The record-union., 1898-06-07
The GRAND JURY SWORN IN,
GEORGE W. LORENZ NAMED AS
FOREMAN.
Judge Hart's Instructions-Doe
Not Think There IL Much to
BE Done.

Yesterday afternoon q new Grand
Jury was impaneled in Judge Hart's
court, and had their first sitting. It
is composed as follows: John r. Ban
dine, c. X. Daugherty, III. w. Freund,
George w. Lorenz, August Meister, w.
]. Ross, Thomas Scott, F. F. Thomp-
son. ]. p. Counts, H. G. Asher Charles
Johnson. John Minford, William T.
Stephenson, d. w. Taylor, Rudolph
Wittenbrock, H. w. Bragg, NJ. A. How
ard, William Lampert and F. M. Tracy
Judge Hart appointed George w. Lor-
enz foreman.
Judge Hart charged the jury as fol-
lows:
II wish to say to you that, while I
am Of the opinion that there is at the
present time but little business to re-
quire the attention of your honorable
body, it is nevertheless the duty of the
court in this county to summon, draw
and impanel two Grand Juries in each
year. Section 341 Of the Code of Civil
Procedure, provides, among other
things, that in all counties having three
or more Superior Court Judges there
shall be two Grand Juries drawn and
impaneled in each year.
This provision is mandatory upon
the court, and, whether there is any
business necessary to be transacted by
a Grand Jury or not, it is, as 1 have
already stated, the bounden duty of
this court to call into existence Grand
Jury twice in each year. Under the
rules adopted by this court the work
of impaneling Grand Jury must be
done on the first Monday in June and
December Of each year.
If it We're not for the mandatory ma
ture Of the provision Of the law upon
this subject the court, in the exercise
Of a sound discretion, would be justified
in postponing the impaneling of a
Grand Jury until some later period in
the year, for the reason. as above
stated, there Is not at this time, in
my judgment, sufficient work Of the
character cognizable by Grand Jury
to justify the expense attendant upon
the summoning and impaneling of such
a body
You are not to understand from this.
however, that you are to be restricted
in any inquiries which your judgment
may direct you to make within the linn
it's of your powers. If you determine
it to be necessary to investigate any
subject appertaining to the affairs of
the county it will be your duty to pur-
sue the investigation patiently and
thoroughly"
After quoting the law concerning
the powers and duties of a Grand Jury,
Judge Hart resumed:
I'm connection with Section 92S,
just read to you, and which re-
quires a Grand Jury annually to
make a careful and complete exam
sv,o 1F
counts Of all the officers of the county,
and to employ an expert for that pur-
pose if, in their judgment, the services
Of an expert are necessary, desire to
say that it has been the custom to
commit this particular work to the
Grand Jury that is impaneled in the
month Of December in each year, and,
unless something transpires during
your deliberations which, in your judg
ment, renders it necessary to investi-
gate the county books and records at
this time, suggest to you that this
work be dispensed with by you, thus
leaving the responsibility thereof with
the Grand Jury to be impaneled next
December. I may here say that the
work required to be done by the Grand
Jury under Section 92S was carefully
and thoroughly performed by the Grand
Jury of December, 1897.
You are also instructed, gentlemen
Of the jury, that neither a presentment
nor an indictment can be found by you
without the concurrence of at least
twelve Grand Jurors. When a present
ment is found it must be signed by the
foreman, and when an indictment is
found it must be indorsed. a true BILL
and the Endorsement must be signed by
the foreman of the Grand Jury.
You will be at liberty, gentlemen, to
call upon the District Attorney or the
court, or the Judge thereof, at all times
during your deliberations for any ad-
vice which you may deem necessary to
assist you in the efficient discharge or
your duties."