The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-19
KANSAS COAAENT

JURY SERVICE
Tne average man doesn't like to be
summoned to court, either as a witness
or juryman. and he is frequently
With being false to the bulwarks and
pallad1umS. There is fine theory that
man should consider it a privilege and
honor to serve upon a jury, just as a
man should consider it pleasure to
bleed and die few lines when his
country calls.
The ordinary citizen doesn't like to
go to court for the simple reason that
he is not treated with the same court
esy that he receives upon the street or
IN the busy mart, and to which he Is
surely entitled, so long as he is a law
abiding citizen.
If he appears in court as a witness he
is bullied and abused by the lawyers,
VINO make every possible effort to show
that he Is perjurer and chicken thief.
Is he appears as a possible juryman,
ne must submit to all sorts Of insult
ing questions, and frequently to sar-
casm and abuse.
A few days ago a jury was being
two brutes who were charged with an
unspeakable crime. It was known that
II the men were convicted the prosecut-
Ing attorney would demand the death
penalty. Consequently the unwilling
candidates for jury service were asked
whether they opposed the death penalty
ror such crime as the one with
which the prisoners were charged. One
OF the candidates replied: 81 do not be-
heve In capital punishment; think the
Kansas plan the best"
There was nothing disrespectful about
that answer, was there?
Having been asked direct question,
the man surely had a right to express
his convictions honestly and straight
forward1y.
The high officer of the court who had
asked the question regarded the man
With scorn and lothing. You are a
sentimental mollycoddle," said he.
and II you like the laws Of Kansas
better than the laws of Missouri. you
should remove to Kansas. You don't
deserve the protection Of Missouri's
law, since you don't believe in It,"
The man left the court room in great
distress and humiliation. It is not
pleasant to be rebuked before crowd.
as candidate for jury service, 1t is
not probable that his reverence for the
pulwarks and palladiums will reconcile
him to the job.
The man who acts as a witness or
juror usually does so at much incon-
venience. and to the sacrifice of his
own interests. To the average citizen
such a duty is intensely disagreeable,
aside from its being improbable. One
would think that the officers of the
COQIl WOulu 10 LQ0lr DSSI TO I6IuON0
the disagreeable features. and make
the job as pleasant as possible. but, as
a rule they take the opposite course,
and never miss a chance to parade
such authority as they possess.
There is no reason why citizen who
is called upon to perform an unpleasant
duty should be snubbed and brow
beaten as though guilty of an imperti-
nence.-Emporia Gazette.
Beyond {. doubt the happiest and
one who was among the guests at a
younger set, and he had cause to be
the first place, he wore his first stiff
shirt and stiff stakldup collar and in
the second place it was the first time
he had ever taken a girl to a party.
Think of thatl Think of the joy that
must have been his. OF course he
had played around with girls just as
"Kiddies'' do but to really go to her
house by himself, ring the bell, in
quire for her and then wait 4anxiously
for her to appear and then, the crown
ing bliss of 1t all, to actually walk
with her to The party and then to have
the supreme joy of remem bering that
walk home with her in the dark. That
boy don't know it, but he had the best
time last night he will ever have, for
there is only one first time" of any
kind and there is no other first
time" 50 full of Joy as the first time"
a fellow takes a girl to party.-Law-
renee Journal.