TRIAL BY JURY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VII, Issue 11, 14 March 1891, Page 20

TRIAL BY JURY.

Beet Hakte tells the following story about the first jury in California : — It was over in the Maiiposa Gulch, in ’5O. They had never had a jury trial there. If a man stole a horse they lynched him, and that settled it. But the people, many of whom came from Massachusetts, began to tire of lynch law and sigh for the good old jury trial of the East. So one day, when Bill Stevens had jumped a poor man’s claim, the Massachusetts fellows resolved to give him a good oldfashioned jury trial. They took him into the back end of the board Post Office, selected a jury, and the trial commenced. Dozens of witnesses were called, and finally the jury retired to agree on a verdict. When they bad about concluded that Jim was innocent the boys outside came banging at the door. ‘ What do you fellows want ?’ asked the foreman through the keyhole. ‘ We want to know if you h’aint about agreed on the verdict. If you h’aint you’ll have to get out. We want this room to lay out the corpse in !’