The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-05

| Rockbridge convened TINS morning at the
usual hour. The special grand jury sum-
moned for this term to make thorough
Investigation of the causes that led up
| TO the footing OF the Bank of Lexington,
and place the responsibility upon the
parties responsible for that financial dis
| aster. was sworn in, and the following
broad and comprehensive charge was de-
lvered to the jury by Judge George G..
/ Grattan, Of Rockingham county.
JUDGE GAIT rs oHAEGE.
"You have been selected and sworn TO
I'll the honorable and responsible position
of grand jurors for the county OF Rock
bridge. In defining your powers and in
instructing you as to your duties, let me
first call your attention to the solemn
and binding oath you have just taken
II is a chart declaring your powers and
guiding YOUR conscience. You have each
sworn that YOU will diligently inquire
and true presentment make OF all such
matters as may be given you in charge,
or come to your knowledge touching the
present service 1t is your right, and il
will be your duty 10 inquire where and
by whom the laws OF this commonwealth
have been violated, 10 examine and bring
thing that may occasion danger, disturb
ance, or injury 10 your fellow citizens
The highest officer and the humblest
man are alike subject 10 your jurisdA-
ton. While your powers are so large
your obligations are equally great and It
behooves you 10 act In all respects with
the utmost patience and discretion. You
have also sworn that you VIII present
no person through prejudice or Ill WILL
"a ttcrn
or favor. but i'm all your presentments
you will present the truth, the whole
truth. and nothing but the truth II you
act I'm strict obedience to the plain lam
guage of this oath, you cannot wander
from the path of right. In order that
your disagreeable task may be the more
fearlessy performed, your investigation
will. i'm accordance with law, be made
IN secret. and it is hardly necessary for
me TO remind you of the propriety and
Importance of your preserving this Sc
crecy inviolate so that each member of
your body may be assured that all words
and opinions uttered in the jury-room
will never be repeated elsewhere.
THE SPECIAL SUBJECT.
"While you have full power and au-
thority 10 investigate airy matter which
may come to your knowledge touching the
present service. your attention will be
more particularly called TO the facts and
circumstances attending the recent failure
Of the Bank of Lexington. The excited
feeling resulting from this unfortunate
event still exists, and can be allayed by
nothing less than a full 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
1t properly belongs. and present the
hot fFgxr ma ha
CURED to answer at the bar OF Justice.
Gentlemen, you owe 1t TO the people OF
Rockbridge, you owe Il TO all upon whom
cuspCiOn has fallen and who are really
innocent, you owe It to 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 re-
lating to this subject are exceedingly
broad. Let me first read section 1920 Of the
Code.
Section S720-Fraudulent entries or,
etc. with intent, etc. In accounts by OFF,
GERS or clerks of banks or joint stock
companies, how punished.
II any officer or clerk of any bank or
joint stock company make, alter or omit
10 make any entry in any account kept
in such bank or by such company, with
intent in so doing TO conceal the true
state of such account or 10 defraud
the said bank or company, or TO enable
or assist any person to obtain money to
which he was not entitled, such officer or
clerk shall be confined in the penitentiary
not less than two nor more than ten
years
In addition to this. the last General
Assembly passed the following act"
Here the Judge quoted from chapter
2lO, page 222, Act OF Assembly $685.
1T is not your province to try any one.
Your duty is TO hear the evidence for the
prosecution. ana If that i'm your opinion
will fairly justify conviction you should
present the accused, but If the evidence
Is too weak and uncertain to produce a
conviction of guilt in your minds, you
should avoid an unavailing prosecution.
You must be very careful to see that the
guilty do not escape. al the same time
you ought not to harrass innocent men
with criminal charges which cannot be
sustained The quiet and peace of every
community is largely dependent upon the
d!ligent and honest action of the grand
jury, and trust that you will enter upon
your work with full sense of the re-
sponsibility which rests upon you. If
your far-reachng powers are wisely and
lmpartally exercised / have no doubt
your conclusions Will be cheerfully ac-
cepted by the law-abding people of this
prevailed will be lulled to rest. but If YOU
abuse your powers or allow yourselves to
be influenced by passion or prejudice in
stead of restoring peace, your labor will
result only in continued discomfort, posi-
bly, in disorder"
BIG CROWD RESENT.
The crowd Of county people in town to-
day was unusually large, and the interest
in the special grand jury and the work
1t had in hand seemed TO be general. and
the opinion is that the jury will not adj
tourn until q has made a full inyestiga-
ton OF the terrible financial disaster that
has caused such general wreck all over
the county.
The jury was in session all day. taking
evidence, and late this afternoon ad-
iourned until tomorrow.
CENIHII AT1Ik