All Impartial J.P.

Otago Witness, Issue 2686, 6 September 1905, Page 88

All Impartial J.P.

In a, Western State, where the laws provide for a jury of six in suits before justices of the peace, the office of justice wae newly filled by an honest old German. Ho was- a wise man in his way, says the Greem Bag, but h& knew nothing of the law. In his firsfc case he listened with greafl attention to the evidence and with rapt interest to the arguments' of the lawyers. When the arguments were closed he appeared ill at ease and not until he was reminded of his duty to charge the jurydid he open his mouth. Then he faced tha situation like a man and a judge: " Shentlemens of der tshury, as dia is my first oxperience in charging a tshury, I don'd know vat to cay, but as it is m-ein) tudy to charge somedings, I vill do d<z£ pest vat I oan.

"Eef you pelieves all vat cler lawyer less der blaintiff haf said, den I charge you dati it is your tndy to find your ferdict for der blaintiff, una assess der tarnages not to! oxoeed five hundtert tollars und cTer costs, vich you vill not forget.

"But eef you pelieves all vat der lawyer! of der tefendant haf said, you vill firud fou tier tefendant. In dot case, you vill shusti do it und say noddings aboudt it, oxcepting der costs, vioh you: must not forget. "But eef, on der odder hand, you are* like me aboudt dis matter, und don-'d pe-> licve a. vord idr oiv off dem haf said, dent I don'd know vat is it it is you are going: to do. '