Page:Race distinctions in American Law (IA racedistinctions00stepiala).pdf/284

 since I have been connected with the court here, no Negroes have served as jurors either in our court or in any justice of the peace court in this county. While probably under our laws Negroes would be legal jurors, the county court of this county will not draw them as jurors, and the Sheriff, when he has to get jurors, will not summon them. And I do not believe our lawyers here would permit a Negro to remain on a jury before which they would have to try a case. Further, I am sure that no white man here would serve on a jury with a Negro, even though his refusal to so serve would subject him to a jail sentence"

County No. 2, 21,000 white people, 4,000 Negroes: " we have never known of a Negro juror in county."

County No. 3, 28,000 white people, 4,700 Negroes: "Negroes never have this burden heaped upon them in this State."

County No. 4, 540,000 white people, 35,500 Negroes: "We do not have many Negro jurors. I have occupied this post but six months, and in that time we have had but two Negroes called for service. Our jury canvass is made biennially. All names placed in the wheel are taken just as drawn from the same on orders from the various divisions of court. A few of the more intelligent Negroes are placed on the jury list. I made inquiry when two Negroes served on a jury last week. The other jurors did not seem to feel any antipathy. Of course, a little surprise was manifested at seeing them in court when their names were called. Neither the attorneys for the plaintiff nor [for] the defence challenged them but accepted them on the