Page:Race distinctions in American Law (IA racedistinctions00stepiala).pdf/283

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'Ef dat is so, dem niggers can stand aside.' They were excused by the court, and the sheriff was ordered to complete the panel from the very best citizens to be had, which was done, the jury being, when complete, all white men. The defendant addressed the jury in his own defence and was acquitted.

"In my county . . . we have had no Negroes on the jury for the past 15 years or more. We have some 30,000 colored population in this county, . . . and we have only about 175 registered in the county. The board of supervisors, as a rule, does not place their names in the box, for the reason that, as above stated, they will not serve if any way out of it can be found."

County No. 7, 1,000 white people, 4,000 Negroes: ". . . we have no Negro jurors in this county at all."

County No. 8, 8,000 white people, 12,000 Negroes: "There are only 400 white qualified electors in this county, only about 30 qualified Negro electors. We never have a term of court without having several Negroes on it, besides we always have Negroes on the trial juries. It is not often that they sit on a case unless a Negro lawyer has one side of it. They do not believe in convicting one of their color. They are objectionable in every sense of the word. They are not regarded by the other members of the jury. Negro jurors are on the increase in recent years. . . ."

County No. 9, 4,000 white people, 12,000 Negroes: "No Negroes have served on jury in this county since Republican party."

Missouri.—County No. 1, 24,000 white people, 4,500 Negroes: ". . . As far as I am informed, and certainly