The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1907-04-24
MODERN JURORS.

Not the least of the many unusual
phases of the Thaw trial is 1000
word article, entitled "The Trial of
Thaw as Seen by Juror" written
for one of the New York papers by
Harry C. Brearly, juror No. 6. But
this same Brearly drew pictures of
each of the jurors in the occasional
odd moments which came to the jury
during the course of their long con-
finment," and on the Sunday follow
ing the disagreement of the jury the
7OOO-word article, illustrated with
these drawings, appeared, picture
of himself included.
1t should not be assumed that this
juror wrote the 1000 words and
drew all the pictures for nothing. 1t
ought not to be assumed that the
newspaper arranged with him before
hand to do the drawing and writing.
Perhaps the most charitable view to
take of the matter is that the juror,
when he found he was doomed to
neglect his private business day after
day for the 50 per diem as juror,
concluded that he would make the
most of the situation and after it
was all over, submitted his literary
effort to the editor.
Did this juror have in mind during
the trial what he would say about it
after it was over? 1t is one thing to
weigh evidence and another to listen
with view to describing the trial for
the public. Perhaps the contribution
was an afterthought, but the pen
sketches of the jurors would suggest
that Brearly had his plans. Brearly
had his eyes open all the time. He
tries his descriptive power ON various
phases of the case. This he says OF
Jerome: There was, perhaps, some
thing of feline impression produced
by his peculiar round glasses. his fire.
quent pacing, and the occasional
lightning-like revelation of reserve
force"
The juror comments on the short
comings of the present methods of
trying cases. He does not suggest a
legal way, but remarks, and reason
ably, too, that every essential point
might have been presented with per-
feet fairness with saving of weeks
of time" He refers to the fortunate
fact that no juror became i'll during
the long trial and caused a mistrial.
To remove the danger of a mistrial,.
he suggests that the law be made to
permit a verdict by eleven men, or,
if not that, that thirteenth juror sit
with the rest and assist in rendering
the verdict only in the event that one
of the twelve becomes i'll.
If the custom arises of jurors con-
tributing impressions to newspapers
and magazines, jury service may not
be so unsought and so Improbable
in the future.
Just what jurors may or may. not
do while trying to agree upon ver-
dict or after the verdict is rendered
and they are discharged is not well
established. In one of the central
states the other day jury rendered
a verdict m which iudpmanf for
$2,425 was given in a personal injury
case against a street railway COM
pany. The attorney for the street
railway company learned that the
"quotient" method was employed,
and he is trying to have the verdict
set aside for that reason. Those who
have not forgotten the rules of divi-
sion will at once understand what is
meant by the ''quotient" method. It
is the result of obtained by dividing
by twelve, the number of jurors.
Each juror put down what he thought
should be the damages. The sums
ranged from 500 to $4,000, and the
whole sum was $4,000. This was
divided by twelve, and thus the jury
agreed upon $2,425. Tie Jury struck
an average. Now the judges are de-
termining whether the jurors had a
right to enter into any such plan for
reaching an agreement.-P.-I.