Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-05-17
new JURY LAW.
The Host Important Enactment Since
The Passage Of the Australian Bal
LOT Law.

The Legislature recently enacted
law which revolutionizes the jury
system of the State and removes it be
yond the pale of placing jurors on the
lists as a reward partisan work, and
often at the request Of those ap
pointed.
The first section provides that in al
counties except Cuyahoga, Franklin
Hamilton, Lucas, Montgomery and
Mahoning, which have special jury
acts, that the County commissioners
shall provide a wheel to contain the
names of the selected jurors, SO con
structed that the names may be thor.
oughly mixed, and that they cannot
be read or seen even from the outside
until withdrawn from the wheel.
The second section, that in these
counties before the fourth Monday OF
May, the Judge of judges of the court
of common pleas, for each sub-divisi-
on of the judicial district, or MAORI
ty of such judges, shall in joint session
appoint four judicious freehold cleo
tors in each county, no one of whom
shall be an attorney-at-law, and not
more than two Of the same political
party, who shall be commissioners OF
jurors for one year. These appoint
ments shall be recorded in the Court
journals of each county. Before en-.
tering on their duties they shall take
the following oath:
81 do solennly swear that / will
honestly and faithfully discharge the
duties of commissioner of jurors with
out fear or favor, and that l will con-
sent to the selection Of no person as
juror whom l have been solicited to
name as juror or whom / believe to
be unfit for that position, or likely to
render partial verdict in any cause
in which he may be called as juror,
and that l will report to the court the
names of any and all persons who in
any manner, seek by request, hint or
suggestion to influence me in the Sc
lection of jurors And this / do as
shall answer to God.n
The court Cor the clerk shall speci-
fically explain, caution and instruct
the commissioners under this act.
They shall meet in the office of the
county auditor the fourth Monday in
May at 10 q. m., and shall select such
a number of iudicious and discrete
persons who electors as the court may
direct, to be selected as nearly as may
be from the several wards and town
ships in proportion to population,
and no one shall be selected who Is
not competent in every respect to sit
as juror. The commissioners shall
then ascertain that the jury-wheel is
eltirely empty, after which the clerk
shall write each mans name selected
on q separate piece of paper, all OF
which shall be put in the wheel and
locked in their presence. They shall
also make and sign certificate OF the
names of those selected, and that they
are the same names which were de-
posted in the wheel. The clerk shall
have custody of the wheel and key,
and it shall be locked at all times ex-
cept when used to put names in or
take them out on order of court, and
the person who unlocks the wheel
without order of court shall be deem
ed guilty of u misdemeanor and sub
ject to a fine of from $500 to $1,000,
and be imprisoned from three to
twelve months. Temporary vacancies
may be filled by the presiding Judge,
but the appointee must be of the
same political party as that of the
member appointed. Names may be
selected under order of the court at
any time. Struck juries or orders for
special venires by courts are not atfec-
ted by this law.
Section three provides that when
ever the clerk receives an order from
q court of record for a jury, he shall
turn the wheel in the presence of the
Sheriff until the pieces of paper are
thoroughlymixed, and shall then draw
the number of names specified in the
order, and the clerk shall issue an or
der to the Sheriff to summon the per
SOuS WllOS6 ubllltS were uIdWA blli
such jury shall be impannelled from
the names so drawn.
Section four provides that these
jury commissioners shall receive SO
per day, but they shall not be paid
for more than ten days time in any
one year.
The next section provides that
whenever attempts by request, hint
of suggestion to influence the com
missioners to appoint or not to ap-
point himself or any other person, or
persons shall be reported by them to
the court or common pleas and shall
be fined not more than 800 and be
confined in the county Jail not more
rSisan 20 days.
Section si1, is; r;!rovidess that aug cc22.,
missioner, who accepts arl;s' = ,fs, gif. cion.:
pent.:sation or favor, or the promise
thereof, from any person, firm or cor,
poration, or the officer or agent there,
of, who shall make or promise any
such reward, shall be deemed guilty
of misdemeanor and on conviction
shall be subject to fine of not more
that $100 and imprisonment for not
more than 20 days.
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