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Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3199, 24 December 1892, Page 6 (Supplement)

A somewhat curious scene was enacted in the Albury (New South Wales) District Court the other day. A civil case was about to be tried before Judge Forbes, and the jury were being sworn in, when one of them declined to take the oath, saying he was iiot fit to sit on a jury. The judge in some surprise asked why not, and the bystanders listened with interest for some tale of guilt weighing down the soul of the conscience-striken juryman. The latter then said that what he meant was that he was not fit to sit on the jury if the judge's estimate of him was correct. Still more surprised, the judge asked what he was referring to, whereupon Mr Plummer (the scrupulous one) said that several years ago he was a juryman in .'in action brought by Edward Whittle against the Railway Department. On that occasion His Honour characterised the verdict the jury had arrived at as the grossest ever coming under his notice. He and the other jurymen. Plummer continued, had arrived at that verdict conscientiously, and he was no more fit to sit on a jury now than when he was a party to the verdict which His Honour had characterised as of the grossest character. Hie Honour, we are informed, " apneared taken aback," but endeavoured to indicate that a judge might be justified in giving such an expression of opinion without casting a reflection that would remain tor all time. Plummer, however, persisted that, according to His Honour's showing, he was an unfit man to serve on a jury, and finally His Honour told him that if he wished he could leave the jury-box. This Plummer accordingly did. We have no doubt he chuckled over the revenge which he had patiently waited years to obtain. 1