The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-08-08
.he Messrngrr.
THE CRIME OF EMBRACIRY.

Two or three years ago The Messen-
ger criticised the action OF Judge Wal
ter II. Neal for the light sentence he
imposed upon Bishop for b killing OF
Wilson in Charlotte. The Messenger
did this from a sense of duty. There
was no personal feeling in the case.
There was no desire to injure or de-
tract from the reputation of Judge
Neal. We thought that in the perform
ance of his duties as a superior court
Judge he had erred-greatly erred. We
thought that his conduct in putting
such a light sentence on the murderer
Bishop was such as deserved and call
ed for criticism and censure from the
press of the state. What we said
about that case we said from a sense
of duty to the public. 1t was no pleas
ure to us to find fault with this
judges conduct.
1t gives us greater pleasure always
to commend the action of public off,
GERS than to condemn it. We are glad,
therefore, to have the opportunity to
publish with hearty endorsement the
part of Judge NeaTs recent charge to
the grand jury of Union county which
we give below.
The judges of the superior court of
this state cannot lay too much stress
OH the twin evils of embracery and
perjury"
The fact of Judge Nears sending a
man to Jail in Madison county for
tampering with a jury had escaped our
attention. We are glad to know that
he did SO.
There is much trickery and fraud in
jury trials in some counties of this
state.
We are glad to know that the judges
have awakened to the fact that the
men guilty of this heinous crime must
be punished, and we congratulate
Judge Neal on the fact that he is the
pioneer in this crusade.
Let the good work go on. Let the
press Of the state join with the superior
court judges in their endeavor to puri-
fy the jury box and to bring just pun
ishment on those who attempt to in
t1uence jurors by unlawful means
We have no doubt that in certain
counties where this nefarious practice
prevails some lawyers are the head
and front of the offending, and for
this reason, we are sorry to say, it is
so hard to discover and punish the
chief offenders. Take the case of
Rogers and SOrrell in Wake county,
for instance. The whole public is con-
WINGED that some lawyer was the insti-
gator of the conduct of these two men,
but it will be hard to find out who he
is. While these two men are suffering
punishment for the part they played in
this disgraceful affair that lawyer who
was the prime mover in the affair and
who made tools of these two men is at
large, enjoying the hOnOrs belonging to
Il man of his profession which have
pCtI WIN IOI IL Wy IlCll vi DClLCl Sho
acter than himself.
AS Judge Neal has put the ball in
motion we hope he will keep it a-rOll-
ing. There is plenty of work for him
and the other fifteen superior court
judges along this line, if they will just
open their eyes and ears and make up
their minds TO do their duty.
The Monroe Journal says Of Judge
Meals charge to the grand jury on the
subject of embracery:
The two most conspicuous. most pre-
valent and most dangerous offences
against public Justice. the two great
est forces that are saDping the admin
~'stration of Justice. are. said Judge
Neal. perjury and embraccry. !Ie
wanted it understood. too. he said,
that these remarks We're not made in
consequence of the famous case tried
a few weeks ago in Raleigh. but he
had discovered the truth about the
matter three or four years ago and
had beer telling the grand iuries the
sam" thing for a long time. 4 month
before the case at Raleigh he had
sent a mar to Jail for thirty DAYS III
Madison county for the same offence.
EmcraCelV consists of trying to inilu-
tnce the iurv b. n other means than
through the regular channels in the
orcn court. It is a secret oftenre M
is much more prevalent than is sup
posed. The danger from embracerv
is why iuries are sometimes kent to-
gether in other than capital offences.
This is a sad commentary. but lawyers
Know how common is the attempt to
head off Justice. LAWYERS do not prac-
tice it. but others do. Every Dractic-
ing lawyer has seen men seek to cor
rurt in some way the iuries or grand
1uries. When the list of jurors is pub
liShed many men memoriZe it AMI can
tell what they expect if certain men
are drawn on the grand Jury. Tho twin
evil Of emhracery is perjury. az blush
for shame to say that I have never
held a court in hich I WA not con-
WINGED that witnesses or defendants
went on the STAND ana Willfully and
corruptiy perjured themselves. have