Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-05

questions Of the clerk, which were as
follows
Are you citizen Of the United States and
resident Of the District OF Coiumnia. .,~.r-exe
Can You read. write and understand the Eng
Have. you ever been convicted Of any felony or
misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.
Have you any reason why you cannot act as
juror?
What an avalanche OF excuses were
brought forth by this last query!
4 don't see how I can possible serve,
your honor objected one active citizen:
I have important meetings to attend
and fifty men in my employ whom I must
oversee: II l cannot be present to look
after my affairs 1t will probably mean
considerable financial loss to me- But
his honor only smiled
want on the jury, he said. We have no
desire for idle. useless men-we are after
men Of affairs: men who have done
things. You must arrange your business
affairs so that you will be able to absent
yourself from your ONCE. 1 believe We
viii accept YOU.
Another wished to be excused upon
the ground that he was very. very nerv-
Gus. and that he felt it would be impos-
sible for him to sit still for any length
of time, but the judge was Of the opinion
that If he were not too nervous to be at
his desk In the store he would not be too
nervous to spend a few hours a day in
the jury box.
"A similar fate awaited another chap.
who came wearing blue goggles and
armed with a letter from his ply stefan
stating that he was under his care but
the judge again optmistically assured
him that it would doubtless be much
easier to report as juror than to look
after his business
"A clerk employed in a store was told
to put In a substitute. 1t was really
amusing to see strong, healthy looking
men confessing to this or that in1rmity.
but his honor, because of long experience.
was quickly able to CLEAN the wheat from
the chan. However. he was just and,
when occasion demanded 1t. lenient
Until the last moment 1 had hoped
to have a flash Of inspiration that would
release me. but when my turn came to
answer / meekly stated that there was
no reason why ] could not serve. So
the clerk continued the roll call, until
twenty-siN men had been accepted, and
every description of excuses, plausible
and not SO plausible, had been presented
Legitimate ones, such as undeniable ILL
ness or sickness in ones immediate FAM
lily. were accepted, and his honor regis
tered as a friend of Cupid when he re-
leased a young fellow who had made
: all his plans to be married and to go on
his wedding trip
Taken all in all. after it has been ir-
revocably decided that a man must serve
on the jury, he usually looks at it In a
philosophical light. and rather enjoys the
experience If he has his eyes and ears
constantly open. at the end of a month
or two he will have gained an inval-
liable fund of information and deep
insight into human nature that will be
of untold use to him later ON.
Il must admit said an ex-juror. that
l have often made light of the verdicts
rendered by juries, yet after having
served during a term OF court I came
TO the conclusion that our ancestors did
indeed establish wise. prudent and
equitable precedent for the untangling OF
the many disputes into which one gets
with his fellow-men. One cannot have
too high a regard for the jury system
which we inherited from our ancestors
and which has come down to us through
the mists Of the ages. surrounded by ira
ditions dating back some seven or more
centuries from the earliest times OF the
English common law. It ID wonderful
how adequately il fits into the needs OF
the twentieth century.
"Of course, a large percentage Of the
cases need never be aired In court were
ii not that men allow themselves to be
come embittered over what at first wa:
} but q sliKht misunderstanding, but