The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-17
How MexicanS Prevent
MiStrialS by Jury.
Supernumerary Jurors st
With Regular Panels.
The Half Penny and Penny in Our
Monetary Transactions.

GAS general thing Americans can get
but few points from the Mexicans," re-
marked a friend, who has spent many
years OF his life in travel, to the Gossiper
last evening, "but must say they are
ahead OF us in the provision they make
to avoid mistrials of cases, both civn
and criminal, such as we sometimes have
here, because of juror becoming Ill
after the case has been opened. In Mex
leo two supernumerary jurors are drawn
and they sit near the regular jury ana
listen to oil the evidence and tne argu-
ments as well throughout the trial. III at
any time during the progress oil the trlai
a Juror becomes i'll or Is otherwise IN
capacitated from continuing, one OF the
substitutes takes his place and the trial
proceeds. Thus you see, the Mexicans
by very simple method avoid what so
frequently happens in the American ad-
ministration of justce-the rendering OF
a long and costly trial absolutely worth.
less when il is nearly finished because OF
the illness or death of one of the jurors.
have in mind now a criminal case here
which resulted in the conviction OF the
accused but which may ultimately prove
to have been aboftive because during It's
progress one of the jurors became Ill. III
we employed the Mexican system OF SUBJ
such denouement
People from the far West, particularly
from the Pacific slope, are disposed 10
look upon New Engl anders as remark
ably close-fisted set and all because they
look after the cents III all money trans
actions. In the West very few cents are
in circulation. the half dime being the
smallest money piece that is used in trans
actions, IS rule. and so western VISITORS
are inclined to regard the scrupulous at
tention paid TO the cents here as some
what picayunish. What would they have
said il they were about when the hall
penny was in use. There are many peo-
pie In Providence today who can recall
the time when the half penny played no
inconspicuous part in money transactions
and stories are told OF how some men
now considered wealthy laid the foupda-
tious of their present fortunes by hoard
ing these insignificant coins. OCCASIONAL
ly one turns up now, but 1T is quickly
seized upon. and stored away as relic
of the past. The coinage of half-pennies
began as early az 1794 and continued un-
interrupted for 63 years, or until the act
ordering the discontinuance of that coin
age was passed in Feb, 1857. During
those 63 years 1885, ,222 half-pennies of
q total value OF $50, 926. IL were put into
circulation. At the present time 1t is
80lQ tQere are boDutt uluR ljkc eiBnt
hundred million one-cent pieces in circu-
lation.
1t is only within two decades that the
toll gate and turnpike have disappeared
from Rhode island. ProbaD bly, the last OF
these institutions to pass away was up in
Chepachet. where the people are noted for
their proneness to retain old customs and
pract ices for a longer period than in most
other parts of these Plantations. AT one
time Rhode Island was pretty literally
supplied with turnpilses. The first estab-
lished by statute formed part Of the
line from Boston to New York and was
known as the Providence and Norwich
turnpike, which had been begun as early
as 179s The Incorporation Of the Prov
idence and Boston turnpike took place on
October 20, 1900. Then there were turn
pixies to East Greenwich, Glocester,
Smithfeld, Pawtucket, Wexford, Coven-
try, CranstoE, Foster, Worcester, Cum
berlend and to other towns of consider
able size. The object of the establish