The Brunswick times-call. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1900-1902, 1901-05-24
SUPERIOR COURT IS
NOW IN SESSION.
Judge BGllGt Made an Able
Charge
70 THE GRAND JURY
Only a Few Cases Were Tried Yes,
terday-Will Last Some
Weeks.

The Glynn county Superior court
met yesterday morning and after the
charge 10 the jury, civil business was
Immediately taken up.
The charge Of Judge Benuet to the
grand jury was An eloquent ore and
compliments were heard on all sides
The Judge called the attention of the
grand jury TO oar republican form of
government and the fact that our Isws
were made by the peopl, and their
enforcement was left solely in the
hands of the psople; that there was
hsrdly any possible human mis- conduct
for which there was not penalty
provided and If grand jurors did their
full duty and indicted vlolators of the
law, and petit jurors In a like manner
performed their duty, and upon proof
Of guilt, convicted criminals that fewer
complaints would be heard Of the ad-
ministration OF justice and less cause
would exist for spasmodic reform.
He stated that it was without the
province of a judge to express even an
opinion as TO the guilt or innocence of
an accused but that all questions of
fact was to be deter mined by the jurors
who were the oltizenry of the country.
Judge Bennet said that If a court
should take part In prosecution, or
should have any feeling other than that
of entire impsrtiality he would be
disqualified to sit in judgment or else
he would violate his oath but that tbs
duty Of passing upon and determining
the guilt Of parties accused of crime
resied with the people and when they
complained Of laxity In the enforce>
ment of the laws they but criticized
themselves.
The judge took up the liquor question
and handled 1t in all Its phases he stated d
that the law had surrounded the traffic
with numberless safeguards, In
reference to selling liquor to miuors,
to selling liquors to intoxicated per-
sons, to selling it on the Sabbath and
the sale to the habitual drunkard.
He said II these laws were strictly
enforced and violators punished that
it would do more towards preventing
drunkardness than all the early closing
hours. The judge said he had often
heard aud read in the local press OF
the sale Of liquor to minors and that
this was a strict violation OF the law
aud that no minor was entitled to
purchase intoxioants without the writ
ten permission of bis parents and that
II the grand jurors would investig gate
wherever they could Hdd that a sale
had been made to minor he would
venture to say that they would find
that 1t was q violation Of the law for
no matter how grossly intemperate a
man might be, he would certainly be
unnatural indeed il he did not desire
that his offspring should be raised as
an honorable and sober man.
He gave some attention to the viola
tion Of the cigarette law and he spoke
at length on the laws in regard to
minors. That the laws placed around
its young citizenry every safeguard
that he might be reared free from all
immoral Influences; that he could not
be employed in saloon, to gamble
with him was a violation "a special
violation Of the law; and even father
who gave to his son cigarette, yiolat-
ed the law. He said OF the two vices,
cigarettes and liquor, that il he had to
choose between the two he would pre-
fer that A man should give his child the