CAUTION TO WOULD-BE JURORS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1477, 9 November 1878, Page 3

CAUTION TO WOULD-BE JURORS.

Tho Melbourne papers of October 28th published the following:—

An attempt was made yesterday by a juryman to persuade the clerk acting iu the County Court to place him ou the jury in a case which was just about to ho heard. The juryman in question was Mr Henry Marks, pawnbroker, of Elizabeth street, and while a case — McGregor v McCormick —was proceeding, lie went to Mr Lloyd, jun,, who was acting as crier of the court, and requested to be put on as a juror in the next case, in which one McAiiliffe was seeking to recover £250 from Mr Aaron Wnxman for money alleged to have been overcharged to plaintiff in money transactions with tho defendant. Marks also made tho same request to Mr Sandilands, the clerk of the court, who took no notice of the request- at the time, but afterwards mentioned the matter to the assistant-registrar, who at once informed Judge Cope about it. The case of McAuliffe v Waxman was only part heard yesterday, but before the court ad journed his Honor directed Marks to be brought before him. Mr Lloyd, jun., and Mr Sandilands then gave evidence to the effect already sUted, and Marks asked Sandilands if he had not been to his house on tho previous night with a parcel, which Sandilands denied. Marks was proceeding to ask other questions, when his Honor told him they wore not relevant to the case, and asked what Marks had to say to the evidence given. Marks replied that he was not aware he had been doing wrong ; that ho only wanted to he put on the next case, because he thought if he were put on a case early he would be released and be able to go home earlier than if he were put on a later case, and that he was very sorry ho had done what ho now found to be a mistake. His Honor then said that he had not the same power to deal with the juryman as he would have had if the old County Court Act had not been repealed, but still he could deal with the matter as one of misbehaviour. Ho was not aware what side of the case Marks intended to favour, or whether he intended to favour either, but he had no right to act as he had done. The case, however, was tho first of the kind, and he would not send Marks to prison, but would fine him £lO, or in defult of payment one month’s imprisonment. Tho fine is to be paid this morning.