The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-03
NOT FEAR NOR FAVOR
SHOULD CONTROL GRAND JURY IN
THE DISCHARGE OF ITS DUTY.
JUDGE SEABR00K'S CHARGE.
NO INFLUENCE SHOULD STAY Pun
ISHMENT OF THE LAW.


Petit Juries Have Been Prone to
Permit Sentiment or Affection 40
Sway Their ActiOns-This ShOuId
Not Be-Thc Impartial and Unva-
ryinE Enforcement of Law the
Guarantee of Liberty.
That criminals should be indicted and
punished without fear favor or affec-
! ton and equally without reference to
their social, political or financial stand
| ing in the community. was the lead
! ing and characteristic utterance of
Judge Seabrook, in his charge to the
grand jury of the Superior Court yes
terday morning.
The December term of the court
convened at 10 o'clock, with Judge Sea-
brook of the Atlantic circuit, presiding
in the place of Judge Falligant. The
! grand jury was at once empanelled and
sworn. 1t is constituted as follows: F.
D. BIoodworth foreman; Michael Caro-
Ian. Julian Schley Robert H. Cornwell,
Amson Mohr, Clarence G.. Anderson,
James l.. Morrison, Jacob S. Collins,
]. Thomas West. William T. Leopold,
William D. Krenson, John NJ. Bryan,
| George S. Haines, William s. Tison,
| William NJ. Davant, John ]. Gaudry,
Chris P. Gray, Joseph Ferst, Albert L.
Shellman, Adolph NJ. LETTER, Solomon
Binswanger Robert B. Reppard, and
Edward ]. Thomas.
After selecting it's foreman the grand
| jury returned to the court room to
| listen to the charge of Judge Sea-
brook. He spoke to it's members cas-
lily and Familiarity, in the evident effort
to impress them with the idea that he
! desired to secure their confidence and
| cooperation in the administration of
| justice at this term of the Superior
Court. There was in the charge no
| striving after rhetorical or oratorical
| display.
Notwithstanding. the charge was an
able and forcible one. the grand jury
| being reminded that its functions had
no concern with the enactment of law
or its modification; the grand jury was
to enforce the law, in it's letter and
| SPIRIT as it now appears on the stat
ute books of the state. Judge Sea-
| brook said in part:
! Old in the Service
1.-The intelligent and representative
character of the gentlemen composing
your body impresses me with the flu
| tility of engaging upon a formal
charge. because most of you. through
long and honorable service in the ca
pacity of grand jurors. are familiar al
ready with the duties that rest upon
you.
yet there are certain matters to
| 7 o1.I Ia 10
call your special attention, and then.
too. there are a few thoughts of my
| own which l want to submit.
| "At the outset let me say that it is
cause of regret common to us all.
that your distinguished, much honored
and beloved resident judge is tempo
rarily absent from his accustomed
place, owing to physical indisposition,
the continuation of which we hope and
have every reason to believe will be of
| but short duration.
| I'm the meantime, then, it will be
my pleasure to conduct the affairs of
this court and while so doing, l want
| to impress upon you that l want to
get near to you, so that we together,
| actuated by the same impulses, may
stand shoulder to shoulder in an earn
est, honest and determined effort to
uphold and vindicate the law in
|
We have abundant laws-a miscar-
riage of justice is rarely attributable
to the lack or absence of law, but in
nearly every instance to it's maladmin-
istration or to it's improper enforce
ment.
You stand at the threshold of this
court and admit all whom you find eli
gible. The criminal branch of it will
owe much to your discretion, your dis
elimination, your judgment. Present
none through hatred or malice, and
leave none unpresented through fear
favor or affection. Just here is where
want you to stick a pin.
Jurors Lean to Criminals.
81 most respectfully submit. that il
has happened; you have seen it, sc
have 1, and it too often happens, that
grand and petit jurors, possessing as
they do the noble attributes of tho
human heart, love and sympathy foI
their fellowman. and all that is best
and highest in human nature, find
themselves leaning, unconsciously per-
haps. yet leaning. toward the criminal:
because he stands we'll in the social
world, in other instances, because he
has financial or political influence.
That l regard as the most serious
danger that threatens. Unless our
laws are administered with even and
exact justice irrespective OF persons
disrespect for them is engendered and
naturally SO. If political. So
cial or financial influence has to be
reckoned with in a court of justice, il
the guilt or innocence of the prisoner
at the bar is to be determined, not by
the facts and law of the case. but by
the position which he occupies, or his
family possesses in the community sc
long will the attainment of the highest
aim and purpose of our system of laws
and of our government be delayed.
II value the influence for good upon
the public by the conviction and Just
punishment of one smart. polished gull
ty rascal more infinitely more, than
l do the conviction of a dozen poor ig-
norant devils, who are either born
criminals, made so by adversely. or be-
came so through ignorance. One of the
principal purposes designed to be ac-
complished by the infection of the
laws penalties, is the example IL fur
nishes others, as a deterrent to crime
and the sooner we teach those crimi-
nally inclined that the relation to the
community borne by the criminals is
of no avail, and that the penalty will
surely fall upon them, the sooner will
we merit the appreciation of our own
consciences. as well as those of our
country.
City's Interests Held Denr.
Another thought-you should not
! see before mo friends with whom |
have enjoyed many years Of close pro-
fessional and local intercourse Your
h. fs.Na ~