Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-03-25
Judge Wilson's Charge.
Gentlemen of tie Grand jury:

Gentlemen Of the Grand jury:
The duties devolved on you by your SO.
lection as Jurors, and which by your cath
OF Office you have assumed, are of great i'm.
portaRce to the community, and upon their
faithful performance ito large extent) de-
pend the safety, security and peace of your
fellow citizens. You will bear in mind
that you are the guardians of the citizens, as
well as Of the laws; that 1t is as much your
duty to protect the people against unjust
accusations as it is to bring the violators of
law to trial.
Your inquiries must be confined TO offenses
committed in the county, and inyour inves-
legations you are not in any manner t0 be
influenced or controlled by considerations
of the punishment that may be inflicted on
the accused; with that you have nothing to
do; your sole inquiry must be, has a crime
been committed, and If so, has it been salts.
factorily proved that the accused committed
III If it has, you will find an Indictment;
II it has not, you will ignore it. 1t is your
duty carefully TO investigate all accusations
Of crime which may be brought to your
notice, and weigh and consider well all the
testimony adduced to you, the circumstances
surrounding the transaction, the credibility
OF the witnesses and the probabilities Of the
thing sworn to, and only find indictments
where the facts are satisfactorily proved and
you are reasonably certain Of the guilt Of
the accused. You are not required to &C
cept as true everything that may be posi-.
lively sworn to before you. You are the
sole judges of the credibility of the witness
es and OF the facts sworn to, and if you have
reason to believe from personal knowledge
or otherwise that witness is unworthy of
credit you are at liberty to disregard his tes-
timony.
1t seems superhuous TO tell you after the
oath you have taken that your examinations
must be secretly conducted, and that moth
ing that transpires in the jury room, either
OF what is said or done, must be divulged.
Your investigations are &c pdrte, and wit
nesses are not to be called ami examined on
the part of the accused. The counsel of the
State, your fellows and your own, you are
sworn to keep secret, and also to present no
person from envy hatred, malice or i'll will,
nor To leave any one unpresented for love,
fear, favor or affection, or for any hope or
promise of reward, but present all things
truly as they come to your knowledge
Upon the strict and faithful observance of
this oath depends the satisfactory perform
ance OF yeur responsible duties. 1t is not
necessary that the accusation of crime
against any person shall be proved TO the
satisfaction of your entire body, a majority
of you can find an indictment when they
are satisfied from the evidence of the guilt
of the accused.
| especially call your attention to the con-
tinued violation of the local option law
The injury inflicted on our county by the
violators OF this law is far greater than that
resulting from the commission of all other
crimes within its borders combined, and |
ask your earnest efforts to arrest this great
evil by finding out and indlcting the parties
engaged in the violation of this law, and
thus secure to our people, as far as in you
lies, the great benefit and advantages that
will naturally follow its strict enforcement
and observance.
1t is made my duty to give you in charge,
which | now do, Section Of Article q 81
the Code of Public General Laws in rela
ton 10 Abortion, and also Section AZ Of the
same Article in relation to Defaulting Pub.
lie Officers. There is no other subject 10
which desire to call your attention.