The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-18
MOTION FOR CHANGE
Of VENIRE REFUSED
Judge Richardson, However. VIII En-
terrain Such Motion In Specific
Case.
JURORS IN PROHIBITION
CASES CALL TT INSULT
Assertion That Motion Is Reflection
On Richmond Observation-Disclosures
Richardson Shuts on Attempts In
Court TO Discuss Matter.

Judge Richardson IN the hustings
court Yesterday morning denied a mo-
tion nv Attorney Guy T. Horner. of
tho Office of Prohibition Commission
er Peters for a change of venire in
future cases In the hustings court in
volVing violations OF the prohibition
law Judge Richardson said he could
not entertain "a blanket motion such
as he regarded this and gave leave
20 Attorney Horner to make his mo-
ton for an outside jury in some
specific case.
Though the court suggested that
appeal from his denial might be
made. Mr.. Horner disposed at once
OF that question by stating IL was not
has intention TO appeal. The motion
Tor change of venre will be made,
In all proba bility. when the court
takes up the next prohibition case.
That the motion would be made In
court yesterday was announced at the
office of the prohibition commission
er Friday night and the facts. to-
gether with Commissioner Peters
summing up of the situation with
reference to Richmond prosecutions
onder the Mapp Law were published
in yesterdays morning papers.
Jurors Regard IL An Insult.
jurors sitting ut the February term
OF the hustings court, and rather
warm comments were made by those
~ho have been sitting in cases In
which defendants charged with pro-
hibitton law violations were dismissed
The jurors expressed themselves as
feeling that injustice had been done
them by the prohibition commissioner
in his statement That that official
the city of Richmond for the trial OF
prohibition cases was regarded by
the jurors al an insult not only to
them but to the citizenship of Rich
mond. from which hastings court
1uries are drawn.
Though announcement had been
made that the motion would be made.
there WAS no unusual gathering in
the hustings court yesterday. The
court was engaged in hearing tax
matter which had been continued
from Friday. Jurors who have been
trying prohibition cases were pres
ent.
As soon as Judge Richardson had
taken his place on the bench George
c. jefferson. who had sat In the trial
OF three cases of alleged prohibition
law violations. arose and. calling at
tention to the publications of yester-
day morning. asserted that he thought
the jury had been done an Injustice
Judge Richardson forestalied discus
sion OF the publications with the an
nouncement that the court did not
care to enter such discussion.
The incident Of the protest by Juror
Jefferson proved an accurate index to
the feeling OF those jurors present
when Mr.. Horner presented his mo-
ton and after
Following the presentation OF the
motion and it's denial by the cour,
there were indignant expressions by
the jurors and some discussion OF
the suggestion that a meeting be
called of the Jurors for the consid era
ton Of resolutions addressed to the
prohibition department resenting any
Implication that Richmond juFaes fan
in their duty to return a just verdict
in any case.
Believes Failure I'm Juries.
Mr.. Horner. in making his motion
explained that the prohibition com
missioner, finding that thcre have
been but sixteen convictions in thirty
cases In the hustings court in which
prohibition law violations were
charged and having considered the
efiicient work of the police authors
ties and Of the commemorative AZ.
charges Of the court. had concluded
that the failure to convict lies with
the juriee. The prohibition com
missioner therefore determined 10
take out Of the machinery OF the law
its defective part by aaking that iu
rors In prohibition cases be drawn
from outside OF Richmond. Mr..
Horner said that he knew that the
motion Is drastic but conditions in
Virginia have been changed by the
Mapp bill. and measures must be
taken to meet them
Convictions in Richmond for vio
lations Of the prohibition law are rel.
atively fewer. the percentage - con-
victions is lower. said Mr.. Horner.
than IN Norfolk, Petersburg and AL
exandriA.
No Discussion In Court
The motion caused considerable
stir in the courtroom. and before the
court had settled back into Its routine
the gavel had banged order. Colonel
NJ. l. Spottswood arose. and declar-
Ing the Jurors had been insulted,
80 =.
tCsntinued on Second Page.)