Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-26
BRITISH WOMEN JURORS
RESUME ANCIENT RIGHT
no Novelty During Middle Ages
for Women to Servo on
Jurics.
HELD HIGH PUBLIC OFFICES
Courtroom Nowadays Echoes to Call
"l.adiccs and Gentlemen Of tho
Jury"-Womcn Perform Duty
With Intelligence.
TRy cross-Atlantic Service

by Cross-Atlantic Service.l
LONDON. Sept. 25.-At tho Bristol
quarter Sessions. for tho first time In
modern years mixed jury was en-
paneled TO try criminal cases and a
British courtroom echoed to tho call.
ladies' and gentlemen OF the jury"
with that salutntion British women
csumed an ancient right that fell
htO disuse many centuries ago. and
lenceforth, AZ in the Middle Ages.
women Jurors will be no novelty In
treat Britain.
The occasion. although preceded
~ much discussion. was entirely I'M
SPECTACULAR when II arrived. The
women jurors were quiet. sensible
women. belonging to the middle class,
ana they performed their unaccus.
oned duties with dignity and good
cease
AZ tho close of the first days sitting
lne asked IL she could be excused
rom future attendance on account Of
her family. She had three children
%%hom she could not leave another
lay. Another made IA similar request
I ruse she had shop TO look after.
volunteered TO continue their duties.
NJ tho end OF tho week. In dis
charging the jury. the recorder. II. r..
lOummett. remarked that while IL was
new experience to him TO use the
,hrase Ladder and gentlemen OF tho
ury, II was ono he had enjoyed. He
.hpresscd great pleasure at tho able
way in which the women had deal,
with the difficult cases before them
md congratulated them on taking at
Asst their proper place in the juris-
LECTION OF tho country.
but though the woman Juror is a
novelty In England today, she IL In
eahty only rcsuming an ancient
lght; for In old records women jurors
isure largely and arc quoted In con-
lection with number OF historic
a book by Francis Plowden called
Jura An.lorum" gives instances OF
*omen servin. on juries in the NJ
eenth century: one. Dame Copley. OF
iatton. being specially noted AS hav-
ny inquired In several lawsuits.
women in those days seem TO have
ion with their own sex. Tho Parish
ccoros OF Edlyngeham narrate the
;ase o, MarSareta LINDSEY contra
'ohannes de Longcastcr. in February.
thu III court at Durham In l4i3. In the
.4sc Of itentrix Athynson contra Ma
iga!n mentioned.
ury service suffered the same fate as
members OF the other sex: for II is
accorded In the court rolls of Row
inhston. Manufacturing, how Jean
'hackspcre, with other abscnteeB,
sas fined tho sum of fourpence for
a'linE to serve.
Women Held High Offices.
In fact li,tlo investigation Into
poets ut least the men Of long ago
we're broader minded In their out
ook on lifo than those OF the pres
NJ generation Women held public
onlees in the Middle Ages TO an cx-
tent that nowadays would scarcely
nc credited. According to the White
Book OF tho City OF London. n COPY
81 which may be seen in the British
museum, women have been high
;hambe rlains, sheri0s. high stew
hampions tthis last by proxy
They have also been appointed in The
long ago past Justices OF tho peace
clerks or the crown. governors Of
houses OF correction and high con.
stables. Needless 10 say. these OF.
ices entailcd certain duties to bt
performed by every ono who hello
them. irrespective OF sex. So the
new woman Is not SO new as she
III consideration OF new rights and
iu;ics for women America Is much
luotcd here. Mr.. Cecil Chapman, ]
r.. who Is 1tondon's foremost magis.
tra,c and who Is firm supporter OF
mixed jurics In the divorce courts
gives as his reason that many OF
he American States have instituted
ihe custom for years past with
marked success. publication OF the
moral atmosphere OF the courts hav-
ing undoubtedly been achieved by
the presence Of women jurors"
Publication OF the divorce courts Is
much needed in England. where ali
ilvorce cases reveal martial infldel-
ity. and the evidence commonly
re>ks OF nauseating and corrupting
tetails. which are also allowed to be
spread broadcast In tho public prints
Mr. Chapman also gives IL as his
opinion that a man would BIO ashamed
10 60 into the divorce court IL women