Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-05
BANK OF LEXINGTON.
OPENING OF THE MARCH TERM OF
ROCKBRrDGE COUNTY COURT.
Judge Grattan, of Rockingham,
Charges the Grand Jury-The De-
faIcatiOn TO he Pr0bed to the Hot
tom-Law Laid Down.

LEXINGTON, March 4-tSpecial.)-ih
March term OF the County Court began
to-day, Judge Grattan. of Rockingham
presiding. The special grand jury called 10
investigate the Bank Of Lexington defai-
cation was convened. and Judge Grattan
delivered to them the following compre-
hensive charge:
You have been selected and sworn TO
fill the honorable and responsible POSI-
ton of grand jurors for the county oil
Rockbrlge. In defining your powers ana
in instructing you as to your duties let
me first call your attention TO the solemn
and binding oath you have just taken.
"Yeu have each sworn that you VIII
diligently inquire into and true present.
ment make OF all such matters as may
be given you in charge or come TO your
knowledge touching the present service.
II is your right and 1t will be your duty
TO inquire where and by whom the laws
OF this Commonwealth have been vio-
lated; to examine and bring 10 light tor
trial and punishment everything that
may occasion danger. disturbance, or in
Jury TO your fellow-citizens. The highest
subject to your Jurisdiction. While your
powers are large. your obligations are
equally great, and II behooyes you to act
In all respects with the utmost patience
and discretion You have also sworn ihat
YOU will present no person through Prelu-
dice or ill-wil' nor leave any unpresented
through fear or favor, but in all your
presentments you will present the TRUTH
the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth.
IN SECRET.
IF you act with the strict. plain lam
guage of this oath you cannot wander
from the path of right. In order That your
disagreeable task may be the more Tear
lessly performed, your investigation. In
accordance with law will be made in
secret. and II is hardly necessary to re.
mind you Of the propriety and importance
of your preserving this secrecy invio-
late, so that each member Of your body
may be assured that all words and opin-
ions uttered in the iury-room VIII never
be repeated elsewhere. While you nave
fun power and authority TO investigate
any matter which may come TO your
knowledge Touching the present service,
your attention will be more particularly
called to the facts. and circumstances at
tending the recent failure OF the Bank
OF Lexington.
FAIR AND FEARLESS.
1.-THE excited feeling resulting from this
unfortunate event still exists. and can be
allayed by nothing less than fuli fair'
and fearless report by you upon the
affairs OF this bank. In which report you
will place the responsibility for the
wrong done where IT properly belongs
and present tne guilty parties. so thar
they may be required to answer at the bar
Of Justice. Gentlemen, you owe II 10 the
people Of Rockbrldge. you owe II TO all
upon whom suspicion has fallen, and VINO
are really innocent. and you owe II 10
YOUR own selves. to probe this matter
TO the very bottom. and to present the
whole truth without fear or favor
The statutes OF Virginia relating TO this
subject are exceedingly broad The Judge
then read section 1919 Of the Code OF lsS''
and an act passed by the last Generai AS
semby. -
PROTECT THE INNOCENT.
eft is not your province to try any one.
your duty is 10 hear the evidence for the
prosecution. and IL that in your opinion
viii fairly Justify conviction you should
present the accused. but II the evidence
is too weak and uncertain 20 produce a
conviction of guilt In your minds. you
should avoid any unavailing prosecution
You must be very careful 10 see that the
guilty DO not escape: at the same time
you ought not to harass innocent men
with criminal charges which cannot pe
susdned. The quiet and peace OF every
community is largely dependent upon
the diligent and honest action OF the
grand jury and l trust that you VIII
enter upon your work with fun sense
of the responsibility which rests upon
YOU. N your far-reaching powers are
wisely and impartially exercised / have
no doubt your conclusions will be cheer
fully accepted by the law-abiding people
of this county, and the excitement whicf
has prevailed will be lulled to rest, bu'
II YOU abuse your powers or allow your
selves to be Influenced by passion or pre-
iudice. instead of restoring peace, your
labor will result only in continued discoh'
tent, possibly In disorder
EXAMINING WITNESSES.
Jrpon the conclusion of the charge the
fury retired 10 the jury-roOm, where they
were in session all day. examining wit
nesses who had been summoned They
adjourned late in the afternoon 10 mee'
tomorrow. when the examination vii
he continued from day to day until the
matter Is thoroughly investigated. The
crowd was the largest seen for many q
court-day, and the best Of order prevailed
Captain jams Bumgardner. the acting
Commonwealth Attorney. was in waiting
all day to answer any questions which
might be propOunded to him by the jury
The Jury is representative body oil
Rockbridges sterling men. and will leave
no stone unturned to bring those CON
cerned I'm the wrecking OF the bank iC
justice.