The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-03-11

to say what they believe, and what they
do not believe, to weigh the evidence and
find out how much it convinces you.
1t seems to be popularity OF the hui
man race that if one us has a lawsuit,
that it is to us the most important law
suit in all the world, and our friends
think SO, and we come up to court, and
we want TO talk about it and about the
business. Gentlemen, you don't want to
hear any one talk about the cases. OF
course, every one who has suit here
Will want to be your friend-you will
have lots of them. You will have one
crowd here today with lawsuit-the
panorama will tie moving-tomorrow an
other crowd, and the next day another;
and that ever changing panorama will be
passing day after day, and you will see
the scene changing from day to day, yet
they all have the same interest that the
parties of yesterday had. But these
things are not to control or influence you.
You have solemn duty to perform un-
der the solemn obligations of your oath.
1t would seem that no oath was necessa-
ry; that the manhood of American citi-
zens would be sufficient oath upon him
to perform his duties if he understands
them properly.
Every one will be friendly to you and
you are to treat every one courteously,
but do not allow any one to talk with you
about any case on this calendar. You
may hear something about them, per-
haps, when it cannot be avoided, but iso-
late yourselves SO you may come to the
discharge of the high trust put upon you
when you are put in that jury box, with
out any opinion, without any impress
sions. 1t is a popular saying among some
people that we want jurors because they
do not know anything. This is not the
idea at all. We want jurors who are
broad, well-informed, right minded,
thinking men, and know great deal
about the business and affairs of men but
we do not want them to know anything
about the particular case on trial. If
any one should interfere or undertake to
talk with you about the case, or in your
presence, or discuss it, you are not help.
less. 1t is your duty to report it to the
Court. The laws of this state provide
every Court shall have the power to
punish by fine or imprisonment in GER
tain cases."
The sixth subdivision of the section
provides as follows: Persons summoned
as jurors of any court, for Improperly con-
versing with any party to suit to be
tried at such court, or with any other
person in relation to the merits of such
suits, for re .eiviug communications from
any such party or from any other per-
son in relation to the merits of such suit,
without Immediately disclosing the same
to the Court" want to cay to you,
gentlemen ii you notice anything i'm
proper in any way that is liable to i'm
properly influence you or any other jur-
ors, if you will come to me quietly and
tell me about it, will not get you into
any trouble, but 1 will take care of them,
and it is oour duty to do that as jurors
l do not apprehend that any one will
attempt it, but if any one, in their zeal,
should so far forget themselves as to in
terfere with true and proper administra-
ton of justice by anything of that kind
certainly they will not be benefited by it.
Gentlemen, I will say in conclusion, of
the sacredness of the dnty and trust you
are called upon to discharge, that you are
to sit in judgment upon your fellow men.
There is no appeal from your decisions,
while if the Court makes mistake on
the law the stenographer takes it down,
and there is a higher tribunal that can
review that, but upon questions of fact
the conclusion of the jury is final. 1t is
high trust; it is a sacred trust. 1t
should be conscientiously discharged, and
l believe you will do that, gentlemen.
I have great faith in jurors. have
great faith in the opinion of twelve hon.
est men. 1t is like composite picture,
where they take thirty or forty in a class
and show the average characteristics in
class. So with juries. 1t shows the av-
erage opinion of twelve conscientious
men, and do not think that any one
who is not here in the court room, who
does not understand it as you understand
it, would be justly entitled to criticise
you. l may make mistakes and you may
make mistakes, but if you have done your
work honestly, and discharged your duty
honestly, let it 60 at that. AS matter
of friendly advice, will say to you that
l think it is good plan, after you have
decided case, not to talk about it. You
cannot help the matter by going from the
court room and arguing over it. Just say
81 did my duty"
1 inaugurated this idea of talking with
jurors on the first of the term so they can
get better idea of the discharge of their