Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 April 1884 — The Twelfth Man on the Jury. [ARTICLE]

The Twelfth Man on the Jury.

Sheridan Shook, of the Union Square Theater, is a curious compound. He is nothing if not loyal to his friends. If he likes an actor personally he cannot see that he has faults or tolerate adverse criticism. Some one spoke of Charles Coghlan in Shook’s presence as“one of those imported sticks. ” Shook was instantly in a rage, and began to denounce the speaker as “one of those twelfth men on a jury who could never be got to agree with the eleven sensible ones.” “Is not the twelfth man entitled to his opinion?” the subject of his abuse asked Shook, after he had cooled down a little. “I suppose ho is,” he said, “but he’s got no business to express it.” “But it is his business, just as it is a critic’s business to express his opinion of an actor.” “Well I suppose it is,” said Shook, still a little surly. “Then don’t you think you ought to apologize ?” he was asked. “No.” Then, after a moment, “Yes, I will—to the twelfth man on the jury!” — Graphic.