certain class of
criminals, unless the offender happen
ed to he an insignificant "nigger."
in the name of justice and for the
honor of our county, we hope that
this history will never be repeated
either by the present or any future
Board, but if it is, we trust it will
meet with the same heroic rebuke
from Judge Chrisman and District
Attorney McLain as that administer
ed in Kinds.
The law coutemplates that Boards
of Supervisors shall select the very
best material for grand jurors in their
respective counties,-both as to in
telligence and probity-and the Su-
pervisor who divides out his choice of
jurors among personal favorites, OF
stocks jury in the interest of Grimm
ais of any class, is false to his trust
and to his oath and merits the execra-
ton of all good citizens.