The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-07

In such cases you may request the solie-
itor to retire. The law allows the So
hcitor 10 employ a stenographer to take
down and transcribe the testimony OF
witnesses before you; and this stenogra-
pher must be sworn to keep all the pro-
eeedings secret. He is not allowed by
law to be present during your delibera-
tions or when you are voting or any
matter, but is allowed in the grand jury
room only for the purpose of taking down
the testimony, and when this task Is
completed he should retire.
Special Charges
THE law requires me to charge you
especially on certain misdemeanors and
! to direct You that you must indict when
such laws are violated and the evidence
is sufficient. A mistaken leniency in the
public attitude towards many misdemean-
ors notably carrying concealed pistols,
| gambling, the racing of automobiles and
the like has, in large measure, caused
these onenses to multiply and often TO
lead to serious crimes and general dis
| regard of law Men are prone to regard
| most misdemeanors Is harmless, just as
| children look upon toy pistols and can
non crackers; but repeated deadly expe-
fiences resulting from these supposed
| harmless offenses have caused the legis-
/
who organizes a grand jury, to call at
! tention In special charge to these mis-
deneanors. The people of this county
have recently opened their eyes to cer-
tain deplorable conditions existing here
and resulting largely from the non-en-
forcement of misdemeanor laws 1t is
notorious that the professional gambler
is with us in large numbers; he must
| find business good. else how can he rent
expensive establishments and live with
out other occupation. Have not hum
dreds of young men during the past year
been caught in gambling houses and re-
sorts of i'll fame? Are not professional
gam blers almost as well known about
town as the merchants? Have any of
them been punished for running gam
bhng tables or for vagrancy? Do not the
police records show that certain immoral
houses have multiplied in this city, caus-
ing the ruin of young girls and the de-
moralization of young men? Do not the
: officers of the law know where these
houses are located and who run them, in
defiance of public decency and the gem
eral welfare? Shall these places continue
unmolested? Have not scores of people
been shot down by the carriers of con-
cealed weapons? Are not men and wo-
men constantly ridden down and injured
or killed by automobiles. propelled by
chauffeurs who set value on human
lifeo Have these serious offenses been
punished consistently, by adequate PEN
aities? You can see. gentlemen of the
jury, why the law demands that the
grand jury investigate such matters and
indict for such offenses and why public
interest requires relief from these men
acing conditions.
'One of these special laws to which I
am required TO call your attention is the
offense of carrying concealed weapons.
Concealed Weapons
|. Section 642l of the Code makes it a
misoemeanor for a person to carry con-
cealed about his person a bowie knife or
knife or instrument of like kind or de-
scription, a pistol or firearms or any
other kind or description or an air gun.
This law should be rigidy enforced and
yiDlators thereof severely punished. Less
than three weeks ago two men, well
Known about town. empted their pistols
into each other on one of the most prom
inent streets of the city where people are
accustomed to pass and repass at all
hours This is but one of many instances.
Those who are In the habit of carrying
concealed pistols ought to take a lesson
from such tragedies and remember that
easy access to concealed weapons brings
suffering and disaster, with no cores
pohding good to anybody. Something
must be done to stop this dangerous
carrying concealed pistols pay little at
tention to fines 1t seems necessary then
to administer severe penalties. This court
therefore warns every citizen of this
county to abstain from this practice. else
hard labor sentences will be imposed on
all proper cases against wilful violators
OF this law.
The frequency of shooting and cutting
ARRAYS, the numerous homicides In this
eounty-all urge the adoption of rigorous
penalties to secure obedience to this law.
The peaceabe hard working and law
abiding people of this county must be
protected against reckless shooters and
cutters. many of whom loaf around sa-
looms and vice resorts, armed to the
teeth, with chips of contention resting
lightly on their shoulders. Grand jurors
ought to denounce this practice and
newspapers ought to create sentiment and
stir up public Indignation against it.
Good citizens everywhere should exert
their influence actively that the blight
of the deadly concealed weapon, with
its consequent tragedy, may be stamped
out in this progressive and enlightened
time. The frightful toll of human life,
resulting from lax enforcement of this
law has shocked this community and re-
iiected on its good name long enough.
| charge you, gentlemen of the jury, to
indct for this offense in every case COM
dence is sufficient
Automobile Speeding
'2 The second of these special laws to
which l am required to call your atten-
ton Is the reckless speeding of auto
mobiles. Hundreds of these machines are
in constant use in Birmingham They
are proper instruments of pleasure and
| convenience, but the law requires that
they be so used as not to injure human
beings or to destroy the property of 9TH
| ers. Human life is dearer in the eyes
| OF the law, than either the pleasure OF
! the hour or the necessities of business.
| Life, once taken cannot be restored.
Broken limbs and shattered health cam
not be healed by money alone, Yet in
| spite of frequent injuries. this law is
violated every day by automobiles speed
| ing like the wind along the streets of
our city and the highways of our county.
Men, VINO are otherwise good citizens.
either lose their own heads in the ex-
hiliaration and excitement of swift loco
motion, or carelessly allow irresponsible
ohauffeurs to jeopardize the life and limb
of the public, without realizing their re-
spoisiblity for the crime of man slaugh--
| ter if life is taken by their reckless
conduct. Less than a month ago well
| known and highly respected citizen was
! crushed to death by an automobile while