The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-11
The Juryman should Protest.

IN an article in the August number OF
the Atlantic Monthly. entitled The
Wrongs Of the Juryman." Mr.. Harvey y.
Shepherd makes some observations that
should receive the attention Of the legis-
lature OF every state. His idea is that
the juryman is subjected to wrongs and
indignities for which there is neither rea-
son nor valid excuse, and is treated by
courts as il ne was untrustworthy rather
than an honorable man.
The chief reason why It is such a diff
ficult matter in every community TO get
men OF intelligence and respectability 10
serve on juries is the harsh treatment
Jdrymen receive. Judges. under the prac-
tice that prevails in most of the states.
seem to think that jurymen have no rights
they are bound to respect. They order
them locked up for days at a time. and
very often the quarters to which they are
assigned are totally lacking in comforts
Of any kind. Their meals are served ir-
regularly and little or no attention is
paid to their requests for particular arti-
cles of food. When confined in the jury
Of sleeping comfortably are provided. The
jurymen are expected to sleep on the floor
or in their chairs. What wonder is it that
jurymen subjected TO such hardships be-
come i'll?
a busy man caught on a jury in an i'm
portant case is allowed TO have no COM
munication with his business associates
or his clerks. Such a deprivation may
cause him great loss of business or
money. Even communication with his
family is cut off. The serious illness and
even death of his wife or a child is not
sufficient reason for his leaving ,he
jury room for a short time. Such treat
ment as that comes very near being brutal
In some of the states. particularly in
Connecticut. there is greater liberality in
the treatment of jurymen. Why shouldn't
they be treated with greater liberality in
all the states? Why should they not be
regarded as men having as much regard
for their honor and oaths and as much
self-respect as the judges? Why should
they be kept together IN any case, how
ever important. and why should they not
be permitted - attend to their respective
businesses and go to their respective
homes when the court adjourns for the
day? 1t is only on the supposition that
they will permit themselves to be improp-
| erly approached by one or other of the
parties in the case that they are kept to-
gether and locked up. Such a supposition
is not complimentary to them. 1t is not
particularly gratifying to self-respectng
men to be dealt with as if they were re-
garded as lacking in strength of character
or integrity.
Jurymen are often kept confined longer
than they otherwise would be in order to
compel them to agree. Verdicts are OBJ
tanned that way, but do such verdicts ex-
press the deliberate convictions of twelve
men? Is it not oftener the case than 9TH
erwise that when there is delay in reach
ing a verdict the weaker jurymen are
| bulldozed into agreeing with the stronger
ones, whether the stronger represent the
minority or the majority?
The wrongs of jurymen present an in
teresting subject for discussion and also
for reform legislation. If jurymen were
accorded intelligent treatment there would
be less Sinking of jury duty by inteui-
gent and self-respecting citizens.