The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-11-03
COURT DELIVERS A SHORT BUT
FoRCEFUL, CHARACTERISTIC
ADDRESS TO GRAND JURY.
WOLATORS OF LIQUOR
LAWS SEVERELY SCORED
Attention og Inquisitorial Body is Di-
rected to Matters the Law Requires
Should be Investgated--A. r. Park
er Appointed Foreman.

The fall term of the Forrest County
Circuit Court was convened at ten
O'Clock this morning, with Judge Paul
B. Johnson on the bench and all other
court officials present
1t required only snort time to Sc
lect the grand jury, which is as fol-
lows:
A. F. Parker, foreman; R. M. Hen
dirk, A. E. Holman, M. A. Fry, A. Fill
lingame, Robt. Cubley r. c. Bradley,
P. c. Edmiston, ]. |. New, j. E. John
son, B. l.. Craft r. T. Lee, R. A. Nc
Innis, G. R. Ryans R. B. MCGOWAN,
D. R. Lee, A. A. McArdle and H. NJ
Perkins. w. T Haney was appointed
bailiff
Judge johnson delivered a charac-
teristic but unusually brief charge to
the grand jury, dwelling at more
length on violations of the liquor laws
than any other matter called to the
attention of the inquisitorial body.
Calling attention of the jury to the
oath they had just taken he felt as
sured, from his personal knowledge of
the men on the grand jury, that they
would not indict any man through
malice, hatred or ill will, or refrain
70 nc
fy, through fear, favor, promise, or
hope of reward.
The Court assured the jury that he
knew their alignment and felt con-
fident they stood for the enforcement
of the criminal law. "In going to your
room am confident it is with no inten-
tion to return an indictment simply to
cast odium upon any good mans name,
which it is your duty and the duty of
the law to protect, hence you will dis
regard mere trivial charges brought to
your attention by someone seeking
through you to injure the reputation
of some good citizen"
Continuing, the Judge said: Il
would rather this grand jury would
adjourn tonight than that it would,
through malice, Ill will or hatred, in
dict some man with no other purpose
than to destroy a good name"
Taking up various items in the Grim
inal law, the Court urged them briefly
upon the attention of the grand jury.
Pool rooms that permit gambling in
any form, were severely condemned,
especially where they permit boys un-
der eighteen years of age to visit
them.
Slot machines of all kinds that made
it uncertain as to what person got
for the coin inserted, were pro-
nounced gambling devices and their
keepers should be indicted" Gam
bling, whether in the pool room, hotel,
private gambling room or in the lum-
ber camp, should be suppressed
through indictments by the grand jury.
Cattle tnleV6S were HeHtlOHeu DIS udN-
ing been active of late and should be
looked after by the grand jury.
Butchers who fail to comply with the
law relative to keeping their records
were also mentioned as indictable.
Violations of the ten-hour law should
be rigidly investigated and those re
sponsible indicted, stated the judge
saying in this connection: Every
drop of blood in my veins is with the
working man. know have received
the rap upon the head for my position
on this matter, but l want to see the
time come when the working man will
get his just dues for his services"
The carrying of concealed weapons
failure to provide fire escapes for no
tells or other public buildings Of thre'
oFfh IRE stories high; giving or selling
<obacco to minors, without consent o
parent or guardians; working men II
certain plants or service over tel
hours; drunkenness in public plac
< presence of two or more witnesses
improper treatment Of prisoners i
jails, county farms or on public roads