Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-03-17
judge ASKS
jury TOPRObE
DIVORCE
Explains to Grand Jury It's
Powers Of Investiga-
ton
% CRIMINAL CASES
Jury Takes up Criminal Docket-To
Investigate Divorce Situation After
Bar Association Reports.

In reference to the divorce situation
here, Judge Robinson Moncure today
delivered q charge of the Grand jury
which will later take up this matter
after disposing Of the % criminal
case it is considering. The Judge,
among other things, told the jury
that the divorce situation will be pre-
sented to them next week following
complete and final report of the Bar
Association, engaged in the task OF
investigating divorce conditions here.
He asked the jury to investigate the
divorce situation thoroughly.
He informed the Grand Jury that
it has full power to have witnesses
summoned, and that the powers OF
the court were at it's disposal toccom-
pei answers except insofar as it might
incriminate q witness. He told the
Grand Jury to let him know the names
Of any party or parties they wanted
summoned, and the powers Of the
court were at their disposal and that
should any witness refuse TO testify,
to report the matter to the court, and
the witness would be punished The
court also told the Grand Jury that in
the divorce investigation it thought
among the most valuable witnesses
were the members of the subcommlt-
tee of the Bar Association, namely,
Major J. Randall Cation, Howard W.
Smith and Captain c. Keith Carlin.
The court also called the attention
Of the Grand Jury to the distinction
between residence and domicile. and
directed their attention to the four
Virginia eases Of Steckel against
Steckel, Towson against Towson and
the tax case Of Cooper, and Williams
effecting his right to seat in the City
Council.
The court also called attention to
the rules that had been adopted at the
request of the Bar Association COM
mittee and recommended that a list of
the persons appearing often as resi-
dent witness should be kept by the
clerk of the court, and that in such
rases the hearings as to residence, at
least, should be held in open court.
The jury was also Informed that it
was their duty and right to investi-
gate any person and to place the
charges, blame or criticism wherever
and on whomsoever they thought
proper, but that in order to indict or
present a particular individual that
there must be more than mere gen.
eralities and particular and specific
charges must be supported by enough
evidence of legitimate. respectable
nature, to lead them to the conclusion
that the party should be placed on
trial.
The judge also called the attention
of the Grand Jury to the fact that
libel is an inditable crime at common
law in Virginia.; also any perjury
committed by anyone or by witness
before the Grand Jury, and that in
connection with the divorce situation
it was their right and within their
power to consider if the crime libel
had been committed by anyone, and if
SO. by whom.
In conclusion the Judge told the
Grand Jury that it was their preroga-
tive to file report upon the situation
and make recommendations, and that
he thought that body. was the most
proper tribunal for the purpose, and
he would be pleased to have any rec
concentrations from them.
The judge in his opening gave the
usual charge regarding the duty OF
the grand jury to investigate other
violations Of the law.
The jury afterward repaired to the
jury room and began the investigation
of the 2S criminal cases presented,
among which is one for murder, one
for involuntary manslaughter, % for
alleged infractions Of the State pro-
hibiton law and two for grand lar
ceny. This is the biggest docket in
recent years. The jury probably will
not finish its investigation Of the
criminal cases till late this afternoon.
The charge of murder is against
Ernest Lloyd, alias Mutt" Grooms,
co!ored, charged with fatally shooting
Herbert McGray, colored, which oc-
CURED at the southwest corner of
Cameron and Fayette streets the
morning of December 90.
The Grand Jury is composed of
Mayor J. NJ. Duncan. Kenneth w.
Ogden. William Desmond, Frank T.
King, George X. Brawner, Walter c.
| Drury, Elliott F. Hoffman, Samuel w.
Pitts, Benjamin Abramson.
Newport News-The Hamnton