The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1909-12-07
FALL. SESSION OF
SUPERIOR COURT
BEGAN YESTERDAY
JUDGE PARkER's CHARGE TO THE
GRIND JURY WAS OF
GREAT FORCE.
He Touched Upon Divorce Evil, Show
ing Its Alarming Tendency-Con-
demned Mob Law and Scored Near-
Beer Dealers-cases Disposed Of.

The machinery of Glynn superior
court for the fall term was placed in
operation yesterday morning. Judge
Thos. A. Parker, OF Waycross, presid
ing for his last time in Glynn county.
On January / the new law dividing
the circuit becomes operative and
Judge c. 3. Conyers, recently ap-
pointed by the governor, will qualify.
The grand jury fer the present ses-
sion, was organized by the election of
W. B. Cook, as foreman, F. E. Dec
Aer, secretary, and D. r. Doerhinger,
bailiff The members of the jury as
sworn yesterday are as follows:
w. H. Wood, Jr., w B. Cook, e.
F. Gay, J. ". Collins, F. E. Decker,
W. r. Dart, j. G. Green, T. B. Miller,
j. c. Calhoun, J. c. Burford, c. H..
Taylor, c. H. Dudley, J f. Bailey, P.
M. Nightingale, Tobias Newman, j. Nj.
Keen, C. w Harper, Thos. e. Glover,
F. L. Stacy, c. NJ. Peddicord, J. w.
Wood, r e. Briesenick, John Postell.
The event OF the morning session Of
the court was the charge of Judge
Parker, delivered to the grand jury,
which has teen pronounced one Of
the best yet emanating from the judge
during the seven years he has teen
presiding over the courts of the
Brunswick circuit.
Most grand jury charges are stere,
otyped affairs, as the law compels the
judges to charge on certain standing
laws, at each session of the court in
each county. However, yesterday
Judge Parker departed from the usual
custom and while meeting the de-
mands of the law did SO in broader
sense than has generally been the
case. He touched upon the great di-
vorce evils of the country, showing
the alarming tendency of the present
age to the divorce courts. The sane
tity of the marriage VOWS, its rela-
tionship to society and the baneful in
fluence of a lax administration of di-
vorce laws were all touched upon.
Judge Parker was really strong i'll
his condemnation of mob law and de-
clared that it was one of the worst
blows possible to hand to the law
making powers; he explained that
while the carriage OF Justice was at
times slow, it rarely to reach
a correct conclusion an that it was
unfair to resort to mcb violence when
the law is ever ready to step in and
do its duty; he believed it was as
much harm to steal a mans property
every time a mob succeeded in lynch
ing victim it stood in the eyes of
the law as a murderer.
The violation Cf the law agains
carrying weapons concealed, disturb
ing religious worship, water on regu-
lar passenger trains, gambling, etc,
were all briefly touched upon, the
court urging the members OF the jury
to realize the responsibility of their
oath. He dealt severe blow to near
beer dealers. declaring that it was
as much a violation CT the law to
sell beer, if it produced intoxication,
as it was to sell pure whisky.
OF special interest was the refer
enca of the court to the average tax
dedgers-the fellow who returns his
property at about oue-sixth of its
value On this subject Judge Parker
declared that it was the duty OF the
receiver of tax returns to see to it
that the returns were in reason and
that in cases where objections to
raised assessments were made the re-
ceiver had the right to name an ar
bitrator, one to be named by the prop
erty- owner, these two to name third
and the three to suggest the real
kyaIue of the land in question
kTbe1 judge, in closing his charge,
,l1Xed to the jury that this would be
his last appeal to the people of the
sounty and he wanted to assure them
that they would grow and prosper in
better ratio if they insisted on strict
observance of all of the laws of the
land. He had no personal interest,
he said, in this matter, but knowing
that the people of Glynn county were
among the best in the world he want
ed them to cultivate the habit OF
,Iearning to respect and love the law
After the charge the court recessed
until 2lo'clock in the afternoon.
At 2i O'Clock the court announced
that heS was anxious to take up the
criminal docket, but weuld dispose of
such matters as could be handled
without IA jury and the regular jur-
ors were excused until $50 o'clock this
morning. when the criminal docket