The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-03-23
MARCH TERM CIRCUIT
COURT PROCEEDINGS.
Judge Henderson Opened Court Nor
day and Judge Keedy Arrived the
Same Evening.
THE CHARGE TO TIE GRAND JURY.
Delivered by Judge Henderson-Doc-
ument Concise Touching Upon
Condition of County Buildings
List of Grand Jurors.

Condition of County Buildings
List of Grand Jurors.
Monday morning the March Term
OF the Circuit Court for Garrett coun-
ty was convened with His Honor
Judge Robert r. Henderson on the
bench, and on Tuesday morning was
joined by Judge Keedy, who arrived
from his home in Hagerstown Monday
afternoon.
The grand jury is composed Of the
following gentlemen:
Col. \. g. Sturgiss, foreman; Peter
J. Lohr, Jonas Wampler, John H.
Miller, John F. Ashby, D. o. Dewitt,
Emil F. Droege, Joseph NJ. Conneway.
Judson Foster, Samuel D. Brenne-
man, Jerome Dewitt, FLOYD Duck
worth, Eugene Teats, Donald Simp-
son, Henry Iinkan, John H. Sanders.
f. L. Otto, M. T. Broadwater, Chas.
L, Hoge, Tohn l.. Michael, John D..
Taggart, Otto Kleopfel, Stuart f.
Mason.
Judge Henderson, charge to the
grand jury, printed below, is concise,
and dwells at some length upon the
condition of the present county build
ings, the Court deprecating the risk
incurred by property owners by the
records being exposed to fire in the
court house. The charge is as follows:
You are now Qualifiad as part
of the Circuit Court for Garrett coun-
ty, with high powers and important
duties. These are comprehensively
and impressively defined in the oath
you have just taken. Keep its pro-
visions constantly in mind as watch
words of your office. If necessary get
from the Clerk of the court a copy of
its terms and make yourselves famil-
lar with its spirit and meaning. Abide
by it and the fulfiliment of your du-
ties will be assured. The sovereign
ty the State is behind you to pro-
tect YOU ard inforce your proper or
ders.
"A few words as to the approved
methods to be pursued by you in your
work are all that | need say to YOU.
1t is usual and, in fact, necessary,
that you have competent clerks to
keep sufficient records of your doings.
These records are of course covered
by your oath of secrecy and must be
carefully preserved.
THE first cases%to be disposed of
should be the jail cases; next recog-
nizance cases, and then any other
matters which may come up in a
proper way.
Each of you is bound to disclose
any violation of law known to you
whether you know of other witnesses
or not. The jury as a body can de-
termine how far to 90 in such cases.
The long established rule for the
determination of the question of in
dictment or not, is that you shall take
no account of a probable defense or
explanation of crime, if the evidence
of guilt standing alone would be suf-
hcient to Justify you, if you sat as a
petit jury, in convicting, Injustice
is, of course, possible under this rule,
but it is extremely improbable and
approved practice has sanctioned it.
81 am told by the States Attorney
that the general peace and good Or
der of the community, since our last
session. have been preserved reason
ably well. Ineed therefore only call
your attention to certain laws which
the law requires you to be appri sed
of. These are-Article 81 section 3,
of the Code upon abortion: Article OF.
section A., regarding dedication of
public officers; the Act of 1902, Chap
ter 1874, in regard to the mining laws.
The States Attorney, who is your ad-
wiser, will explain these more fully to
you,
You must examine and report
upon the condition of the county
building before you adjourn.
"a new Jail having been provided
for, the present unsafe and unsani-
tary condition of that building will
soon be relieved.
The people of this county have ap-
parently decided that this court house
is adequate to their needs. Nothing
but a destructive fire will, it seems
convince them of the danger they are
counting in exposing their records to
the present fire risk, but the action of
the people in voting down the pro
posed issue of court house bonds in
no way excuses the County Commiss-
toner's from the duty of keeping this