The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-02-03
PROVIDENCE i, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY


One OF the worst miscarriages OF Jus
tice that ever took place at ths Provi-
dence county court house, occurred last
night The matter was called to the at
tention OF Judge Wilbur this morning.
and he pronounced a most scathing re-
buke 10 a juror.
Yesterday afternoon tho suit OF Luigi
Petrarcha against the Quidnick company
was, after Judge Wilburs charge given
TO the jury. The jurors were locked up
to agree on a verdict. They had not up
TO a late hour In the evening announced
an agreement.
Mr.. Petrarcha had both arms caught
ma machine at one OF the defendants
mills owing. II Is claimedh to the de-
fectve condition OF some betting. One
arm was SO badly torn that amputation
was necessary, and the other arm is prac-
ucally of no use TO the unfortunate man.
Lale last eyenin gthe deputy sherin
who was in charge OF the jury went TO
the door OF the jury room. and asked the
foreman &c they had agreed. He was
told they had not. and then he asked IL
there was any prospect OF an agreement
and was told there was. About an hour
later the same answers were given TO
the sheriff. Finally the idea OF an agree
ment was found untenable, and the Ju-
rors were sent 10 their homes
The Jurors early I'm the consideration OF
the testimony after going TO the Jury
room found they all agreed that the de-
fendant was guilty OF negligence. There
was dispute as TO the amount OF dam
ages. but finally III OF the men favored
an award OF $1,000 One Juror said he
would not give over sSeo0 and that was
too much for an Italian" There were
no Italians on the jury. but there were
men, who in taking the oath as Jurors.
believed they must treat all men alike,
no matter what the race, creed or color
OF the litigant was There were Just
II such men In this jury.
Warm words were used in denouncing
remarks about the plaintiffs religion,
though that had not been testified 10, and
according TO some OF the jurors the 18th
man declared pretty strongly against the
religion that a large majority OF the
Italian people belong TO.
one juror after a time said though he
believed the plaintiff should have every
cent or sf0,oo0 yet hs was willing I'm
order 10 get a verdict, 1x the damages at
5000. Ten other men came around TO
5000. but the 18th man refused TO agrfA
to standby his figures. and declared heJ
would not give plaintiff one cent. The
other Jurors told the 18th man they could
not understand his course. and intimated
he simply wanted TO block things. This
18th man would not say that there was
no negligence on the part of the de-
fendant
Just before the common pleas division
met this morning one OF the jurors on this
panel went into Judge Wilbur's private
room and told about what took place in
the jury room. This juror deemed him
self justified by reason OF the serious re-
suits following the 18th mans statement
Judge Wilbur. when he opened court.
said that the occurrence which had been
related TO him was a disgraceful one. lie
regretted IL very much and declared the
Juror that could consider anything but
the testimony in case submitted 10 him
was a citizen unworthy OF trust, either
in the jury box or elsewhere. Such a
man as that was Incapable OF understand
ing the duties OF citizenship or fulfilling
them.