The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-10-23
The Pay Of Jurors.

The Pay OF Jurors.
IN his report Of the NtcCuc trial IN
f,ha-loti csyillc our correspondent recently
,o,de his remark: '"The turymon are
making the best Of It. Tho stare pay
them ssoo per day and mileage, when
will not cover living expenses. MS
amount is being supplemented BY d f"ru
contributed by the city of Charlottes-
yille. which is. doing all In its power TO
make The stay Of the visitors as pleas
ant as possible.
Section $3.50 OF the Code provides that
..everv person summoned as a juror SHAH
be entitled to 81 for each day OF service
on n jury and to 50 cents for each day
OF attendance upon the court without
such seryicc.' Such juror for each day
OF such attendance shall also be entitled
TO mileage at the rate Of cents per
mile for each mile necessarily traNeled
ii, going TO and returning from court,
such mileage. however In no case to eX-
coed 81 per day, such pay and mileage TO
lie paid out OF the county or corporation
levies.f
Section 3l62 further provides that the
Board OF Supervisors of any county ard
The Council of any city may by an other
entered OF record. which order shall be
annually made when the levtes are laid.
allow a greater or less compensation than
IS prescribed In this chapter in those
cases in which Jurors are TO, be paid out
Of county or corporation levies: except,
that not less than 80 cents a day shall
he paid TO each person who shall serve
# ms a juror nor less than p cents day
for attendance in obedience TO sum
mons when he does not serve.
about the year lsIs--and do not sur
flcleatly meet the exigencies of new con-
tii;ions. .uie s, a day and mileage
ss suffic.-nrzEs sapver the scant living -ex-
ielses of Juror at a county courthouse.
But at the present high cost OF living it
is Impossible for q juror 10 &c. good board
III The cities a I. dollar a day; and that
is tie predscarns:at Of the jurors in the
McCue case now on trial in CharEoties-
yille. He.g Il Is that the city Of Char
iattesv.ie is compelled 70 advance G sum
t&of none. Sufficient 70 pay the difference
aetween the pay or the Juror and his liv
Z ing expenses. a
THIS il a rac!ection upon The dignity of
8ythc Common. wealth Men have been sum-
rnoneG from Petersburg. from Richmond
and FROM Fredericksburg to perform jury
service in this important case and most
Of slesn are attending AT great inconven- ]
! ience and at serious cost and sacrifice.
II may be that some OF them receive
small wages ct home ana that they viii
he .'doeBed@ during ti!eir absence Of per
haps several weeks. Rceeiying no income
At home. they VIII have from ,i,e State
he piHfai allowance Of 81 a day anI
mileage 70 pay their expenses, whereas
~ all probability tteIr board biz viii be
in each case not less than 81 a dag, It
I is hardship enough upon these men to
have 70 perform jpry duty under all the
distressing circumstances Of The occ;l-
sion, and II Is scarcely less than q pub
lie outrage for tho State 10 fail 20 pay
them for their services enough money 10
give them tho necessities and ordinary
comforts Of existence. Men thus confined
day after day and Saboring under tie
grave responsibilities and anxletIcs Of the
situation Should at least have plenty of
wholesome food and a comfortable bed I'm
which 10 sleep during their period of
rest. AS matter o' public policy their
minds ahcuid as far as possible be free
from any Temporary annoyances ana surc.
ly isis cannot be the case with n poor
man when he 10 compelled 10 .xpend
every day more Than twice as n,uch
as his per diem amounts 10. The State
cannot afford 10 be niggardly IN this
respect II must provide for the expenses
OF lie trial whatever they may he ana
surely the support Of the jurors is lcgjt.
iinaie and necessary expense
Tie las ought by all means 10 t,s
alSndod go as 10 remedy tie defect. 7,
seems 70 MS that i would be sufficien,
4 remedy aud eminenry proper for tho law
TO give discretion 10 the presiding Judge
Is ~ emergencies like this, to draw ,,por
The public treasury for sum In additio,
% he compensation already allowed. 1,
defray the reasonable expenses Of ia,
jurors who SIT in the case
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