The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-04
Judge Thomas Speaks of Gaming at Park. AIMS AT SLOT DEVICES Charge Includes Combinations by Business Houses. The Jurors are Again Urged to Invesei- gate Homicides, Sunday Viola
 tions, and other Evils
 of Society.
AIMS AT SLOT DEVICES

With Henry C. Davidson us ioIen.a' Judge William H. Thomas, Of the Guy Court. yesterday organized the sranu a,, fury of Mont ntgomery County. which Will he in session two weeks. Directly al, ter retiring to the jury room the grand fury adjourned until 9:30 o'clock tomor- row morning, when 1t will begin It's ia- bors.
 The grand jury consists of the fol- lowing we'll known citizens Of tho county: Henry Davidson. E. Lobman' T. J. Hewlett, M B. Westbrooks. W :. F. Niblett, W. C. Wright. W. R. Wat son, H. A. Goldthwafte. c. c. Cobbs, w. c. Frixzle, H. H. Hinds. George A. Thomas, John Hillman, T. G. Youhe' David Fleming and ]. M. Lord. Jr.
 The most striking feature of the charge of Judge Thomas to the grand jury, which he began shortly after lZ o'clock. was his reference to lottery devices 'at one or more of the places of amusement near this city" It Is well known that this allusion was to the alleged gambling devices operated at Electric Park. The grand jury was directed to make especial investigation into these devices and the law covering the subject was elucidated.
 Combinations in Business.
 Judge Thomas told the jury that by request of a committee of citizens which had waited upon him, he desired to call attention to the statute prohibiting pools and combinations. He read Sec tton 5557 of the code to the jury. The section Is as follows:
 Any person or corporation who en- gages or agrees with other persons or corporations. or enters into directly or indirectly, any combination, pool, trust or confederation, to regulate or fix the price of any article or commodity to be sold within this State for speculation, or any person or corporation who enters into or becomes a member of. or party to any pool, agreement or combination, or confed eration, to fix or limit the quantity of any article or commodity to be produced, manufactured. mined or sold in this State, must, on convic- ton, be fined not less than $500 nor more than $2,000."
 When the court had adjourned Judgc Thomas was asked for further light upon the request for an investigation of pools and combinations. He declin- cd to discuss the matter but 1t is un- derstood that the request is ieveled at the grocery interests of Montgomery which are said to have formed a kind of combination as to prices.
 In charging the jury Judge Thomas covered practically the same grounds as heretofore. laying especial stress up. on homicides.
 Justice in Japan. Under the subject of equal enforce. nent of law, among other things he said:
 Within few months after the treaty of Lord Elgin GS59) opening Japan tc Great Britain, the editor of Westmin- ster Gazette said of their judicial ad- min stration: The object of all legis- lation. the security of the persons and property of its subjects is well at ~IA t1A nrn lection are considered within the coE- trol of the law. Neither the most ex- alted rank, nor the meanest condition of life exempt. nor disable. their pos sessors from the punishmcnts or priv ileges of equal Justice.' The knowl- edge and observance of this fundament- al of good government has had much to do with the making of Japan the great nation she has just shown herself to be. If we go to them with our teach. ings. are we sure that we can say tc them: We have learned the lesson oi equal enforcement of law?
 Speaking of homicides Judge Thom as said: assll MH2 l
 T expect to keep urging the 1mpor tant question of homicide on the mind and hearts of our grand Juries till they at least, will not fail to know that am in earnest about 1t. Montgomer, County is no worse than large par of our country. have heretofor given comparative tables of the rate O homicide in the different States show ing that it was not alone a question O density or of population, or of race. O of climate or of illiteracy. but the ter rible result of conditions rooted in tha peoples standard of honor, which ex perience has made a public opinion di recting and restraining the enforce ment of law.
 Human life is held in too little re gard ins our State. We all must con