The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-09-17
WORK In DISTRICT COURT
IS PROGRESSING SLOWLY
Attorneys Not Ready to Try CasesJudge Stanton Delv
ers Splendid Address to the Grand Jury of
Which 4. Gilmour Is Foreman
Very little progress has been made

Very little progress has been made
in district court today in the matter
of disposing of cases owing to the
fact that the different attorneys hav-
ing cases at this term have not been
ready to 90 ahead with trial.
This morning Judge Stanton
excused the members or the petit
Jury until o'clock this afternoon
and again excused them until to-
morrow morning.
The list of petit jurors was COM
pleted yesterday afternoon.
A full grand jury was secured yes
terdey afternoon and A. Gilmour of
Blackjack was appointed foreman,
after which Judge Stanton delivered
an address to the grand jury.
Judge Stanton's address to the
grand jury was one of the most able
ever given that body and was as fol-
lows:
Gentlemen of the grand jury
You have been duly selected from
the electors of>this county to consti-
tute the grand jury for this general
term of court and to perform the i'm
portant duties which the law imposes
upon that body.
The grand jury as an institution
is of very ancient origin in the his
tory of England, and was adopted in
this country at an early period, and
is continued here from the same con-
siderations that gave to it its chief
value in England-that is, to bring
to trial persons accused of public
offenses upon just grounds, and at
the same time to protect the citizens
against unfounded accusations.
The performance of your duty,
therefore, as grand jury, is of great
importance, and effects in no small
degree the welfare of the county
which you represent and the inter-
ests of it's Individual citizen.
In the discharge of your duties,
I need not, I am sure, remind you
that you should at all times be fair
and impartial. Do not permit your
selves to be swayed or influenced to
the least extent by your passions or
prejudices. Remember that your
province is to act judicially
and you should be governed
bv the evidence that is properly
brought before you. Remember
that the law has no favorites and
treat all alike, whether friend or an
enemy. You should be just. Main.
tain the dignity of the law and
require all violators of the law to
answer for their offenses; but, in
doing this, you should exercise due
caution that the innocent and law.
abiding are not Inconvenience and
embarrassed by your acts.
In your deliberation it is not
improbable that questions of law
about which you are in boubt, will
occasionally arise. If they do, you
can at any time and upon any such
question, ask and receive the advice
of the county attorney or of the
court, if you see fit to apply to the
court.
But your own sense of Justice
and fair play will determine the
most of these questions. The law,
after all, is not as technical as i.
sometimes thought. Good common
sense, impartially and fearlessly
applied, constitutes the law, generally
speaking.
You have taken a solemn oatf
that you will diligently inquire into
all public offenses committed or tri
able in this county. In doing thi:
you must not be actuated by malice
or ill-will toward any person
nor through fear or favor or hope OF
reward, but you must act truly anc
honestly to the best of your under
standing and according to law.
You will receive all of the evi
dence presented which may throw
light upon the matter under consid
Grafton, whether it tends to estab
lish the innocence or the guilt O.
the accused. And more, if in thu
course of your requires you have
reason to believe that there is Other
evidence, not presented to you
within your reach, which woule