EMPANNELING THE JURY IN THE TICHBORNE CASE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1088, 7 August 1871, Page 2

EMPANNELING THE JURY IN THE TICHBORNE CASE.

The Daily News gives the following amusing sketch of getting a jury to try the above celebrated cause: —There were only ten men in the jury-box when Chief Justice Bovill cast his beaming glances over it; but when the proper functionary read the names on the list there was one response, and a military looking gentleman answered from the body of the Court when the name of Captain was called. He was ordered into the jury-box at once, and entered it with a protesting air. It would convey an erroneous impression to say that Lord Chief Justice Bovill then began to be funny. But it is within the mark to declare what seemed to be the learned judge's amiable jocosity, gave rise to bursts of laughter in which nearly every one in court joined, and which were permitted to pass unchecked. " Here is a letter from Lord , saying he's out of town!" was said placidly from the Bench, and with what in a less exalted personage might be termed a dry low comedy manner, "He does not say when he went! " to which the easily-pleased audience gave ready applause. These merry preliminaries being over, we heard from the bench that a certain juryman was said to be in Court, but irresponsive, and that by not answer ing to his name he was guilty ot more aggravated contempt than if he had kept away, So the list was ordered to be read agaio, and ushers were despatched to cry outside, and there was a mighty rustle and stir among the barristers and witnesses, but no one else was forthcoming, and there were only eleven men in the box; two of these begged to be excused from serving—Captain pleading that he had the honor to belong to her Majesty's Body Guard, and Mr -—~—- that, as he had in his business capacity charge of moneys pertaining to the Tichborne property, his mind had an " unavoidable bias " ; but the Judge referred to the Act of Parliament fur the first case, and decided that there was no clause exempting gentleman of the Body Guard from serving on juries, and iu the second pronounced that there was nothing in contact with a banking account that should incapacitate a man from arriving at a fair and impartial judgement. Then increased fines were inflicted on the absentees, and the Judge smilingly acquainted the jurymen with his reasons for mulcting the other gentlemen so heavily—dilating somewhat upon the duties to the State which a position in society involved. Still, there were only eleven of them present, and it was not. until She leading counsel on each side announced that they were agreed to have the cause tried by that number, that it was known it would proceed.