Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1957-05-08
Arthur
Suys
By-Billy Arthur

GoldSboro Messenger observed
in 1885.
The criminal courts are ne
cessary, but we wonder abou:
some of the civil cases and sub
scribe TO the opinion of the
Wilkes Chronicale that year:
People who have 50 worth of
land to fuss over shouldn't fuss
AT all but SOW it in peas"
Court terms pose a problem.
sometimes. In the ThirticS the
Craven County Board of Com
mlSSioncrS was trying with lit
tie success TO draw a jury from
an old list. County Attorney
John A. Guion read TO the
board the law governing whose
names should be on the jury
list: People who have paic
last years taxes"
That removes" spoke up one
of the commissioners, most Of
the eligibleS."
And people of good nora
character and intelligence"
the attorney continued
THAT does away with the
rest of them" the commission
er added
Then il was suggested there
q hn
more college graduates on the
list to improve the overall
quality of the jury.
Wait" cautioned Chirman
George Ipock, II don't know
whether there's enough col
lege graduates in Carven Co.
unity who have paid last years
taxes to make up a list OF Sc
names"
So they actually had to cal
OF the professional JURORS,
time honored custom. The
Washington Gazette in 1890 re-
ported that a merchant, who
had not seen his customer in
town for some months, asked
why he had come. Had to 60
to COURT"
Yep, that's why I'm here"
the man replied.
Got case?"
Nope"
You're a witness?"
Nope"
You're a deputy them"
Nope"
We'll, how in thunder are
you connected with the COURT"
You Sec" the customer said.
I'm one of them that comes
to get kotched out of the audi
ence for jury duty"
He was probably like the
Carteret County Juror who
caused a minStrial in a case
when he remarked of the de-
PENDANT, III he's not guilty.
what's ne being tried for"
When Judge Ship opened
the Guilford County Scptcnb-
or. 1882, term of court. he was
much disturbed that one of tho
summoned jurors did not at
tend. The Greensboro Patrin,
reported the judge ordered
the juror arrested and brought
into court. The judge immedi-
ately fined him $40, but coun-
sci for the defendant told the
court that the man did not at
tend because he had Just been
married, and that staying away
from court was in keeping with
Biblical teachings. The Judge
remanded to be shown. The at
torney produced Deuteronomy,
Chapter "a, Verse S. which
says:
When a man hath taken a
new wife, he shall not 90 out
, to war, neither shall ne be
charged with any business; but
he shall be free at home one
: year. and shall cheer up his
r wife which he hath taken
Judge Ship heard the read
, ing of the verse and then
= spoke, Mr.. Clerk, strike the
fine"
Claude Wheatley of Beau.
fort was always called upon by
his fellow attorneys for storie,
at the district bar association
meeting. They were always A.
bout Carterc County folks. For
instance, Charles l.. Abcrncthy
was examining a jury ono
morning. One Of the prospects
blurtcd: yes, I've made up nv
mind about this case. One look
at that fellow over there con-
vlnces me he's guilty"
You may be excused" said
Mr.. Aberncthy. that's Solicit
or Dave Clark you're looking
at"
On another occasion, Judge
Frank Daniels discovered only
ii men in the jury box on the
second day of trial at Beau
fort, and wanted to know who
was missing and why.
the Core Saunders. "Hecouldn'
ITS my brother" said ono
OF the Core Saunders. "He
couldn't get here this morning
cause the nuIIe,e aro r,,,ni,s