The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-11
.DR READ ON THE
 BL0ODSHED MANIA Advocates a Change in the
 Present Jury System TAKE AWAY CHALLENGES By Excluding Men Who Have opin- 
TAKE AWAY CHALLENGES
By Excluding Men Who Have opln- ions the Very Men Who Are Capable of Trying a
 Case Are Debarred.

Ensley. July 1o.-tSpeciaL)-Th Rev. Dr. George W. Read. pastor of the First Methodist church, preached to large congregation at the morning service to- day, taking as his theme. "Bloodshed in Jefferson County and the Remedy There of" His text was "The land is full of bloody crimes and the city is full of violence" Ezekiel vii, g. Dr. Read did not mince words in discussing the sub ject. and his discourse made profound impression on his hearers. He said in part:
 'Tt Is the business of the preacher to- day as it was that of the prophet of old, to cry out against the specific sins that threaten us with social, political and spir- itual death If Ezekiel were living in Jefferson county at this time, it is certain that he would use the very words of the text in describing the conditions of law lessness that prevail Scarcely week passes without the commission of some crime of blood It is said that more mur- ders are committed in Jeffere 5n county than in England, Scotland and Ireland together. Life ss less valued and less pro- tected than property.
 "1f man calls your purse and you can catch him, he is made to disgorge the money, and Is sent to the penitentlary; but he may shoot you down, and it is sufficient for him to say ne was intoxi- cated or that ne was temporarily insane, or that he did it in self defense, though you may be known to be peaceable man who never carry weapons; to be ac- quilted and given permission to kill until his lust for blood is satisfied.
 Gods High Estimate.
 'But let me call your attention to the high estimate God places upon human 1 life. So high is this estimate that he makes murder an unpardonable offense, at feast so far as this world is concerned. | sWhosoever sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be she'd
 This is the divine law, and there was no exception to it. except where man was killed by accident or without malice. Even then the slayer had to fly to city of refuge, where he was practically a prisoner, and if he left that city until 1 the death of the reignng high priest. his 1 life was forfeit.
 Murder will not cease in Jefferson county until the divine law Is enforced. Ii may seem paradoxical to say that life is preserved by the taking of life, yet the 1 experience of all the ages proves it. Satan | came very near uttering a truth when he said All that a man hath will he give up for his life Most men will give IF vengeance, hatred, lust for gold, when they know that to gratify these things by the commission of murder, Is sure to l lead to the scaffoid.
 Young Man Was Acquitted. "A few days ago young man who had killed a fellowman was acquitted. In less than five days another young in the same profession committed murderous assault that may yet prove to be murder. Does anybody suppose for a moment that If a conviction had resulted in the first case that the second would have oc- cured?
 Tt has been said that if public senti- ment was against murder the crime would cease. l believe that the sentiment is almost universally against it, yet it is almost impossible to secure a convic- ton in the most fragrant cases. That sentiment has largely been dormant l admit and it must be aroused, but some thing more than the arousing of public sentiment must be done.
 cystem Must be Changed.
 Our whole system of trial by jury must be changed. Let juries be drawn from the lists of taxpayers. and not from lists handed to the sheriff by politicians. Let the right of challenge, except for cause, be taken from lawyers, representing either the prosecution or the defense. Do away with the senseless exclusion of men who have formed opinions man can not read the papers without forming some opinion as to what they say, and It does not argue that that opinion will not be changed, If evidence Is produced which ought to change 1t. But to limit a jury to men who have not formed opinions, is to limit it to the ignorant and the inca pablo.
 "Now, would suggest as further prac- tical means to end the crime of murder in this county:
 s1. That every good man who is drawn upon jury do his duty. Let him have public spirit enough to sacrifice his per- sonal interests for the general good. A man who has nothing else to do is not the man who ought to be on jury.
 '2. If you serve on a jury, do not be swayed by sickly sentimentality. But ren- der your verdict with sense of your re- ] sponsibility to the state and to Almighty
 
 judge said to a jury which he was charg- Ing recently, You are here to try men, not to pardon them.'
 Has the Mark of Cain.
 "3. When you are satisfied of the guilt of a man, even though a jury has &C., | quilted him, let him be socially dead to you. Such man. until he has repented of his crimes, should be outside the pale l of human society. He does not belong to l the brotherhood of man. Let him feel that | he has the mark of Cain upon his brow: until in his lonely wretcnecness he cries out. My punishment is greater than I | can bear
 A. Let juries know that while they | are trying men, they themselves are sit | ting before the court of public opinion, l and where there is a transparent miscar- riage of justice through their dishonesty, let them feel the weight of your indigna- | tion, and of your sense of outraged jus tice, until the shame of 1t overwhelIns l them.
 l Put these things into practice and the reign of crime will come 10 an end." WASHINGTON IS SURPRISED.