New-York tribune., 1921-11-13
q System of Forensic
Reasoning for Juros-s

IT isn't even touched upon IN law schools, ex-
cept that cognizance is taken in chapter or
two Of fact that the system exists.
There Is nc modern work of any moment on
the jury system, as it has been developed
from the old English beginnings. One of
Commissioner O'Byrne's treasured possessions
is one of the few copies in existence Of ssThe
Juryman's Guide" autographed by the author,
Charles Edwards, forebear of the Pierrepont
Edwardses of New York, and published ninety
years ago.
The man who sets out to systematically
evsde jury service--as thousands do--often
isn't smart enough to do it successfully. One
New York business man caused his Office in
Texas Co write to the Commissioner that he
was resident of the Southern state and as
such, of course. not eligible for service in New
York courts. Something about the letter
aroused Commissioner O'Byrne's suspicion.
and an investigator soon found that the dodger
was in business right here in town. When ne
found the dogs on his scent, he made such
speed to the courthouse, that he got there be-
fore the agent who had come to report that he
was irving to evade his duty.
Another smart man gave instructions to the
hallboy IN his apartment not to allow any
body with jury summons to get above the
first floor. This worked all right for while.
but it finally came to the point where the hall
boy was arrested and charged with CONTEMPT
of court.
Drawing jurors in New York City is espe-
cially difficult because of the fact that so many
so-called foreign orporations-Americah
business houses that maintain only brsmch
N the city-do business here. The EMPLOYERS
ri {prkc md
1ect to New York jury calls themselves. and
1t has been found often that they would
rather transfer employee to another citv
than send somebody to relieve him for week
or ten days, while he did what was expected
OF him in the courts.
There nave 5een scandals in the iury serv-
lee LOU, but few. One of the most recent was
the celebrated Tillinghast case in City Court
waese II was proved that the lawyers for
oig pupiic service corporation were planting
man on damage suit juries whose duty it
was to see that accident victims were awarded
only small sums He was not charged with
hanging the jury. but only with seeing that
sas Verdicts were kept within what those who
PAID aim considered reasonable bounds.
inere Is record. also, of the case Of man
VINO proposed to form company to supply
jurors VINO would vote in any way desired by
snose who engaged them through the head Of
tne organization. Somebody told on him
and ne was chased off to an insane asylum.
where ne has been ever since.
one evil feature Of the system which il has
oeen found difficult to overcome is the threat
enlng employer who would rather discharge a
eierk or factory hand than allow him to take
ume OF with pay for jury service. When the
employer can be reached in these cases the
courts go after him; when he cannot the COM
missioner OF Jurors usually excuses the man
"ho mas been summoned for the period Of
year. with the promise that he will be loo,aS
up later. If by this time he has another
snpioyer, or the situation has changed ha
Is given his chance to serve.
40 enose who have idea they would like
20 De Jurors state boundary lines and things
ike enat make little difference, as witness the
following note. dated Englewood, N. j.. re-
Gently received by Mr.. O'Byrne:
! have good home and am not neadv
but would like to serve on the iury in Nav,
York City. At your service"
The Commissioner wrote to this eaver .;+;~a-
that he would try for while longer to atr,g-
gle along with New York jurors in New yorL
State.
Those Who do not know that all Jurors.
names. except where special service in involved
come out OF the same wheel scmetimes faI,
INTO error such Is that which moved the man
who wrote:
= have never claimed exemption and have
served every two years without . murmur.
w 70 four years ago was Supreme Court
juror. Then you reduced me to the rank Of
City Court juror. OF course. cannot pre-
sumo to regulate your procedure. but would
prefer the previous designation If consistent
Another. recently summoned, had this
chuckIe by mail:
Il am in sunny California, where women do
the jury duty. Haven't lived in New York for
over year. Best wishes for the fellow who
takes my place. Have served SO often ought
20 b. cxeup. now. anyway"
Th's mans name came. Of course, from the
city d-;ectory. The telephone book would have
Permitted 40 such error. though there are
ofhers it 10 susceptible Of. as the following
htter will testify:
= am returning herewith jury service
summons made out IN the name Of e. NJ Blank.
e. N. Blank not being Of the male sex,
am nnder tho impression that the said notice