THIRTEEN JURYMEN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 185, 14 August 1901, Page 2

THIRTEEN JURYMEN.

PECULIAR OOCOIIRBNCB AT AUCKLAND. PE't PRESS ASSOCIATION. Aitcklano, August 12. A nnsv tri 1 wa» oideied in a case th-j Supreme Court through the Jud go finding too many juro a in the box when the jury rrturiud to announce its finding. The cis.- was that of a youn* own charge! with att mp ing to pick pocket®. Accused plotted not guilty and on th« juro.-e being called, exercised his privilege by challenging eeveral, among the number being an elderly man mmed George Plowman. After deliberating, the foreman anpounced that the jury was unanimous in finding the prisoner guilty. 1$ was then that the presence of an additional juror was discovered. Hi» Honour asked how it wng that tfcet* came to be thirteen juiymen in the bor j and called up n the extra man to exj plain, but no one obeyed; and it wo* only after the names of the twelve mea ! empannelled had been called out W jthe Registrar that it was found that Plowman wss the ex<*» Iman. Plowman, who wa« apparently hard of tearing, muttered something about hiving thought he was only doing his duty in joining the jury. His Honour svd ther? was no option but to dismiss the jury and order a new trial. It seems that when the jury rose to retire Plowman marched out and took his seat with the jurors in the retiring room. His preseno* was not noticed by the police nor io> the jury room,