New-York tribune., 1901-01-16
COlN1NE,NT ON JURY GETTING.
ORD COULDN'T BE EQUALLED HERE
SOME THINK JERSEY SYS-
TEN AN IMPROVEMENT

The fact that jury was obtained in fifty min
utes to try the three accused of the murder
of Jennie Bosscheter in Paterson, ". j.. was
subject of much comment among lawyers In this
city yesterday. 1t agreed by most OF the
lawyers whose views were learned that il would
be next TO impossible to get jury for an inn
portant murder trial in this city in less than an
hour 1t usually takes at least a whole day in
court to get a jury in any murder trial in New
York. 1t required two weeks Of sitting and the
examination Of many talesmen to get the jury
in the Molineux case. The long delays in
lecting juries in big cases in this city led to
the enactment of the Special Jury law the re-
peal OF which Governor Oden has recommended.
Assistant District Attorney lie Barber said
yesterday that he thought there should be less
time consumed in the selection of juries in
criminal cases. The refining process is carried
too far. 1 think he said. Il have tried to
hasten the selection of juries in cases of which
1 had charge for the prosecution by using per-
emptory challenges TO dispose of jurors who. I
thought. were Objectionable. instead of trying
by long examinations to disqualify them. We
have managed in several cases to get jury in
about an hour. but not in case so widely pub
lished as the one at Paterson. 1 think. consd-
ering the wide publicity given to that case, it
would have been impossible to get jury to try
IL in this city in an hour"
'I think hour was quick time in which 10
secure a jury to try three men on the charge of
murder said Assistant District Attorney
Walsh Il can understand why it is easier to
get jury in Paterson than in New-York. how
ever. In Paterson most of the talesmen who
were drawn probably We're known personally
to the prosecution and to the defence. 1t did
not require much examination for either side 10
determine the fitness of a juror. Here in this
city the talesmen are drawn from much larger
community. Most Of them unknown to the
prosecution and the defence. In some cases.
such the Molineux case. the character OF the
evidence to be presented makes a long exami-
nation necessary to determine the fitness Of a
Juror. The fact that a long delay in obtain
ing jury arises in some cases. however. should
not lead to the presumption that there is delay
in most cases, or that there is needless delay
in any case The selection of juries in many
cases in this city is accomplished within an
hour or So"
Vernon NJ. Davis, the former Assistant Dis
trict Attorney. said to a Tribune reporter that
the system of obtaining juries In New-Jersey
seemed to be an improvement on the New-York
system. "Of course he said. I'VE want to get
juries who will give just verdicts. and in i'm
portant cases it is worth while TO examine the
candidate for the jury box with care. 1t took
two or three days. think to get the jury in
the case OF Gordon. the hrebug. but 1 managed
by pumping talesmen to keep off the jury three
men who were related to the prisoner. think.
however, that less time should be allowed in
the examination of talesmen, and the judges
might properly advise counsel in some cases TO
use less time 1t hardly necessary to
ascertain the exact quality of a talesman's
soul and search into all his moral qualities to
certain If he is fit to serve as a juror.
Stephen j. O'Hare, the former Assistant Dis
trict Attorney, declared that he thought the
New-Jersey method ought to be followed in
New York. II can see no reason" he said. why
a jury in any should not be selected in an
hours time if the counsel on both sides were
restricted to proper questions in the exami-
nation of talesmen. A good lawyer should make
up his mind in minute SO If a talesman is
fit or not l have always made practice of
getting information in advance about the tales
men on the list 1t is easy to ascertain enough
about a man TO determine IL there is any special
objection TO his serving jury, and few
pointed questions will make the objections plain.
Some lawyers are allowed to ask endless ques-
tions to disconcert and frighten talesmen. Many
of the questions that are allowed could not be
answered by the lawyers themselves. II there
was more method in the examination of Jury
lists in advance, and less freedom allowed In
the examination of talesmen. the task of select
ing turies in New-York. even in murder cases
need not consume half the time Ii does"
Assistant District Attorney Osborne, who con-
Quoted the Mollneux prosecution, said yester-
day that he did not know If there was any ad-
vantage in court rules in New-Jersey by which
the selection of Juries could be hastened. He
the method OF obtaining 1uries In this city.
S. RocKwooD's FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHS.