The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-08
Personnel of the Body Above
 the Average.
Besides Number of Burglary and Grand Larceny Cases, Body Will Deal With Several Mur-
 ders--Enjeined to in-
 vestigats Trusts.

The grand jury for the July term of the City Court was organized yesterday. The personnel of this body is above the
 average. being composed of some of Montgomery's most prominent citizens The folio wing are those constituting the grand jury: Messrs. S. Roman, foreman;
 Ed c. Fowler, l.. Jenkins, P. W. Smith, G. W. Covington. w. T. Myrick. W. M. Teague, J., A. Pugh, J. L. Biakey. W. E. Fleming. W. A. Brown. John w. Durr,, Jr., G. Amerson, J. T. Shaver, J. A. Haig- Ter
 Besides number of burglary and grand larceny cases, this grand jury will in- vestigate several murders. It is thought that they will sit shorter time than usu- al, because there is a smaller numper of cases to come before their considera- ton than have come up at the last lew terms.
 On account of the absence of MT. Ten nent Lomax, the Solicitor, who Is out Of the city on business. Mir. Terry Richard son will act as special Solicitor.
 Judge Thomas charged the jury at length Immediately after the oaths were administered yesterday.
 He said:
 "Gentlemen of the jury:-The oath re- quired by law to be taken by you com pleted your organization as grand jury of the county
 'It is with faith in your integrity, and the belief that you may know and feel that gailt may lie upon the conscience of
 man, where the penalty cannot take hold of him, that l remind you of the
 oath just taken.
 You have sworn: Ql To diligently in- quire and true presentment make of all offenses against the law. @ Not to be de- faYraH from O tpnta Ifeahqrrn of duty bX fear or favor, or moved to oppression by
 hatred or malice. C3) To keep secret all of your proceedings.
 Must Not Be Influenced.
 "You will put the seal of disapprobation upon the conduct of a man who wants private word with you of the case to be investigated. He will say he would not do anything wrong, nor ask you to do anything that was wrong yet he speaks l of his friend to dissuade you from duty. l He is not entitled to be heard in private; | he knows it; you well know it, and if | you hear him your conscience will sting with your oath A conversation sought out of the grand jury room of matters | to be considered therein comes with the presumption of improper motive. The ap- proach is an insult to intelligence or an | impeachment of honor. The juror who l gives his ear to the defendant, or to the 1 friends of broken law, or lends his aid to prevent a bill when it should be found.
 or willfully let's fall a hint by word or token that a bill is sought or has been | found, before the arrest of the defendant, | is wicked perjurer, and he who pro- cures this aid or information from juror
 suborns his perjury.
 Don't forget, then, that you have | sworn to keep absolute secret all of your 1 proceedings. At all times be on your l guard that through indifference you may l not do the injury sought to be prevented ! by this secret proceeding. If I should l suggest that one at least of your number | would be so careless as to give away something or somebody you would be 1 hurt, and rightly so. But I do say, let
 each of you see that you do not do this.
 Put yourselves above criticism by repell- | ing improper approaches with the right | eous indignation of manly man, and present such conduct to the court for a | lesson of honesty. Let 1t, gentlemen, be
 said of you, that it was a grand jury
 that did not leak and could not be log rolled"
 Perjury and Subornation.
 Tn recent editorial of the Advertiser | it warns against the evils of perjury in
 the following apt language: When the | Almighty said to the Children of Israel I
 false witness against thy neighAor.' He | gave to them. and after them to all the | peoples of earth, a command which forms | the very foundation of the temple of
 justice. False swearing Is not only sin
 in the eyes of God, but it places life and
 liberty, reputation and property, at the | mercy of the villain
 l If, then, you are sure that perjury has
 been committed by any witness before l the grand jury or in any court, do all | in your power to get the evidence to re-
 turn an indictment against such perjur- l ing witness. Teach that it is as much dishonor and violation of law to be gull | ty of perjury before your body as under any other circumstances. and that all
 commissions of perjury will be promptly | resented by indictments.
 When Bills Must Be Found.
 '"The body of our criminal law Is di-
 vided into felonies and misdemeanors
 If in your Investigations. twelve of your
 number should find from the evidence