Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-11-02
Emphasizes Importance of Jury
Duty And Improvement In
Personnel-D e CT ares A
Strong Judiciary Is Neces-
sary for Government To En-
dure

All Souls Chapter Of the Laymen's
League was we'll represented at the
first meeting Of the season, Monday
evening. A chicken pie supper was
followed by an address by Hon. w. K.
Pattangall, a former president OF the
Chapter, who said he had been called
to serve in the event of the regular
speaker for the evening being absent.
In speaking of the Court he was re.
minded he said Of the foreigner, who
no sooner lands in this country than
he is expected to give his impression
of America With respect to his i'm
pressions of the Court he might say
he had hardly reached the wharf.
The Importance of jury duty. how
seriously we are affected by the need
of competent persons in the perfor-
nance of it; that the work Of the
jury under our system is quite as i'm
portant as the work of the judge If
not more so; that as the jury decides
questions of fact, it should be COM
posed of those having experience and
comprehension, able to distinguish
between truth and perjury, that only
so may we hope to have a proper ad-
ministration of the laws; also that we
nave Ill MdliiCt w llClS NOOi 10 LoAAC"
procedure like that in England, little
, or no delay of which there is so much
criticism; also that we have in Maine
no wave Of criminal violence but that
we do have offences committed by
youth, unlike those offences by i'm
pulse which might be considered nor
NAL and that tht court experiences
difficulty in disposing of these, were
impressions his auditors took away
with them, very vivid impressions at
that.
The Justice created a laugh when
he alluded to what might be termed
an extravaganza, the enjoyment of
justices at a salary of $4,000 per an
mum to perform the work which pro-
perry should be done by stenogra-
piers, and another when he referred
to the pevailing newspaper method
of reporting cases before the courts.
He recalled in this connection very
important trial in another city, where
great interests were involved along
with important questions, In which
representatives of several European
countries and Brazil were concerned
and important scientific problems
were involved. The daily report OF
| this was about a "stickful' while
| alongside was q column report from
another court of suit for ahe,iatton
! of affections or heart balm" Divorce
proceedings and the like and crimes
| constitute the chief publicity afford
| ed the work of the courts
| The speaker emphasized the duty
! of citizens to serve on juries. Nine
! out of ten cases, he said, are ques-
| tons of fact rather than OF laws. A
! judge may not determine question
| of fact. That is the duty of the jury
Jurymen are the referees to whom we
| entrust very important matters that
concern us, which perhaps involve
| our property and our liberty. They
| should be the most intelligent people
| in the community. Improving the
personnel of the jury he considered
| the first important step in so ar
, ranging things that justice may be
| administered properly.
| He regretted to believe that in
| stances of wilful perjury are not IN
| common. We need those capable of
| distinguishing truth from falSehood.
| He deplored tendency to take dis
| cretionary power from the courts. No
| one has been concerned to change the
| discretion of a judge with respect to
| a penalty for manslaughter, that for
years has remained Imprisonment for
| from one day to twenty years, but
| every once in awhile a mistaken
| spasm of alleged virtue would pres
| cribe harsh penalties for the min
! imum sentences. Not a good policy
| to make the minimum penalties too
! great.
He considered the best governed
| Jail one of the worst places in which
| to place a youth. Some system of
| probation, he was not quite sure
| what having been able to give it but
little thought. is needed. Our pres
| ent system is inefficient. One pro-
! stationary officer in a county is not
| enough. He cited the Representatives,
| that would be encountered in a
! county as large as Washington.
| In closing he said he doubted If
the public really appreciated the use
! fulness of the bar and the court. In
| the last analysis the Court governs
I the country. The country could en-
dure for a considerable time weak
| ness in the legislative branches, but
not for long a weak judiciary or a
| corrupt court.
In the absence of President Hol-
! way, Erskine P. Moves presided.