The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-04-07
The Circuit Court.

The Circuit Court for the April term
convened on Monday with Judges Beall
and Camalier on the Bench. Mr.. Ed
ward E. Perkins was made Foreman of
the Grand Jury. Judge Beall delivered
the charge to the Grand Jury as fol-
lows :
Gentlemen of the Grand Jury:
There is very little variety in what
is said to Grand Juries on occasions Of
this kind and what the Court will say
to you has been an oft-repeated story
in this room. However, it is made the
duty of the Court at the beginning of
each jury term of court to say some
thing to the Grand Jury which is term
ed a charge 1t seems hardly neces-
sary to say very much to such an intel
ligent body of men as those l see be-
fore me.
The State of Maryland, gentlemen,
has again put into action its sover
eign power by requiring of you, a body
of its citizens, a very serious and im-
portant duty. You have been required
by its mandate to assemble here as its
Grand Inquest for the body Of this
County for the purpose of taking al
inventory of the condition of affairs OF
the county, somewhat in the nature OF
the case of careful business man OF
merchant who at stated periods takes
look into his business affairs for the
purpose of seeing how he stands. Thai
: il to say, he takes stoc< Of his goods !
aud you are to take stock or take ar
inventory of the moral condition of the
County and investigate the various
charges of crime which are brought t.
your attentl
1t cannot be stated too often, think
the the Grand Jury is most important
factor in the machinery for the admin
istration of justice. Your powers and
duties are very extensive and | DO no
believe they could be more forcibly eX-
pressed than in the terse language con.
tained in the oath which you have jusi
taken. Under the laws of our Stat
the members of your body are q il
numb Der, II OF whom constitute quorum
for the transaction of business, and the
concurrence Of that number is neces
sary to the finding OF an Indictment
That is to say, that while twelve car
transact business, if you had but twelve
present it would require the unanimou
vote of those present to find an indict
ment 1t requires vote of at leas
twelve to determine upon an indictment
Your proceedings are eX-parte
secret and privileged. No one can b
present at your pr occeedings unless sun
moned as a witness. The States AT
torney, however, is authorized by Law
to attend your sessions, when you de
sire his presence, and to render you ad
vice. You are to inquire into an
present all offenses in the body of you
County, whether referred 10 you 0
otherwise brought to your knowledge
You have power to have witnesses sum
moned, and tc have them attached 10
failure to obey summons. You ca
conduct your Investigations in any wa
deemed by you best to elicit the trut
without undue formality. You sha
hear all the evidence that may thro'
light on the matter under consideration
whether it tends to establish guilt |
Innocence. While you, in effect, he:
but one side of the case, that is to So.
that of the prosecution, and while al
but only an accus alton, yet you shou
present no one for an offense unle:
YOU are fairly convinced by the ev
dence before you that the party
guilty, and that the evidence befol
you, if not rebutted, would warrant
conviction by petit jury. hope
That is an important consideration f,
you to carry with you into your deIibe
atoms. There are cases arising fro
the zeal of officers where it is doubtf
whether the best interests Of the cor
munity are served by those cases beir
brought. The prosecuting officer al
the Court have no criticism to nal
upon the diligence of these officers, b
it is for you to determine whether it
for the interest of the commonwaal
that in cases which come before you /;