The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-02-28
AMUSING TALESMEN.
THEY SOMETIMES SAY THINGS WHICH
ARE VERY FUNNY.

Lack OF Confidence In the Trustworthiness
ofNewspapers--Thc Barber Long Looked
For-Taiesmen who Didn't Know Public
Men and Places.
In the New York courts ignorance md |
stupidity &C. asionally appear - 10 the '
characteristics chiefly sought nfttr among
jurors. The exaininati IN Of talesmen,
especially in murder cas- !, H. UsuallycX-
teedingly tntipus, but It. times hlshei OF
wit or il tai IS Of mill. mt tullness i'lu- q
time IT, Irptse" iugs. l.ven men v az in
the ordinary affairs Of i q show great III
telligei,e some. jm.s become ooir scd /
when hring oNau.ilel by two brew Il law |
yers and u Judge il II crowded courtroom
IL their answers were attervard reUd to
them 10y the stenoprapher, they would ac-
cuse him OF the grcssest Incompetence.
Certain stupid answers are given again
and aguin. At regular intervals crops w
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 prisoners
counsel. Here is n variation of that form
of genial INSTRUMENTATION;
allow would you determine the case II
selected" asked lawyer in general ses-
sions.
al would take the law from the evil
| dence, and If there was any reasonable
| doubt l would render Il verdict" This
seemed clear and straightforward enough,
! but the man was excused.
"Would you take the law from the
court, or would you settle it for your
self" Recorder Smyth asked talesman.
"Oh, | would hear what the court had
3
mind" came the answer coolly and al
most patronizingly.
The spectators thought that the rash
man would lie committed to tho Tombs
for contempt of court, but the recorder,
tho lines Of his face growing tense, calmly
asked. after pause:
"What did yous..y your business was'"
"Cloakmaking.
"Well, you would better go and attend
to it for the rest of the term" That was
all.
Some jurors have delightful lack Of
J confidence in the trustworthines3 Of news
paper reports. In murder trial every
man examined is asked If he has read
about the case. Sometimes he answers in
this strain eyes, but never believe any
thing | read in the newspapers ] place
no credence in newspaper reports" This
not regarded by tho court as a sign of
overintelligence nor is that not uncom-
mon one, what | read makes no impress
sion on me-
There is Il mistaken idea that n man
who has read anything about n crime can
not serve on the jury which tries the ac-
cused man. The law distinctly says that
even If he has made up his mind on the
question of guilt he may still make a sat
isfactory juror under certain conditions.
The mau need not even say he knows
that he would not be influenced by the
opinion, but merely that he believes he
would not he. There are dozens Of cases
in which the courts have held II juror to
be competent even if he had read about
the crime and had formed an opinion
which it would take evidence to remove,
provided that he agreed to decide only on
the evidence and regardless of that former
impression
: At the Same time, this principle of law
Is ton large extent nullilied because coun-
sci generally peremptorily challenges such
a man. The judge, however, recognizes
that the best juror of all is often the man
who frankly acknowlcC ges that he has
read all about the case nld has formed an
opinion. but nevertheless can give an i'm
partial , ard.; on the ey dencc.
In ~ ~ al in general ,ssiolJ which al
tractei lucl affection 10 name OF n bar
i.rwya ilrn nf, ", thS who lof fortune
ny the 'icrk. Clv,f tie qu, stems asked
Iin wL,th,' Il" bad for 81 al orin
Iol Go.dt the p''soIrr's ei..lt and eN-
pressed /, - his Customers.
81 hti an opinion was The answer.
shut | dit not express it il my SHOP. |
never expr .ss opinions in my shop" The
!,
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 u man
on the jury.
In tho same trial one or two other tales
men showed u lack of back bone that de-
prived them Of seats in the jury box. One
man vacillated in his views like a 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 preiudice--against a
man charged with killing woman--a
prejudice that could he removed only by
evidence that was overwhelmingly con-
vincing. A minute later he calmly said
to the judge:
uiNe uo ITcJuuIcc III tHlS CHse
D know that u man charged with crime is
considered innocent until proved guilty"
J In despair the judge told him to get down
from the witness chair.
One taiesman In the Sharp "boodle"
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 Ashury Park"
"No. sir. never met either" was the
i grave reply
Another talesman in the same case was
asked the usual question, "Do you object
to capital punishment"
mo. sir, not mt ALL" The tones were
so cheerful and the mans air so COM
pacent that Mr., Jerome quickly asked,
"What did you say your business wasY"
"I'm in the Strengthening business. p"
And the man smiled at the grim joke.
Mr.. Jerome could not object to him too
quickly.-New York Tribune