THE JURYMAN AND HIS BOX

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 212, 2 June 1921, Page 5

THE JURYMAN AND HIS BOX

A JUDGE’S EXPRESSION OF SYMPATHY. The juryman’s life is not a happy one. Under' a veil of nonchalance he hides his feelings and listens to tho several thousands of words, long and short that are poured into his ear by eager counsel. Sub-consciously he assumes an air of impassiveness that leads a lawyer to wonder whether the credit for stoicism should not have been, given a common juryman instead of an Oriental. . . . But he has his vulnerable point, and. on occasions—rare, it is true—ho breaks down.

He asked for a rest in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon. The case was civil —very civil —and had been commenced on Tuesday’. It was technical and dealt with trade intricacies, and boycotts and "rings.” There were forty law books on the table, and the addresses of counsel had aggregated about three hours and a quarter. Lunch-time found the jurors dazed, but hungry, and. the Court officials, together with the Judge’s associate, shared in the general ennui. But the Court officials have cushioned (seats, with stuffed. leather cushions. The juryman sits on a board. If he is long and narrow, he is unable to fit lanky legs into the narrow box with its thick wooden wall. If he is short and stout, the pose h« must adopt for the d.ay is one of trying to balance himself on a wooden, hard seat, a size too narrow for him. There is just room enough for the man of average height to sit bolt upright, back against a rigid partition, tips of toes pressing painfully against the front of the tex. In the olden days there must have teen tortires something similar, olden days there must have been tortures something similar. Alt about four o’clock yesterday afternoon the Judge (Mr. Justice Hosking) gave the jury a spell for five minutes. When they returned, tho foreman stood'

up. “Your Honour,” he said, "it is the unanimous opinion of the jury . . .” Here he stopped, and looked at his fellows, who, with nods and gestures urged him on. The Judge was sympathetic. "Well/ he questioned, "and what is the trouble?” The foreman of the jury Tallied.

". . . the unanimous opinion of the jury,” he continued, "that the seats in the jury box are both hard and extremely uncomfortable. We have been hero for two days, and the process has been exceedingly painful. We simply cannot find oomfort.”

Judge Hosking smiled —a. wise smile. "I fully agree with you,” he said. "I have thought so for a long time. The seats and arrangements for jurors end witnesses are very bad —very bad. Personally, I think something should be done."

The foreman sat down. The jurors, mollified, but si ill uncomfortable, shifted and squirmed in order to obtain, what comfort they coiiJd. And the case continued.