The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-08-07
Juries Organized for Week
in Criminal Court by
Judge w. e. Fort
FIVE CIRCUIT JUDGES
ON CRIMINAL BENCH
Solicitor Tate Attending Sessions of
the Grand Jury, Which Held
Brief Session and Recessed
Until Monday

The special grand jury and the petit
juries for the week were organized
yesterday morning by Judge w. f.
Fort in the criminal division of the
circuit court. The first Is Jurors that
were qualified by the court were i'm
paneled as the grand jury and Glenn
C. Burke of Ensley named as fore
man.
The criminal division will be in ses-
sion one week and five circuit judges
will preside in that many divisions
The jurists are Judge w. e. Fort
Judge H. p Heflin, Judge C. w. Fer
guson, Judge John C. Pugh and Judge
C. B. Smith Preferred cases will be
where the defendant is in jail and
cases appealed from the recorders
court.
In charging the grand jury Judge
Fort instructed them as to their du-
ties and gave the special and general
charges as required by law. He charged
the Jurors to investigate the affairs
of the county and to determine the
manner in which every department OF
the county is being conducted. Re-
ferring to the payment of witnesses
summoned before the grand jury he
called their attention to the fact that
the money for witnesses comes out OF
the county treasury and urged them TO
see that no unnecessary witnesses be
summoned He called attention to the
fact that attempts were sometimes
made to use criminal process of law
loI,k NJ cticr act
ed that the name of the would-b pros
ecutor be made a matter of record
in order that costs might be taxed
against him in the event in the trial
court the above practice was revealed.
PROHIBITION LAW
In referring to the prohibition law,
Judge Fort stated that the local Off
GERS had enforced them well, but that
now the matter was largely in the
hands of federal authorities. He urged
the grand jury to be diligent. how
ever in the investigation OF any
cases of this kind that might be
brought before them.
Immediately following the charge of
Judge Fort the grand jury went into
session and organized it's working
force. Solicitor Joseph r. Tate will per-
sonally attend the sessions. w. M
Lindsey will be official stenographer
and w. S. Batson, bailiff in charge
The grand jury returned indictments
against three persons who pleaded
guilty to grand larceny charges. They
were sentenced by Judge Fort as fol
lows Jim. Ragland, IL months and
costs at hard labor on the county
roads; Robert Shepherd, three years II
| the penitentiary, and Willie Wilson
| IL months and costs at hard labor or
| the county roads, After some routine
business, the grand jury adjourned
until next Monday. 1t will be in SEES
| sion indefinitely. This is the third
grand jury that has been organized ir
Jefferson county this year, as the law
| stipulates that one jury must be or
ganized every three months. A jur3
| was organized on March II and an
! other on May 81.
GRAND JURY
The personnel of the grand jury fol
| lows:
/ elem c. Burke. foreman, precinct As
occupation. real estate.
1 Albert C. DeShazo, precinct 8; presi
dent motor company.
Albert c. Brewster, precinct 81
| salesman
JOnn w. bdnhSudle, precinct .
merchant.
Ed w. Copeland, precinct SO; time
(! keeper.
Thomas L. Kilgore, precinct 10
/ farmer.
| Homer l.. Fisk. precinct 10; motor
| man.
r. Leonard Waters, Precinct p
stenographer.
Joseph w. wofford precinct 81
bookkeeper.
Jesse w. stanfiel,' precinct 81
freight agent
Albert c. Winningham, precinct SO
| clerk.
James Walls, precinct Al; drill run
ner
David B. Reaves, precinct As; as
sistant superintendent.
| James r. Reeves. precinct 81; engi
neer.
Bon. Ragsdale, precinct 49, offic
man.
Wilson T. Mullinax, precinct 9; sales
man.
John T. Underwood. precinct As
electrician.
John B. Martin, precinct IS; mer
chant.