The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-10
JURIEs AND THEIR vERDIcrs.
In Former Times Agreement Was
Compelled.

Compelled.
From the Church Family Newspaper.
1t used to be the practice 10 strave disc
agreeing jurymen into agreement. At the
conclusion of a case the jurors were lock-
ed up without fire. light or food, and thus
they had to remain until they decided
upon verdict. once upon a time IL was
discovered that a jury so locked up had
refreshed themselves with some apples
which one of their number brought in his
pockets The judge severely rated them
on the misconduct, and fined them u shIll-
ings each. In the reign of Henry VIII.
Lord Chief Justice Reed. presiding at Ions
don city sessions, had to punish jury for
the same heinous offense of taking refresh-
ment before their verdict had been deliv-
cred. The circumstances were peculiar
and afford an interesting glimpse of the
manners OF the time. The jurors, on n
motion made on their behalf to set aside
the fine pleaded that it was the judge who
was to blame and not they. They said
that they returned into court with theiE
verdict after a reasonable amount of de-
liberation, but they found that his Lord
ship had gone out to see an ARRAY. They.
therefore, returned to their room to await
his return and thought they were doing
~ WINS III Aahlu6 u AltNAG luACDs 1n0
fine was upheld.
Many and diYerting are the stories told
by smart lawyers Of poor befogged 1ur-
ors. That Jurors do sometimes ask very
fdiotic questions and return very foolish
gverdicts every one with the slightest
knowledge of the interior of a court of
justice must admit, but we must not
blame the honest man too much The
debnitating effects Of a long wrangle be-
tween Tweediedum Q. c., and TWeedle-
dee, Q. c., followed by a pompous, abb
struse harangue from Mr.. Justice Bumps
tious, should be taken into consideration.
The wonder is when one remembers tho
pains that are taken by the learned coun-
sci to mystify jures, that so many SEN
sible verdicts are obtained. Here are
some cases which do not show trial by
jury in the brightest light:
provision dealer prosecuted a man for
stealing piece of bacon out of his shop.
The evidence was simple and undisputed-
The prosecutor, sitting in a little back par
Tor with a glass door, saw the thief walk
up to the counter, pick up the bacon and
put it in his pocket.
You saw me through the glass, did
your" asked the prisoner.
Yes" said the plaintiff.
well. then, must be let off, you CAN'T
swear through glass"
The judge, Of course, made light of this
strange defense, but the jury took the
prisoner view ana acquitted him.
Baron Anderson once tried a civil ac-
ton, in. which the plaintiff had had his
ribs broken and his skull fractured by the
defendant. The facts were not disputed:
it was only question of damages, and
the jury awarded the plaintiff Fl.
GO home" exclaimed the Judge saw
agely land as you value ribs at 81 L hope
you will get some liberal purchasers for
your own on the Journey"
AT Winchester in 1865, the same Judge
tried some poachers. 1t was noticed that
the defending counsel, the recorder of
Portsmouth, challenged a great many of
the panel so that the jury was very slow
'ly constituted. There was no question as
to the evidence; the men ought to have
been convicted without a moments hesi-
tauon. The jury, however, acquitted
them.
"You See" said one Of the Jurors after
ward, 1--WE are all Portsmouth men, and
our recorder said one thing and the other
old judge on the bench said another, and
we thought our recorder was most likely
TO be right, SO we let the men off,"