The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-08-26

THERE IS NEAT
THIS SUGGESTION.
Mr.. JOHN A. Sins REPLIES 70 TINE
NEWS AND OBSERVER AND GIVES
some LIVE FACTS.
1hs Observer Wsuid Net Pstss The Rs-
pIy-Hsv Mach Can be Saved and Mech
Good Do.s.
The News and Observer recently
criticised q suggestion made by Mr..
Sims, Chief Clerk of the AUDITORS Of
Ace, to the effect that the foreman
Of the grand jury should Be elected
BY the county and that there should
be . stenographer for each grand
Jury to take down the evidence. The
News and Observer in an editorial
headed Before and after taking"
attempted to ridicule Mr.. Sims and
make some partisan capital by say
ing that Populists were for economy
before they were elected to Office
and that they were forinereasing Of
fees after the Populist got in power.
This was very unworthy" in the
News and Observer. It should have
had the manhood and honesty to
have discussed Mr.. Sims suggestion
on its merits. If his idea was good,
if it would elevate and improve our
jury and Judicial system, if it would
help to meet the ends of justice, then
the News and Observer owed it to
itself and to the public to say so,
even it it had to give somecred it to q
Populist in doing so. Il the propo-
sitlOn was not sound and tenable,
then the News and Observer should
have shown that it was not, and done
it in frank and open manner.
Mr.. Sims wrote letter to that pa
per replying to its criticisms. but We
regret to say that it did not have the
fairness to publish it. The follow
ing is the letter:
EDITOR NEws AND OBsERvER:-In-
asmuch as you see fit in yesterdays
Observer to pay your compliments
to the Chief Clerk to the Stste Aud
itor," before and after taking" re-
spectfully ask room for the follow
ing:
Having served as q juror In my
county (Cabarrus) last week, ON my
return to the city, stated to news
reporter, that was in favor of max
ing the foreman of the grand jury
an elective officer, the term either
two or four years; with per diem
equal to that of a county commits
sioner; and one reason for creating
an additional Office was in the inter
est of economy.
The foreman of the grand jury
should be one of the best men of the
county; and one somewhat acquaint-
ed with his duties. Tls possible to Sc
lect Is good honest men as grand
jurors and not one of these ever
having served on jury, the result
is, that one or two days time of the
Solicitor is taken informing the
foreman, the business of the grand
jury delayed and, in some instances,
I have known the upper court to send
for the Solicitor who was at the time
engaged in instructing tho foreman.
An intelligent foreman fully quali-
fed for the place dispatches business
without interfering with the upper
court, and gets through its work al
least one day earlier.
Then I suggest as an additional
economy, a stenographer, to take
the evidence given before the grand
jury. I respectfully submit that
have heard cases tried in the Supe.
rior court; time of the court taken
up, sheriff's fees, clerk fees, witness
fees, and jurors costs all to be paid
by the county; and no grand jury
would have found a true bill or
any such evidence as brought in
the upper court; result, the defend.
ant acquitted. Whyi Because the
witness had told. more before the
grand jury than was true, or had
suppressed a part of the facts in the
upper court. A witness before the
grand jury knowing that the juror.
dare not divulge anything that i,
brought out before them, prompted
too often by malice, tell more thar
the actual facts, true bill is found
upon his evidence, the case goes K
the upper court; the witness ha
cooled down somewhat; he is con
fronted by an open court; he fears t,
tell falsehood publicly, or som'
friend of the defendant has prevail
ed upon him to suppress a part o
the facts; verdict, defendant no
guilty. Confront that witness will
the evidence on which tie bill wa
found; let him tell substa ntially tn,
same tale as that giver the gran,
jury or pay the penalty for perjury
By this means many, yes many case
will never 60 further than the gram
| jury room; thus saving hundreds o
dollars to the respective counties.
I can very readily see why thi
plan might not work we'll in som
counties, but l am satisfied (withou
knowing positively that there is nc
an attorney, county official, or il
telligent citizen in my county (rt
gardless of party) but what woul
say that it would be q good law fo
Cabarrus.
Now for few figures "before an
and AFTER" :.
Before" 1s jurors $3.50 per day..
each days. .......$ Ioz
"After," II jurors $1.5O per
day, each days -~.......$127 SO
: Foreman, 81 per day, S days, 10 90
Stenographer, IS per day,
days. ..................... ZoOo
Total sl62
Now, Mr.. Editor, while of couri
"after" is downed to the tune of fift
cents, ask in all candor, what hs
been saved to the county as has a
, ready been referred to abovef