The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-07-12
AMUSING TALESMEN.
THEY SOMETIMES SAY THINGS WHICH
ARE VERY FUNNY.

Lack of Confidence In the Trustworthines.
ofNewspapers-The Barber Long Look 4
/ For-Tniesmen who Didn't Know Pub, .
Men and Places.
In the New York courts ignorance and
/ stupidity occasionally appear to be the
/ characteristics chiefly sought after among
jurors. The examination Of talesmcn,
especially in murder eases, l. usually ox-
ceedingly tedious, but Mt times hashe, OF
wit or instances of brilliant dullness illu-
mine the proceedings. Even men who in
the ordinary affairs Of life show great in-
teiligence sometimes become confused
when being examined b. two shrewd law
yers and judge in crowded courtroom.
If their answers were afterward read to
them by the stenographer, they would ac-
cuse him Of the grossest incompetence.
Certain stupid answers are given agpin
and again. At regular intervals crops up
the man who says that he would take the
evidence from the law, or the law from
the evidence, or the evidence from the
court, or the evidence from the prisoner
counsel Here is a variation of that form
of genial misinformation
"How would you determine the case IL
selectedi' asked lawyer in general sea
sions
al would take the law from the evil
dence, and If there was any reasonable
doubt | would render verdict This
seemed clear and straightforward enouLA,
but the man was excused
"Nould you take the law from the
court, or would you settle it for your
self" Recorder Smyth asked talesmau.
"Oh, would hear what the court Iad
to say, and then would make up NV
mind" came the answer coolly and al
most patronizingly.
The spectators thought that the "a IA
man would be committed to the Tombs
for contempt Of court, but the recorder,
the lines of his face growing tense, calmly
asked, after n pause
"What did you say your business wasi"
''Cloakmakiug
"Well, you would better 20 and attend
to it for the rest Of the term" That ves
all.
Some jurors have n delightful lacl. Il
confidence in the trustworthiness of news
paper reports. In murder trial every
man examined is asked if he has r. /
about the case. Sometimes he answers "a
this strain: "Nes, but | never believe any
thing ! read in the newspapers. place
no credence in newspaper reports " II =
is generally said breezily, but the reply is
not regarded by tho court IA sign {
overintelligehce nor is that not uncom-
mon one, "What | read makes no impress.
sion on me
There is "A mistaken idea that a man
who has read anything about a crime Gun
not serve on the jury which tries the nc
cused man. Tho law distinctly says that
even If he has made up his mind on tho
question Of guilt he may still make a sat
isfactory juror under certain conditions.
The man need not even say he knows
that he would not be influenced by the
opinion, but merely that he believes 10
would not be. There are dozens of cas- :
in which the courts have held juror -
be competent even If he had read abort
the crime and had formed an opiui, n
which it would take evidence to remov,,
provided that he agreed to decide only on
the evidence and regardless of that form r
impression.
At the same time, this principle of law
is to "A large extent nullified. because cow
sci generally peremptorily challenges a
a man. The judge, however, recogr :
that the best juror of all is often the n
who frankly acknowledges that he , =
read all about the case aud has formCC al
opinion, but nevertheless can give al. m
partial verdict on the evidence
In trial in general sessions which et-
tracted much attention the name of "A t'-
Der was drawn from the wheel of for me
by the clerk. One Of the questions Gs d
him was whether he had formed an O. u-
ion about the prisoners guilt and eN-
pressed it to his customers.
81 had an OPINION was the ansy er,
"but | did not express it in my shop
never express opinions in my shop" 'hs
latter part Of the answer was given v IA
emphasis
"Your honor, this is the barber for
whom we have all been looking, said the
lawyer for the defense, but the assistant
district attorney did not want such man
on tho jury.
In tho same trial one or two other tales
men showed n lack OF backbone that de-
prived them Of seats in the Jury box One
man vacillated in his views like wealth
ervane. First he said he would take the
evidence from the court, then he said he
would take it under the courts ruling.
He began by saying that he had preju-
dice--a very strong prejudice against
man charged with killing a woman--,,
prejudice that could be removed only by
evidence that was overwhelmingly CON
vincing. A minute later he calmly said
to the judge:
81 have no prejudice in this case.
know that a man charged with crime is
considered innocent until proved guilty"
In despair the judge told him TO get down
from the witness chair
One talesman in the Sharp doodle"
trial said he had never heard of Jacob
Sharp. There was also one, at another
time, who didn't know who Chauncey NJ.
Depew was. In the trial of Carlyle W.
Harris, W. Travers Jerome put this ques.
ton:
Are you acquainted with Ocean Grove
or Asbury Parkf'
"No, sir never met either" was the
grave reply.
Another talesman in the same case was
asked the usual question, "Do you object
TO capital pun.shmentyn
mo, sir, not at all" The tones were
so cheerful and the mans air so COM
placent that Mr.. Jerome quickly asked,
what did you say your business vast"
"I'm in the slaughtering business. -
And the man smiled at the grim joke.
Mr.. Jerome could not object TO him too
/ quickly.-New York Tribune.
Didn't Quite Understand.