The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-03-09
March Term of the Criminal
Court of the County
Opens Here.
GRAND JURY CHARGE
BY Judge Raymond Maxwell
is Quite Brief But
Very Able.


nal court here had been formed as
follows, Judge Raymond Maxwell in-
structed that body in an able, inter
esting and practical manner Tuesday
morning:
M. B. Newton, Lee Borgess., John
IT. Williams, Jason NJ. Kester, James
A. L. Day, Ross Stout, John C. John
son, Moses E. Shaver, John i. Dolan,
Henry II. swiger, Isaac Maxwell,
Chester L. Pigott, John E. Whiteman,
p Clyde sturm, A. c. Booth and JET
ferson d. Basel, foreman.
: Duties of Grand Juries.
Judge Maxwell directed the atten-
ton of the members OF the grand
jury to the high dignity of that body
and the important part grand iuries
perform in the administration of
justice and the protection of society
and property. He stated that 1t was
not only duty but also a privilege
TO serve as grand jurors, duty to
bring about Justice and to protect
the innocent from wrong prosecu-
ton. He declared that grand jurors
had almost unlimited power and that
they could do their duty or not do
it, it being matter of conscience
and sense of patriotic duty but he
expressed the confidence that the
present grand jury had that con-
science and sense of patriotic duty.
Due Diligence.
The Investigators were instructed
not to indict any one on mere sus-
picion but only when the grand jury
Is satisfied that there is reasonable
ground to believe crime has been
committed and the one accused is
guilty. Diligent inquiry and true
presentments without fear or favor
were insisted upon.
Judge Maxwell said that the law
required presiding judges to deliver
charges to the grand juries and that
the intentions were not to moralize
with that body but to discharge a
duty imposed.
Inherent Evils.
Discussing liquor licenses Judge
Maxwell stated that the law recog-
nized the inherent evils of the evils
of the liquor business ana had placed
safeguards around it to protect the
people against the business and not
to protect those in the business.
Under this head he emphasized the
the fact that druggists are not pcr-
mitted to dispense liquors under
their license as druggists. In the
event that any have violated the
license laws, they should be indicted.
Protection of Laborers.
Special protection to those who
labor is intended by the state laws
relating to labor, especially to these
who work in mines, in which no fc
male is permitted to work and no boy
under the age of fourteen years.
There are regulations concerning oil,
ventilation and other features in the
interest of the miners and no opera
tor is permitted to compel any miner
10 purchase goods at any particular
store but must pay the miner for his
work and let him be free to buy
where he plcascs,
+ 80 .1,N ,,nS,,,s,r,t 1...,,s.
orally, Judge Maxwell said the state
has beautiful system, first oifenses
against the dignity OF the state
known as treason with those against
the person the next highest, includ-
ing murder, manslaughter, assault
and battery and various other de-
grees of crime Of this class, and Of
lenses against property. public, jus
tice, decency and morality
Exercise OF Care.
Referring to assaults, Judge Max
well instructed the probers that they
should be careful not to make mali.
cious assault out of simple assault,
| dS lilS ullSIdhe HSCSSSlLdlSu treat
ment and conduct of the case as a
felony.
Houses of bad repute were de-
nounced and those who operate them
alluded to as destroyers or morality.
!. Specially charged was the grand jury
on this subject with the assurance
that guilty persons would be severely
punished.
Mob violence and rioting were de-
fined as anarchistic, destructive of
all law and menace to an orderly
administration of government.
! Praises Anti-Gun Law.
Jupge Maxwell spoke highly of the
efficacy of the anti-weapon law, its
splendid results aud the dangers OF
a combination of weapons and bad
whiskey.
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