Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1906-03-02

FEBRUARY COURT
PROCEEDINGS

The grand jury in the case of Com
monwealth VS.. Peter Dietrich Mon
day afternoon returned q verdict OF
murder.
Court convened at 10 a. m. with His
Honor Judge g. B. Staples and AS
sociates Frank G. Blee and Charles
Wagner on the bench. Business at once
began to move briskly along. W. q.
Bird was appointed tipstaff to wait up
on the grand jury and Charles Rudy
and Amos Albeck tipstaffs to wait up
on the court. The grand jurors were
called. The whole number-twenty-
four--being present the court asked if
there was not one who wished to be
excused. Two responded, David Glib
son and George W. Miles. The latter,
as the eldest man, was permitted to
:thdraw. John G. Campbell was
worn as foreman of the grand jury,
after which the whole body was sworn
and Judge Staples proceeded with his
charge.
| In defining their duty to the grand
jurors the court emphasized the i'm
portance Of secrecy, which he declar-
ed, is point of the obligation not OBJ
served as it should be. At consider
able length Judge Staples explained
the Importance Of secrecy in its rela-
tion to full and untrammeled per-
formance of duty by the grand jury.
it becomes the duty of grand jurors,
he said. to see to it that the laws pass
ed by the Legislature are strictly OBJ
served in their respective communit-
les. 1t is their duty if they know of
any bawdy houses. gambling places,
violation of the liquor law, or viola
tion of any sort that is injurious to
the morals of the community upo II
meeting to gether to report the same
to the other members of the grand
jury. Unless the grand jurors live up
to their obligation as to secrecy the
members in all cases will not feel free
to report violations of law wherever
found and the ends of justice to that
extent will be interfered with.
The court reported that there were
no violations of the law returned by
the constables. 1t was explained that
there was but one case to go before the
grand jury the present term. This,
however, was a very important bill
charging one of our citizens with
murder. The court at length defined
what constitutes murder in the first
degree. There would be but one count
in the indictment. 1t was the grand
jury's duty only to make out prima
facie case and it had nothing to do
with deciding upon the question of
degree.
The court called attention to the
new law as to roads, which goes into
effect this year and under which the
duties of the supervisors are much
different from what they were before
1t becomes the duties of the grand jur-
ors to look after the enforcement of
the new road law. The supervisors
must understand that they have not
merely a perfunctory duty to perform.
The new road law does not relieve
them. If the roads are neglected they
can not shift the responsibility to the
road commissioners, but the supervis-
ors themselves will be held response
BILE and can be brought into court and
fined for neglect of duty.
Attention was called to the new law
as to automobiles. In this relation al
so the supervisors have an important
duty to perform, and the grand jurors
should see to it that it is not neglect
ed. Merely to observe the speed regu-
lation is not all that is required of the
chauffeur. He must also have regard
to the place he is in. The speed per-
mitted on stretch of country roads
would not be safe in swinging around
curve or at other places where view
ahead is obstructed. Here again duty
devolves upon the supervisors; at ev-
cry corner or bend in the road where a
growth of bushes tends to obstruct the
view ahead these should be cut down
by the township to the end that auto
drivers may be able to see danger ahead
and thus regulate speed accordingly
1t becomes the duty of the grand jur-
ors not only to see to it that automo.
biles comply with the law, but al
so that the township supervisors at
tend to their duty by seeing to it that
the bushes are removed as above de-
scribed
Judge Staples explained to the grand
jurors that Judge R. r. Little, Presi-
dent Judge of this district, was lying at
the point of death. In case of his de-
mise he said some complications might
arise relating to holding court here
and he therefore requested the grand
jury to proceed with the business of
the session as expeditiously as posi-
BILE.
Some miscellaneous matters were at
tended to, after which court adjourn
ed until 2 p. m. By II 80 o'clock the
grand jury had heard the more import
ant witnesses and it likewise adjourn
ed until 2 o'clock.
Constables present made their
retlrns as follows: Amos Albeck, An
thony township: Philip Boyer, Cooper
township: George Pursel, Derry town
| ship; Charles L. Gouger. Limestone
township; William S. Bogert, Liberty
township; Charles H. Rudy, Mahon.
ing. township; G.. W. Bennett, Valley
! township; Mont. Gearhart, West Hem.
lock township; William E. Bird, Lime
: stone township; Mcclellan Diehl,
Washingtonville; W. E. Young, FRS
Ward, Danville Edward Ritter, Sec
: ond Ward; B. B. Brown, Third Ward