The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-02-20

What the C~ysa~ts~as 81 . fskst Jnry VII
sssss- r-ssh
t. ANY mau also should attempt q
nnuss his hea-erS sox s.iays by telling
story q: jury . ho lxoaght IN :
verdict MOT guilty. but if he dos i
again he @lu get the faii penalty.
would be grecsrd with cries Of Chest
nut. chestnut. and would lie assures
thai thing was credited years ago u
the far west, was iEnmor<alized by
Mark Twain In orc Of his book, and
that nobody believed that il ever did
happen anyway. Yet the newspaper
reported, aud what the newspapers say
must be true. that only a week ago q
jury al Newark. y. j.. trying a case Al
quarter SESSIONS. brought ia vsr>lic,
Of Not guilty. but we dou's want hirr
to do II again. aud tire verdict was ac
Icept.d
In the court OF general sessions ia
this city last month. n jury, after
spending an unusually long time in
considering their verdict came into
court and the clerk asked:
Are you agreed upon your verd.ctf
We have agreed. replied the ia
telligent foreman,
What is your verdict, theni" said
the clerk
We find, said the foreman, sagely
and with deliberation. thai we stand
seven for acquittal and five for conyic-
ton
Then You have not agreed al all, "
said the clerk testify.
Il guess you have agreed to disl-
gree, said the judge. but you had bet
Ter try il again
\ poor fellow who was on trial for
his life IN the same court not long ago
got terrible shock by the sudden
change from keenly anxious hope
20 glad certainty of release, and then
back again TO black despair, i'm the
course OF one minute brought about
by the precise and exact polnposity of
The jury which was trying him. They
100 had taken long time To consider
their verdict and the prisoner, des-
perate and hardened william, who had
poor case and had looked for moth
.ng but the worst, began To think that
hey might, after all, disagree. The
anxiety apparent OH his face told how
ahe suspense had racked him when he
again faced the jury as they ii led into
court and took their seats
In murder cases, as Il rule. more for
nality is used than for ordinary
crimes, and so the clerk said: Gen
:lemen of the jury, do you find the
prisoner guilty of murder in the first
1egree, as charged in the indictmentT
Now, the foreman was young
lawyer himself, and he felt that he
ought to show his legal and fine Judi
;ial mind. So he paused moment,
evidently repeating the question TO
himself, and finally said complacently.
Not guilty"
There was a stir Of surprise all over
The court, and the prisoner almost
tainted with joy as he heard the words.
But the jurymen began to demonstrate
with their foreman, and he conde-
scended to explain.
Il mean, of course" he said, that
we find the prisoner not guilty of muir
Ter in the first degree, as charged in
The indictment. That was the question
asked me. But we do find him guilty
Of murder in the second degree"
The prisoner burst into tears over
he disappointment. though he at one
lime contemplated worse result with
stolidity, but the legal gentleman had
upheld the reputation of his
profession forexactitude and verbosity.
The recognized locality at present
Tor story tellers to lay the scenes of
jury dramas is in the new south.
where the 'darkies" furnish ample
n oil tn Il T.
Jury III the Indian river country not
ong ago found that the diseased died
~ the will of God or some other dis
Ease unknown TO this jury" Another
husky panel, bound to show that they
we're not going to shield one of their
OWN color, found a negro prisoner
guilty, with considerable doubt as
o whether he is the man."
\ man had shot his neig1bor's hog
md the owner had him prosecuted for
malicious injury to property and
wanted him fined heavily, butthe Jury
ound the defendant guilty in the
um of 81. SO in favor of the hog"
I'VE find the man who stole the
mule not guilty" is another verdict
'ouched for on good authority, and
weary Judge in despair over the tardi-
less OF his colorcd jurymen, who de-
lght to spend hours and hours "ar
.uefy1ng among themselves over the
most thrilling points and often ending
hem by tossing a penny, is said to
ave blurted out in his wrath: IF
ou can't find a verdict of YOUR own.
axe the one the last jury used"
Y neither these clear instructions were
explicitly or not, the records |
o not shOw.-New York Tribune.