The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-01-07
BUSY SCENES At
THE COURT HOUSE
Hundreds of Witnesses and
Jurors on Hand
CHARGE TO GRAND JURY
Judge Weaver Presides During Judge
Greene's IIIness-capitai Juriss
Not Drawn Until Later
In the Week.

Everything assumed a busy air about
the court house yesterday morning when
the courts opened for the spring term of
1903. There were hupdreds OF jurors and
witnesses assembled to appear in the var
ious courts and everywhere things went
off with a rush. Although most of the
courts adjourned at noon in order that
jurors and witnesses might have an OPP
portunity to cast their votes in the Great
er Birmingham election. everything is in
readiness and all divisions will knuckle
down to business at the customary hour
this morning.
In the first division of the criminal court
the January grand jury was organized
with eighteen members. Owing to the ILL
ness of Judge Dan A. Greene, who was
to have organized the jury, Judge Sam
uel l.. Weaver assumed the duty and at
1890 o'clock the roll was called. Twenty
of the twenty-one men answered to their
names and two OF them were excused,
leaving a panel of eighteen.
Judge Weaver charged the new grand
jury at length, the entire charge being
an exposition of the various duties of
the grand Jury. The court charged the
jury especially on the enforcement of the
prohibition laws, calling attention to the
fact that the people have eliminated the
most fruitful source of crime We have,
and all officials must see that the law
is fearlessly enforced. Another point
upon which he laid much stress was the
rumor in the past of secrets of the grand
jury getting out on the streets. Judge
Weaver urged the members of the jury
to maintain strict secrecy.
William d. Gum was made foreman of
the January grand jury. The other men,
bers are: Thomas Duggan, John B.
Burke. j. A. Bursin, Julius Green, D. H.
Scott, Joseph M. Howton, c. A. Robbins,
]. F. Colley, Cornelius Hughes, ]. E. Nc
Adory, Charles NJ. Green, Taylor Bla-
lock, ]. H. Mohns, 8. r. w. Glasgow.
John T. Reed. Jr.. John T. Dickey. w. F.
Sims
After the grand jury had been charged
it retired to its room on the third floor
of the court house to complete Its organ
ization and get ready for work on Tues
day. A. P Golden was sworn in as bail
if, and G. P. Montgomery was named
by the court to take down the proceed
ings.
Capital Juries Not Drawn.
On account of the rush of business
Judge Weaver did not draw the capital
juries to sit in the cases set for trial
during the week of January 20. These
i. IL
There will be no other business in the
first division In the second division of
Che criminal court however, there is
heavy misdemeanor docket to be dis
posed of.
In the circuit court Judge A. A. Cole
man was on the bench in his division
yesterday morning.
The following petit jury was organized
by Judge Lane to sit In the cases on
trial in the two divisions of the circuit
court this week:
M P. Davis, John E. Hill, Houston
Baggett, J. T. Hodges. J. M. Taft,
Sheppard Brown, A. w. Frew, c. II.
Sims, Lucien w. Brown, J. M. Riley, ID.
Zavelo, r. @. Wood, T. E. Pinner,
NlIilS Jt JdihtNt, JOih DioNhhAoAA, ~
e. Golson, II. w. bearing. Tom Stew
art, C. d. Brown. F. S. Wilson, Thomas
Stubs, w. T. Nunlee S. L. Earle, JOIN,
w. Little, B. Curl. C. S. Price, w. H.
Lovins, A. B. Hamlet. william Had
dock, Nick Burbig. DR.. Edwards, J. A.
White, w. M. Tyler. A. W. Byars
Martin Parker, George Cough, Steele
Buchanan.
In Colemans Division.
The only case disposed of in Judge
Colemans division of the circuit court
was that of John s. Going VS.. w. A.
Brown. The suit was for commissions
for the sale OF certain lands. The jury
returned a verdict in favor OF defend
anti
In Judge Lanes division of the cir
cult court the case of N. Gossett vs.
Railway, Light and Power
company was card.
The case of w. ]. Ellard. administra-
tor, VS.. Birmingham Railway. Light
and Power company will be on trial
today in Judge Coleman's division.
There were three new suits for 49,
900 each filed in the circuit court yes
terday as follows:
Wesley Baggett VS.. Woodward Iron
company; $4,000 damages claimed for
injuries alleged TO have been sustained
In slope No. 8 on July 15, 1907. The
plaintiff alleges that the roof of the
mine fell in and crushed him.
Domenico Pizzamiglio VS.. Tennessee
Coal. Iron and Railroad company; &c.
900 damages claimed for injuries al
legged to have been sustained on Octo-
her 4, 1907, while working in mine No.
Z. The plaintiff AYERS ne was burned
by an explosion OF gas or some other
substance.
Patrick Hughes VS.. Birmingham Rail
way, Light and Power company; &c.
900 damages claimed for injuries al
legged to have been sustained on No
vember ., 1907. The piainiiff AYERS
that as he was about to step of of an
fourth street the car suddenly started
forward. throwing him to the ground,
seriously fnjuring him.
Juries we're organized in three divis-
ions of the city court. the following
Jurors being named: J. w. Barker, S.
C. Robertson. ]. T. Brady. John w.
sapp. James A. Downey. Sam NJ. Ad-
Ter. George Lambert, John w. Magno,