The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31
JURORS LEARN MUCH
SOF C|TY'S METHODS
FROM LIQUOR CASES
= IN CRIMINAL COURT
The Profits of Spies or
Switches" Outstanding
Feature as Various
Cases Are Heard
JURYMEN HESITATE
81 TO FIND GUILTY
ON THEIR EVIDENCE
Juryman Learns Enough During
Week to Make Time Spent
Well Worth While for
W. Any Citizen
Rx RICHARD f. LUssIER

Citizens who are unfamiliar with condi-
lions regarding law enforcement or the
lack of it in Jefferson county, or within
the borders OF the city of Birmingham,
can readily be educated on the subject by
serving as jurors for one week in the
criminal courts.
It is conceded that one week of jury
duty will make the average citizen go
out and take long walk to think over
the palpable fact that it is a most
peculiar government that he is response
BILE for. Other pungent thoughts on vari-
Gus phases of conditions that are weekly
presented before the petit juries in the
criminal courts of Jefferson county will
intrude, and it is individually a fact
that one is a better citizen and more
conscientious of his civic duties after
weeks service as a juror. However,
the average citizen still balks at jury
duty and will invent the widest tales
to be excused
Last week some 60-odd citizens were
impaneled as jurors in the criminal
courts. Amongst this body of jurymen
were some of the business leaders of the
city, and taken as a whole they repre-
scented the highest type of citizenship in
the city and county.
MANY PROHIBITION CASES
It so happened that the docket in the
criminal courts last week was filled with
appealed cases from the recorders courts.
The majority of these appealed cases
were on alleged violations of the prohibit
ton law in which arrests had been made
through that peculiar procedure known
as "snitch' evidence. These prohibition
trials were very educating to the jurors
especially as it enlightened them on how
civic affairs We're conducted at the city
hall.
Another peculiar phenomena is the at
titude of the members of the solicitors
office and also of thee ity attorney s
office toward the jurors. Last Monday
NJ morning they were carefully looked over
owing to the fact that so many prohibi-
ton trials were docketed and various
members of the jury were pointed out
as good men. There was a peculiar
emphasis on the manner in which the
word good was enunciated. For the
edification of the laymen investigation
mas Q1SCIOSeO LHdC a SOOu man III
the parlance of prohibition law officers
is that rare individual who has so con-
Quoted himself and has SO voiced his
opinions that he is catalogued as man
who will convict.
WERE TOO GOOD
Over half of the jurymen last week
were designated as good" men, but
as only one conviction was secured
during the entire week out of over a
score Of cases that went to trial it
necessarily follows that there was a
! mistake somewhere. They were too
"good' to be true in the opinion of
the prosecution.
But one should review the condi-
tions that were presented the jurymen
before passing hasty Judgment on their
alleged unholy actions in acquitting
various negroes and white men and
women on the grave charge of hav-
ing violated the prohibition law.
Following the usual legal technical
tiles "struck" jury of 10 men would
be agreed on by both sides and then
the trial would begin. In practically
every case a "snitch" was placed on