The Republican., 1936-09-17
CHARGE TO GRAND JURORS
IS GIVEN BY JUDGE ROBB
CONTINUED from Page One)


character of the various individuals,
and it is only after such inquiry and
after the Court feels assured that
such men are of probity and trust
worthy, that they are selected.
After this list is completed, in the
presence of the Court and of any per-
sons who may desire to be present,
the Clerk draws from the box at ram
dom a numbered ball, which is COM
pared with the numbered names on
the list and that man is selected as
a juror, this being repeated until
forty-eight names are chosen-the
first twenty-three of whom form the
Grand Jury and the following twenty
five the Petit Jury. From the first
twenty-three names the Court ap-
points Foreman. No one is allowed
to serve as a juror within four years
after a previous service. By this
method of selection and investigation,
the Court feels that you members of
the Grand Jury are of high character
and standing in your respective COM
munities, from all sections of Garrett
County.
The system of Grand Jury investi-
cation is founded deep in the English
system of laws, upon which the laws
of our country are based, and their
responsibility was that not only those
who had committed crimes against
person and property should be pre-
sented for trial by jury, but in ad-
dition thereto the members of the
Grand Jury, coming from all of the
different sections of the county, were
supposed to investigate and act upon
those matters which if allowed to con-
tinue or increase would be likely to
sap and undermine the moral fabric of
the people, and in these matters, in
addition to the information to be
given to the body as whole by the
individual members, it was the custom
to summon the law officers of the
various communities and other wit
resses and require them to testify as
to all violations within their know
ledge.
Not only was your body intended to
present for trial and punishment, but
also it was intended to see that those
in authority in the government itself
did not encroach upon the rights and
liberties of the individual. These pow
ers of the Grand Jury in former times
are still the powers of the Grand Jury
of today.
From all that l can gather, the
people of this County are generally
law-abiding people. Necessarily there
are infractions of the law, but as
community it is known that the man.
ner of living and acting of those who
live in Garrett County is generally
wholesome, and in keeping with the
traditions of Americans. In this Coun-
ty your forbears worked and labored
among these hills to give to those of
the present generation the bountiful
fields upon these mountain tops which
are of themselves a marvel to those
who live in the lowlands. With the
heritage of labor and economy there
has followed the natural independence
of the individual, demanding their
own right for themselves and recog-
nizing the right of others; these
things leading naturally to a general
observance of the law.
From my knowledge of the actions
of the former and present enforce
ment officers of your County, you are
to be congratulated upon the service
morale of no County can be higher
than the standard of law enforcement
by it's officers.
The Court has no knowledge of any
particular violations which should at
this time be called to your attention.
The usual infractions will be present
ed to you in due course by the States
Attorney, and you will take action
thereon.
The Court is required by statute to
call to your attention the laws relat-
ing to abortion, those in relation to
the traffic in drugs and narcotics. 1t
will be well four your body to investi-
gate the conditions of the Jail and
Court House and make such recon-
mendations as to County affairs as
may to you be deemed proper.
When you retire, you should ap-
point from among your number two
clerks to make digest of the testi-
mony of the respective witnesses who
may be called before you.
Secrecy must be observed by all
members of the Grand Jury as to all
proceedings had before you.
No indictment can be returned un-
less approved by the votes of at least
twelve of your members, and when
voting upon a presentment or indict-
ment, no person other than members
of the Jury shall be present.
You will take such time in investi-
eating conditions as you may think
proper, but you should not limit your
selves in investigating thoroughly
that which may come before you,
though of course time should not be
wasted at the expense of the tax
payers.
St. Peters To Have New Choir
The first meeting of the new adult