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LAWYER LALLY SAYS NEW METHOD IS NEEDED
FOR SELECTION OF JURYMEN
Decided reform in the method of
selecting jurymen" in the Municipal
and Criminal Courts is urged by J.
H. Lallv. Chicago attorney. Accord
ing to Mr. Lally workmgmen are
discriminated against by the jury
commissioners.
Attorney Lally characterizes the
average jury of today as" white-collared"
and contends that before these
class of jurymen the big corporations
facing damage suits are favored.
"These white-collared juries," said
Mr. Lally, "have enabled the car
companies to win or partially win
nearly every case that has come into
the courts. The importance of get
ting a jury that will be fair to the in
jured person can be seen when the
records of the courts show that one-
third of the personal injury suits are
against the street car companies and
these suits take up two-thirds of the
courts' time. And most of the com
plainants in these suits are working
men, or from poor families."
A list of 1,000 jurors drawn in Feb
ruary, 1913, for service in the Muni
cipal and Criminal Courts, can be
divided into three classes:
1. Men who work with their
hands at laborious occupaions, in
which are included chauffeurs, rail
road engineers, draftsmen, electri
cians, motormen, repairmen, train
operators, as well as the various
trades, such as carpenters, machin
ists, bakers, etc. From this class
there were 310 jurymen drawn.
2. Men who work under others,
but not at manual labor, under which
head are included such occupations
as accountants, bookkeepers, office
clerks, clerks not classified, solicitors,
salesmen, musicians, messengers,
stenographers, telegraph operators,
etc. From this class there were 248
drawn.
3. Men who are either employers
of -labor or who usually superintend
other taea in their work, under which.
head are included managers, agents,
bankers, brokers, inspectors, fore
men, insurance agents, manufactur
ers, merchants, presidents of cor
porations, superintendents, etc. From
this class 411, the largest number,
were drawn.
The few others who made up the
rest of the 1,000 are marked with
occupation unknown or unclassified.
That makes 31 per cent of the
jurymen from the workingmen and
41 per cent from the employers' class.
It is ridiculous to imagine that such
a proportion applies to the county at
large.
Obviously there is something
wrong with the present system. How
they are drawn it is impossible to
say. The fairest way to select venire
men is to go through the city direc
tory and select each fifth, tenth or
fifteenth name. This is done in all
progressive counties.
The Lawyers' Ass'n of Illinois at
their last regular meeting was asked
to protest against this condition of
affairs, but showed no enthusiasm.
It is the contention of Attorney
Lally that the injured persons in
damage suits against street car com
panies are discriminated against by
the so-called "white-collared" juries.
He believes that they are more easily
swayed than the other kind.
o o
Thirty-two prominent Germans
gone to Washington to urge appoint
ment of Henry W. Huttman as fed
eral judge.
Mrs. Margaret Dozart, 80, widow,
killed by Chicago Telephone Co. auto
truck.
Sol Lewinsohn reported caught in
Canada.
State's Attorney Hoyne denied
Jimmy Ryan's story of plot against
Former Chief McWeeny and Capt.
Halpin.
Henry Spencer will sell body to
New Orleans inventor.
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