The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-02-16
SAVED By A JUROR.
So he is deadl

lie is dead after all these years, and at
last am free to reveal terrible secret OF
jury room which has been burden to
myself aud 10 other men unless they, like
Jethro have passed over the river,
In August, 1875, there was murder
trial in Mobile, which perhaps the older
citizens of that city still remember.
was the third juror chosen. OF jurors
No. and . remember but little, except
that they were both elderly men and well
to do citizens of the county.
Jurors No. 4, 5 and were merchants Of
the city, at least two were merchants and
one clerk.
After Juror No, 6 was told to pass into
the jury box the court clerk called the
name OF Emanuel Jethro."
| believe every one III the courtroom
was struck with the mans appearance
He walked briskly and in peculiarly
nervous manner which could not fail 10
attract attention. He answered the so
licitor's questions eagerly. In fact, one
time his answer came before the question
was concluded,
The solicitor said; "Prsoner, look on
the juror. Juror, look ON the prisoner" "
aud he probably expected the defense to
strike, but the defense did not
Juror No. was told to take his seat in
the box. His residence was given in the
jury list as Bayou la Batre, and he
evidently came from very secluded place
Oh the coast.
The rest Of that day was taken up in
securing the other five Jurors.
The next morning the examination of
witnesses begau. The evidence was short,
and it was conclusive
Karl Beiderman, German youth EN-
ployed on u truck garden near the city,
was charged with numbering his employer
by splitting open his head with an AK.
tie and the gardener had lived alone.
One morning the boy came into the city,
and while drinking freely had shown Il
large sum Of money. A day later the gar
dener was found lying dead upon the floor
Of room in his house, with the bloody
AK, which had done the work. lying near
him.
The German youth was arrested, with
some of the money still in his possession.
There was proof that the boy and the gar
dener had been heard Quarreling about an
Increase III wages, which the boy had
asked for and did not get.
To offset this strong array Of circum-
stantial evidence there was nothing but
the prisoners statement, very badly told
by an interpreter. He denied knowing
anything Of the killing aud said the mon
ey he had was given him by man the
night before Us q bribe to leave his EN-
plOyer that Le knew nothing Ot the Kill.
ing or who did it.
When we reached the jury room, there
seemed but two things to do--elect fore
man and bring in verdict of guilty.
The first we did with little trouble.
Then We took u ballot, merely as u mat
ter or form. l counted the vote, and it
stood For guilty, II for acquittal, /.
who is the twelfth gentleman who
does not know murder when he sees itY''
one Of the jurors asked sarcastiCally.
~ am, came the reply, calmly spoken
by juror No. : Emanuel Jethro
Then We began tO argue the case with
him. He looked out the window most OF
the time and made no reply TO any of our
telling arguments. Finally he was asked
If he had any reason to advance for voting
az he did.
None at all, - he replied quietly, "ex.
cept that l don't wish 10 see an innocent
man hanged"
There were some more convincing argu-
ments by the II, and We took another
vote; For murder, II; for acquittal, /.
And that was the way the vote stood
next morning after breakfast.
We grew desperate. Finally the whole
manner Of Jethro changed, and he exclaim-
ed eXcitedly:
"lt each Of you will take solemn oath
before the God that made you not to re
veal what tell you until / am dead, |
will giveyou the reason why do not agree
to verdict Of guilty"
After some consultation and glances at
the clock, which showed that the hour for
reconvening Of court was ut hand, we, one
at time, took the oath
In low, half whispered tones the Juror
told his secret.
Fifteen minutes later We went into the
courtroom with verdict of mot guilty"
remember distinctly the CONSERVATION
on the judges face and the look of dis.
gust on that Of the solicitor.
The newspapers criticised us severely
and went SO far as TO write editorials on
account Of a failure Of the courts to ade
quately punish those detected iu the com.
mission Of crime
Well, Emanuel Jethro is dead, and be
lieye ] am now absolyed from the oath he
made us take.
"That German boy did not kill that old
man, " he told US in his dry, husky voice
"On the night before the murder man
met him and paid him to leave the farm
early next morning gave him large roll
Of money which was enough to tempt hin
to give up his situation. And the mar
who did this watched the boy as he left
next morning and slipped into the room
and killed the old gardener as he was pre-
| pairing to riSe-killed him to pay u debt
that only his blood could wipe out.
"And, gentlemen, - he concluded, 81 an
| the murderer"
We looked upon the mans ashy face a,
the words fell from his lips, aud each o
us knew the story was true. e.-Atlanti
Journal.