Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1879 — Page 6

I«* he sworn or to a»iwer a proper question ihe power of this court which U ample undor the law, may be invoked by you to compel obedience. Witnesses in the first in-J stance will be examined by your foreman, after which any of your number may ask questions - After hearing all ibe evidence you can obtain or may desire in relation to any particular criminal transaction, you are then to determine whether an indictment should be returned. The concurrence of five of your number is uecesaary to the return of an indictment. The evidence to warrant the presentation of an indictment, while it need not satisfy you of the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt, should be sufficient to make it reasonably , probable that if returned the indictment will be followed by a convi« lion. Upon this point rare should be exercised by the grand jury. The return of an indictment where the evidence does not muse out a reasonable case of guilt, puts n party, very efteo an innocent men, to grent expense and hardship in defending himself, as well aa ihe county to useless expense in the unnecessary time consumed by the court in the trial. Your first duty after letimnenl to ymr room, will be to inquire into ihe cases, if any, of prisoners in jail charged with crime; next into the cases of those, if any, who are under recognisance to answer to any charge you may prefer against them. If in any »ueh caae. you should not under the evidence deem it proper to return an indictment the fact should without delay- be reported to the court, that the party not to be put upon trial may be discharged from custody or bia recognisance. You are to act with impartiality and only upon evidence; not to be influenced bj malice or prejudice, nor by tear, favor or affection. But your duty in this respect need not be specially urged. It is sufficiently suggested by the responsible position to which you are called. The law places upon your lips the seal of secrecy. You are never, unless required to do so in a judicial proceeding under oath, to divulge any evidence given or proceedings had before you. During your official sitting no one except the witness under examination should be present, unless it be the state's attorney, whose presenoe for information or advice you may require at any time. The law imposes this secrecy from the fact that the detection of crime often requires it. Witnesses in many cases from various considerations would withold impartial evidence leading 10 the diteovery of crime, were it not for the guarantee afforded by the law that their testimony will not be revealed. Aside from these considerations, the return of an Indictment, ff publicity was given it, would often enable the criminal to escape before arrest. In this connection allow me also to suggest that all intermed-

dhn| of~out-idert which seeks to discover what you are doing, or <\hich attempts in any way to procure or prevent the return wnam&Tto your integrity, tut La exceedingly vicious and criminal, and if any instance of this kind oocura, you should bring it to the attention of the court with the view that the proper punishment may be meted out to'the offender. Even the judge of this court h»s no right to hold any communication with you respecting your duty or doings, except such as-is delivered to you publicly front ibis heucli. Advice and counsel from. Ihe prosecuting attorney should be made to you vhln you are officially assembled und not otherwise. The instruction that the court gives you, the official advice of the state’s attorney and the sworn testimony o 1 witnesses should be the sole guide to your deliberations. A baliff will be assigned to you whose duty it will be to keep your room in proper condition; to call your witnesses as they »fe wanted; to prevent unauthorized persons front entering your room, and to obey all of your reasonable orders. Finally, gentlemen, let me urge that the law requires you to perform your duty with diligence. You are not to wait to Its informed of the commission of crime, but areal once to tal e active measures to ascertain whether any has been committed. You will inquire of each other as to the commission of crime in your several neighborhoods, and what persons will most likely know of their commission. Those persons you will have. summoned before you and examine them under oath. The vast amount of crime iu the land brought to our notice through every source of information, admonishes us that those charged with administering the law cannot be too vigilant in the discharge of their duty. The law should be admioisteml with justice and mercy—mercy which has compsssion for the weakness of human nature and which inflicts no cruel r,r unnecessary punishment. but which does not permit the criminal to go free. Such mercy would h* cruelty to the innocent sufferers from crime, and would soon unsettle the repose and security of society. I doubt not, gentlemen, that your duties will be discharged in a manner creditable to yourselves and conducive to the publio good. Will some of our Delphi exchanges, or Rensselaer either, inform us in regard to the 1., D. &C. R. R. officials? We are anxious to see them. Our people are ready to push the road through this section.—[Lowell Enterprise. Ths president of the road Mr. A. McCoy, is a resident of this place, and would, no donbt, take pleasure in answering all communications addressed to him from parties interested in the enterprise.

RENSSELAER BUSINESS CARDS. * —! JWO. F. 8080 l OHM. . Robert urkoory. BOROUGHS & GREGORY, ATTORNEYS AT LAW. OFFICE In the Newels Block, over Fendig’s Store. Charles P. Wright, Nathaalsl W. Where, Attunei at Law. fotary Pitilic. WRIGHT & REEVE, Attorneys at Law Real Estate Brokers and Collection A’ts, Rkhnhclaer, Ikuiana. J Abstracts of Titles prepared, Lands examined, Tuxes paid, etc. Office over F. W. Bedford’s hardware store. DR. J. H. LOUGH RIDGE. .1 Physician and Surgeon, One door below Austin House. Ten per cent, interest will bo added to all accounts running unsettled longer than three months, DR MOSES B. ALTER, Phywician and Surgeon. At W. J. 1 nies’s Drug Store. DR. O. C. LINK, Homeopathist. Office on Washington street, north of Court House DR. W. L. HA MAR, ,'f DENTIST. A $12.50 Set of Teeth, warranted, for only SB.OO Gold and Silver Fillings at reduced rates. For references apply to mv numerous customers. Office, two doors above Austin House, up-stairs. i, Austin House, R. .1. HOPKINS. Proprietor. Centrally located, commodious, excelleut tables, clean beds, careful attention to thewants of guests, and experienced management, are its recommendations to the traveling public. PEACOCK BOISE, J. H. PEACOCK, Proprietor. Centrally located, commodious, good tables and clean beds. Recently renovated and nevly furnished. Every attention paid to the wants of guests. Good stabling in connection with the house. Charges reasonable. _ * . f GEORGE P». CON WELL, WAGON NIAKKR, Wagons, Carriages, Buggies, and everything else in the wood work line repaired on short notice. Prices down tc heard pan. ' Bhop on Front street, below Washington.