The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-12-12
FALL TERM OF THE CIRCUIT
COURT

The fall term of the circuit court
convened Monday. Judge w. S. Bul-
lock is presiding, and as is his Gus
tom opened the court promptly at
the hour named.
Mr.. George w. Scofeld, the new
state attorney, was in attendance He
is quite diligent and active, and
seems determined to make a reputa-
tion. if possible, equal to that OF his
distinguished predecessor.
On opening the court Clerk Nugent
and Sheriff Galloway handed into the
court list containing the names of
thirty-six jurors who had been sum-
moned for the term
The names were placed into a hat
and the following were drawn to serve
as grand jurors, to-wit:
J. r. Old, o. G. Scarborough, w L..
Goodwin. o. p Hood, f. N. Harp, w.
T. Strickland, J. ". Tolar, c. A. Lid
don, r. c. Fort. S. r. Pyles, R. A.
Sandifer, W. " Chappell, E. P. Town
send, c. W. Turner, j. l. Morrow. E.
w Rush, A. G. Cobb, Chas. McLucas.
The grand jurors retired and elect
ed Capt. Samuel r. Pyles as foreman.
Mr.. j. n. Tofar was made clerk.
Judge Bullock then delivered his
charge to the grand jury in a very
plain, simple. but forceful and sincere
manner. He said that it had been
called to his attention that strangers
visiting Ocala, and charged with very
minor infractions of the law, after be.
ing tried in the recorders court, were
then pounced upon and tried in other
courts. That this custom was car
ried so far as to become hurtful to
the reputation of the city in that
strangers were warned against visit
ing it. He called this matter to the
attention of the grand jury, as he
was told it was assuming the proper.
tions of persecution to trivial of.
tenders.
He said that as population increas-
ed it was natural that crime would in
crease, and called attention to the two
recent murders of women-one white
and one colored-that has put stain
upon the escutcheon of our county
He regretted that Notwithstanding
the diligence of the officers of the
law that in both cases the murderers
had escaped
To prevent the commission of crime
the judge said that prompt and vigor-
Gus prosecution and conviction must
follow. Good men. he said, must serve
on juries. That for good men ITO
shirk this responsibility led to les
sening the esteem for the courts by
the rendering of bad verdicts that in
turn gave cause for just criticism.
He told of how carefully jurors were
selected, and that these provisions
were made to prevent any grounds
for the suspicion of fraud. and for OBJ
tanning fair and competent jurors He
enumerated at some length the du-
ties of grand jurors, and the impor-
tant part they played in the admins
tration of the laws. He toIdFo the
of secrecy in their DELHI
erataions, and why the lawmakers
declared this TO be imperative. He
said that no man was to be indicted
for envy or malice. or that no one
could be permitted to escape just in
dictment for love, favor or affection.
He said that the grand jury could
fix its own hours for meeting and adj
journing, and could excuse their own
members from attendance, providing
fifteen of their number were always
present, and that twelve must agree
upon an indictment. That all true
bills must be signed by the foreman.
Mr. George Smith is bailif to the
grand jury.
The following Is list of the names
Of the petit jury, to-wit:
r. w. Flynn, J. C. Smith. George
C. B. Strickland, w. A.
Priest, ]. A. Reynolds, o. E. Hill, Har-
mon Hall, G. F. Clapper. F. H. Guest.
G. G. Leitner. r. J. Perry. NJ. NJ. Proc
tor. A. s. Lambert, ]. =. Thomas. +.