.

They having chosen the fattest man of them all as their foreman, the
Judge addressed them: "Mr. Foreman and gentlemen of the Grand Jury," he
said, "give me your attention. Great crimes have been committed in your
district,"--and not a man of them all but dropped his eyes and looked as
if he felt himself guilty--"and great excitement has been caused in the
public mind. But it is one of the highest triumphs of civilisation that
we possess a wholesome system of procedure, whereby time is afforded
to elapse for the abatement of popular excitement,"--here he glanced
searchingly at the exemplary public on the other side of the barrier, as
though he challenged one of them to move--"before such cases as those
which will come before you, are heard." Here the Judge paused, and the
jurymen looked at each other, as much as to say that after all they
might escape. "But," continued His Honor, "we must take all proper
precautions in such grave affairs as we are here to consider, lest the
eye of reason should be jaundiced by prejudice, or become dazzled by
passion, or lest the arm of Justice should smite wildly and without
discrimination." Every juryman looked at the Judge, to see if the state
of his eye was clear and in keeping with this grave injunction. "The
first case which will come before you is that of John Richard Scarlett,
who is charged with the murder of Isaac Zahn and others. I am not sure
as to what will be the form of the indictment, but I should suppose
there will be four separate indictments, that is to say, the prisoner
will be charged with the murder of each man killed. I now ask you to
retire and consider this grave case with that perspicacity and unbiassed
judgment which I feel sure you are capable of exercising in so large a
degree."

The Judge had made every juryman's breast swell with pride, and from
their box they poured in a long stream, and clattered over the floor of
the Court to the jury-room, the door of which stood ajar, ready to
receive them.

The public portion of the hall was now crowded to excess, and the
gallery above the main entrance was quickly filling. The people
maintained perfect order, but on every face was an eager look which
showed the intense interest that was being taken in the proceedings. But
when the Judge retired, pending the decision of the Grand Jury, there
broke out a hum of conversation, subdued but incessant. On the public
side of the barrier there was nothing to be seen but