The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-05-10
JUDGE ALBEIT TOTHE JURY
He Refers TO the Sham Case and
Instructs the Jury in Their
Duty.

TRENTON. May 10, 1S93.-These was a
very full attendance of the members OF
the Mercer County Bar at the opening OF
the May term of court, yesterday morn
ng, when Judge Leon Albeit took his
seat as presiding Judge Of the court for
the first time. The Common Pleas
Judges. R. S. Woodruff. William S Yarl
and Josiah Wright, were seated on the
bench with him. The list OF Grand Jurors
was called aud all answered to their
names as f%ollows:-R. A. Donnelly, D. j.
Bechtel, Albert Hooper. Fred. Walter.
William j.. b. Stokes. Charles Fl. Skirm,
Henry B. Bayles, Abnef Woodward,
yelling G. Sickel, George Brsarley,
Alexis Rynear. Henry ADplegate, Robert
A. Convery. Isaac Rouncr, Jo.eph K.
Shepherd, Phiiander w. Hartwell, Peter
j. Morgan, William P. Forman. Phillip
Brown, John Mortimer, Charles Cowell.
Michael Hurley, Benjamin +. Chambers.
Frank Wertz. Mr.. Wentz being the
twenty-fourrh man WAS excu,ed.
The Grand Jury were then sworn
They were then addressed by Judge Alb
belt as follows
JUSTICE AFFECTED.
ut is the duty of the Court to give you
| SUCH matters in charge as the criminal
business or the county renders necessary.
and in doing so l am informed by the
| Prosecutor that with one exception
there is only the ordinary criminal nusi-
ness to come before you. / desire es.
| pecially at this time to Call attention to
the oath o. nave just taken. l am iu-
formed there have been occasions in the
past when justice mas been affected by
the Grand jury being approached by
parties who might be interested in crimi-
nal buslness to be brought before the
| Grand Jury.
II have also been informed that Grand
Jurors have, without any intention of
doing wrong, but through carelessue SIS
permitted themselves to speak of matters
before the Grand Jury while they were
being considered. If you will remember
the oath that your foreman TOOK, and
which each of you assented to, and took
upon your part, You will remember that
the counsel of the State, your fellows and
your W you are to keep secret; and l
want to say That il any one approaches
any of you about criminal matters before
the Grand Jury except in the jury room
| and under oath, save the Prosecutor of the
Pleas in the performance of his duty. that
it is your duty to Inform the Court Of any
such attempt. 1t is our duty not to
speak Of cases before the Grand Jury TO
anyone. Your counsel you are to keep
secret. and if II juror is advised of the
Infringement of this rule by any person.. ]
ueSiEH SuCu juror III COu1uCuC6 "
bring the matter Co the attention of the
| Court, and the parties violating the law
in this respect will be so dealt with that
no UGH violation will ever be attempted
again. It is improper for any person to
attempt to in fuence your minds by evil
denee outside the jury room. II you know
of any crime or violation of criminal laws,
it is your duty to call it to the attention
of the Grand Jury and have IL acted on.
l am sure that your duty in this respect,
your attention having been called 10 it.
will be attended TO. Your sessions should
be continuous, SO your labor5 may be
completed at an early day."
II SHANN CASE.
The Judge then reviewed the salient
| points brought out before the Coroner's
! jury in the Sham case. and told them the
| Importance and gravity of the charge
| called for the most careful consideration
on their part.
The Grand Jury chose Officers Lane,
Clancy and Gill to attend them aud
retired. The general panel of Jurors WAS
then called. and several of the jurors
| desiring to be excused, the Judge tod
them that the administration of justice
was more important than private bust
ness, and further, as there was a pro-
| liability of an Indictment for homicide
being found by the Grand Jury, no one
would he permanently excused. as the
| statute requires thar the jury to Try q
case of that character must be drawn
from the whole panel. A number of con-
mon motions were heard aud disposed
of and the list of causes for trial was
na1lod~