The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-12-13
OBJECTS TO THE
EPITHET CRANK
JUROR w. L. PETERSON TELLS
THE COURT HIS TROUBLE AND
IS REASSURED BY DE BOLT.

Juror w. L. Peterson objects to being
called a crank" and this morning he
rose in the jury box in Judge De Bolts
court and asked the court to instruct
the Jurors not to call zone another
cranks, or to tell what went on in the
jury room when there were disagree
ments. Yesterday afternoon, in the
trial of Ah On and PAX Chez for mali
cious injury Peterson stood alone for
conviction for some time, and it was
not until some warm arguments had
passed that he was brought over. Other
jurors passed the remark that there
was "one crank" on the jury holding
back, and to this Peterson made his
objections. He had the pleasure of be-
ing told by the court that he wasn't a
crank at all, but was a good juror.
Before being sworn in," said Peter
son this morning after jury had been
called to try one Geronimo for larceny,
Il want to ask the court to instruct
jurors not to talk about what goes on in
the jury room. 1t is not fair that
juror who holds for what he thinks is
the right should be called a crank by
the others and in the newspapers. In
the case yesterday there were four for
conviction and eight for not guilty at
first and l held out as 1 thought right,
and asked for more instructions from
the court. l wasn't going to agree to
a verdict until l was convinced that it
was a proper one.
Peterson declared that Juror E. P.
Sullivan had used unwonted vigor in his
arguments in the jury room, and that
Sullivan had declared that he wouldn't
sit on another jury with him. Sullivan
was there, however, on the Gerenimo
jury, and both the gentlemen sat.
Il think it is right and proper" said
De Bolt, for jurors to hold out for their
own views. 1t shows that a man has
a mind of his own and 1 think that all
the members of this jury, throughout
the term, have been conscientious and
intelligent jurors" Peterson repea ted
his objection to being called crank,
and the judge told him he was not a
crank but had done what a good juror
should do.
Juror Mott rose to remark that there
was too much bulldozing in the jury
room, and declared that it ought to be
stopped. 1t appears that the jurors
who have served so long together have
| begun to differ with a good deal of
vigor when they retire, and Mott had a
kick as well as Peterson. He also
served on the Geronimo jury.
The present jury has established
record for speedy trials and convictions
There is only a small panel and a
| jury is practically the same twelve
men every time. During the six weeks
that the term of court has lasted they
| have worked from 9:30 to 4:30 every
! day, and they have brought in three or
four verdicts a day at times. The
! jurors are well trained now in estimat
| ing evidence, and they usually report
with a promptness that takes the
| breath away. Verdicts were returned
| in several cases last week almost before
the bailiff had the jurors locked up, and
! before the lawyers had had time to en-
| joy a cigarette, De Bolt had them in
court starting another case, with new
| jury mostly the same as the last
In the amount of business done and
| the proportion of convictions, the pre-
sent term has also been one breaking
all records here. Out of a total of 1Ol
criminal cases on the calendar So have
been disposed of and there are several
days left. With forty cases sent to the
jury there were only ten acquittals.
! This is a record of over a verdict a day.
Notwithstanding several cases that took
| several days, and lot of legal motions
which occupied much time. 1t has
been a hard term for criminals.
For today, Monday and Tuesday, the
last three days of the term, Judge De
Bolt announced the opening of court at
9 o'clock every morning. This is in
order to try and dispose of all the
cases up to the embezzlement cases.
The term will end next Tuesday, after
undoubtedly exceeding all others ever
held here in the amount of criminal
business disposed of.