El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-20

NNf the county court steadily
wv grinding for the next 10
months FL PasO, city and
county, viii be raked over time and
again In the quest for jurors. In fact
this task, which is often an eXasperat-
ing one for the sheriff and his depu-
ties, has already been in progress dur
ing the past week.
A trial by jury under the Texas law
as to qualifications Of jurors can per
ha,ps best be described as a situation
where many are called and few are
chosen" the lOOphOles through which
jury service can be escaped by those
who wish to escape it being so many
and the causes for which even those
who are willing to serve may be found
disqualified or may be dismissed being
also so numerous that It is more haz-
ardOus than picking a winner out of
hundred starters IN a getaway race
than TO select one man. Offhand, out
Of 90 talesmen who will finally be
selected TO deliberate in case.
How You May Escape.
You can escape jury service in half
a hundred different ways, but you do
not even have to answer the sum
mons:
If you are over so years Of age.
If you are a civil officer Of the state
or Of the United States.
If you are insane.
If you are blind or deaf.
If you are a minor
=
II YOU are a physician or a lawyer.
If you are a member Of the state
II you are a member Of the fire de-
II You are a noncitizen OF the state
or county.
II you cannot read or write.
Exemptions from jury service also
apply to OYerSeers of roads, publishers
of newspapers, schOOlmasters. drug
gists. undertaEers, telegraph ators,
railroad station agents, ferrymen and
millers in grist, Touring and saWmillS,
tors and engineers Of railways, when
engaged in active discharge OF their
duties. any person who has acted as
jury. commissioner within the preceding
ID months.
Some DISQUALIFICATION.
You are disqualified. even though you
are willing to serve, If a witness in the
case to be tried, If interested directly
or Indirectly in the subject matter
Of the case, II related by consanguin-
ity or affinity within the third degree
To either party to the suit, II you have
sat as a Juror in a former trial Of the
same case or Of another case involving
the same question, # nonfreeholder
or the state, or householder Of the
county. If convicted OF felony
If under Indictment or legal accusation
for a felony.
II the case is one in which capital
punishment may be given you are dis
qualified if you have formed an opin-
ion as to the guilt or innocence Of
the accused. if you have conscien-
tious scrupIes rs to inflicting the death
penalty. II you have a bias In favor of
or prejudice against the defendant
Yet Juries Are Obtained.
In heavens name who can server
might be the usual question after a
look at the list of the disqualified, and
indeed the available percentage Of the
male population 0fethe ordinary city or
town Is cut down small when eXemp-
tions and disqualification are finally
ended.
That any jury is ever secured might
be q source Of wonder to the layman.
Yet peremptOry challenges in criminal
cases may reduce the number Of the
elect still further and excuses of spe-
cial disQualific6tiOns may be found
stretching out the list given to such
an extent that the observer is ready
to give up and declare that u men