The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-22
Says Professional Jurynen Take
Place Of Prominent Men
mot Found
BURGIN MAKES REPLY
DEMANDING DETAILS
Says Not a Specific Instance Is Cited
BY the Grand Jury-ls Ready
to Defend Him
SELF

Before taking a recess yesterday until
May 2S the Jefferson county grand jury
in its partial report takes Sheriff Burgin
severely to task for the manner in which
juries are made up in the various courts.
1t is charged that professional jurors
were picked to serve in the place of well
known men who were returned as mot
found and it is also charged that there
exists a deplorable state of affairs as to
1he enforcement of the law Sheriff Bur
gins. reply, together with the full re-
port of the grand jury, is published be-
low
~ Jury's Report.
"Hon Samuel l.. Weaver, Associate Judge
Criminal Court:
I'VE. the grand jury empaneled by your
honor, desire to make this, our partial re-
port We have investigated a great many
matters pertaining to the enforcement of
the law and the manner in which the
juries are made up, and not how they
are drawn, and we regret very much TO
say that we have found a most deplorable
state of affairs TO exist in this county,
both as to the enforcement of the law and
the jury system. We find from the
records, the sheriff of our county has re-
turned not found some of our best
Board of Revenue to serve as petty jury
men
1--WE find from the records, also, that
thirty-fve men were picked up by the
sheriff as substitutes to fill up the ven
Tres. These professional jurors are used
in every one of the courts Some of these
men have served twice in the same year
in this, the criminal court With our jury
box packed with professional jurors, can
Ntsp IN got q
the present conditions can we be surprised
that human life is so very cheap in this
county: can we be surprised that the red
handed murderers are turned scot free?
we again say no. We find vice and crime
flourishng and the officers of the law
have NOT the courage to do their full
duty. Can we expect crime to decrease
under these conditions? Enforce your
laws, purify your Jury box, and crime
will decrease and not before Respect
fully,
up. ]. MADORY, Foreman.
For the three weeks session ending yes
terday. the jury returned ia indictments.
but owing to the fact that all warrants
have not yet been served the names were
not made public. Judge Weaver thanked
the jurors for their endeavors and dis
missed them until Monday, May IS, when
the investigation will be continued. 1t
Is thought that full report will be made
by the middle of June.
Sheriff Burgin's Reply.
"It is surprising that the grand jury
of the county, which is organized for. the
purpose of investigating complaints and
making specific charges, when probable
cause is found should frame a report
dealing in such broad generalities and
wholly lacking a single specific instance
30 that one could possibly know with
what he is in fact charged and could
thsrefrom present specific defense. They
nave convicted me without charge and
without a trial of serious matters. which
they dare not state with sufficient GER
rainty to enable me to appeal to a fair
MINDED public in defense OF my official
conduct. ] stand ready to defend any
charge they will make If they will only
state the charge specifically, | condemn
without qualifications the slanderous abuse
OF my conduct as an officer, without the
opportunity to be heard and without a