Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1910-11-25

A man who nobly dedicates his
talents and energies to truth, tri
umphs over ignol ance, the worst of
all tyrants, spends life of pleasure,
and lays down in an honorable grave
amid the lamentations of his grateful
people with whose interest he has
identified himself His reputation
may not spring up like the ephemera,
nor will it perish like them. Popular
breezes may not watt him on the high
ways of fame. the ivy may not encir-
Gle his brow, civic badges may not be
wrought for him, and his works may
not be appreciated during his life yet
the good sense of grateful posterity
will award, his country will eXtol
and faithful history will record his
worthy achievements Like the mar
bic in the Persian quarry, or the dia-
mond among the pebbles of Golconda,
he is little known and lowly eXtimat-
ed until bright truth smiles upon his
humble birth, making him not only
useful but the centre jewel emblazon
ing the escutcheon of his country.
The law of Mississippi which was
handed down to us by the mother
country, England, requires the en-
pannelling of grand jury, composed
of law abiding men to become a part
of the machinery in manipulating
and running successfully our criminal
terms of court,
You, as the represent atives of your
county, haye qualified under our
statute to become and serve in the
capacity of grand jurors during this
term of court. A grave responsible
ity rests upon your shoulders, be-
cause the law abiding citizens, the
Christian people, and the women and
children of Greene Cour ty will ex-
pect and demand of you and that you
faithfully and fearlessly inquire into
the crimes committed in thiS county,
and speedily indict each and every
party who has violated the criminal
statutes of Mississippi.
Through your acts at this term of
court, the morals of your people
should be improved, society bettered,
and crimes greatly reduced. If you
find that crime has been committed
in your county of any character,
whether the party be blind tiger,
gambler. an embezzler, or murderer,
it is is your sworn and solemn duty,
whether he be influential, rich or
poo:, white or black, to indict and
send him to this branch of the court
for prompt trial.
God forbid that we may haye a
man on your panel who will attempt
to throttle and cover up crime by
keeping down bills of Indictment. If
any member so far forgets himself as
to attempt such an act, it is the duty |
of the other members of your body to
report same TO the court, and | will |
quickly adjudge him in the contempt
Of court and infiict punishment, with
a healthy fine and Imprisonment in
the county Jail. Grand juries are
not called upon to try people charged |
with crime, but it is their duty to
find bills and present them to the
court to be tried by petit juries
where the law applicable to each and |
every Case can be written out and
handed to them for their guidance
when they retire to make up their
verdicts.
Since | have been on the bench. at
times | have been chagrined and dis
gusted at the leakage of the secrets
from the grand jury room, and | shall
bend every effort to put stop to it
within the Tenth Judicial District.
and | now call upon you and other
good citizens who believe in up hold
ing the dignity of the law to assist
me in my efforts.
GRAND JURY SECRETS.
Section 27l0 of the Code makes if
a contempt of court for any grand |,
juror to disclose within six months
the secrets and proceedings of said
body, the penalty being a fine of
$4,000 and thirty days in Jail.
| admonish the foreman of YOUR
body to impress upon each and every
Witness the Importance of keeping
secret his testimony before you, be-
cause the law requires all witnesses
and officers to keep inviolate the Sc /
crets of grand jury and the finding