The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1915-01-21
The Twelfth
Jurywornan
BY DWIGHT NORWOOD

imposing upon them the same duties
rs men. They were drawn as jurywo
men and were eligible to sit on the
bench Different experiments in jury
duty were tried. one of which was the
making up of jury of mixed mer
and women
The case of Grace Fleming against
Francis Iddleston for breach of prom
Use attracted universal attention. The
law as 1t stood at the time required
that all cases of breach of promise
should be tried before jury of I'M
married persons, six being males and
six females. There being great rush
for admittance to hear the piquant
evidence that it was expected would
be brought out. number Of young
men and women strove to be tmpan-
cled on the jury. The result was six
young men and six young women were
drawn and accepted. all of whom
were of the better class, and the
young women were all good looking.
1t was proved conclusively on the
trial that Iddleston had proposed to
Miss Fleming and that she had accept
ed him. but the defendants counsel
brought in evidence to show that she
had been engaged to another man at
the same time. The judge charged
that if the jury were satisfied that the
defendant had proposed to the plain
tiff they were to return verdict In
her favor. But If they were satisfied
that the plaintiff had engaged herself
to another man while she was engag-
ed to Iddleston they were to find for
the defendant
One of the jurymen gave an account
of the proceedings in the jury room
while a verdict was being considered.
OF which the following is a synopsis:
"On reaching the Jury room we ar
ranged ourselves in a circle, men and
women being placed alternately, and
proceeded to consider the case. At first
there were remarks from men and wo-
men alike, but gradually the men drop
ped out of the discussion, leaving it to
the women Two women considered
1ddleston's offer binding on him; two
women considered that he was absolv
ed by Miss Fleming's being engaged to |
another man. while the other two jury |
women took the ground that Mr.. idle
ston had been treated very badly by
the plaintiff.
THE discussion on the part Of the
jurywomen lasted SO long that some
of us began to yawn First one wom-
an, then another dropped out of 1t I'M
til but one woman remained to combat
for her opinion Then one of the wo-
men asked another Ii she had seen the
new skirt. This switched the CONVEX
sation on to another track than the
case In question, and in a few minutes
the women were debating the fashions
Seeing an opportunity. we men began
to consider the breach of promise case.
We discovered that we all agreed that
the woman, having been engaged to {
another during the time she was en- 6
gagged to Iddleston, had no claim.
1--WE announced to our fellow jury
that half of the jury were
greed on verdict, requesting the
tber half to follow our example. They
t once turned their attention to the a
natter In point, but as there were c
hree different opinions among them y
nd each woman stoutly maintained &
er own view time passed without a !
erdict At o'clock In the evening
upper was brought in, and after that,
ince the women could not agree and
yere tired of the subject, we paired L
IF. each man with woman. and sat
irting till 10 o'clock, when we were
larched off to separate hotels for the
light
THE next day a messenger went !,
rom US with note to the judge, who, s
opposing it to contain a question of |
w, called the court together. His I
onor was much astonished at a re- n
uest for clergyman. Since there a
as no reason for denying the request Il
dominic was sent to US, and two of o.
lr number were married. y
There is something contagious about =,
atrimony, and as the parson was y
aving he was called back to marry - y
lother couple. That afternoon one "
the men who had been making up OF
another of the jurywomen pro- tc
,sed that we make it unanimous and A
| be married. This was rushing mat q
RS, and the only woman left IN
edged declined to take the only re-
aiming unpedged man. While we
ere trying to persuade her the judge ~
MT to know If we had reached a YER
Ct The foreman sent back word 3.
at we had a case of an obstinate VI
'elfth juryWoman, but we hoped ne
on to bring her to an agreement. su
Half an hour later we all filed into Pr
E courtroom and were asked the an
ual question: of
Have you agreed to verdictT IN
We have agreed to something else
lied our foreman. r.
What do you meanr asked the "
lge, surprised. els
-Four of our twelve have been mar
In the jury room. and we have
eed to make it unanimous, the rest
be married here by your honor In ar
rt. Gu
But the verdict In the case that nu
been tried before your exclaimed wa
astonished Judge. Were you I'M da
E to bring the obstinate jurywo- mr.;
0 to an agreementY h
We brought her to an agreement,