A Good Jury?

Some years ago Hon. George E. Badger was called to Halifax, N. C., by B. F. Moore, Esq., as associate in a desperate murder case he was defending. After the jury was empanelled, court took a recess for dinner; and as they were going to the hotel, some one walking behind them overheard the following conversation: —

"Moore," said Badger, "this is a bad case. I hope you have got a good jury. As you live here, I have trusted its selection to you."

"Yes, sir," said Moore; "we have a tolerably good jury."

Badger became excited. "A tolerably good jury, Mr. Moore, in such a case as this ? "

"Well," coolly replied his friend, "the two leading men on the jury are sureties for our fee of a thousand dollars; and if the man hangs they will have it to pay."

"Ah!" said Badger, slapping him on the back; "I call that a d__d good jury."

Source: The green bag, An Entertaining Magazine for Lawyers, Volume 5 by Horace Williams Fuller, Sydney Russell Wrightington, Arthur Weightman Spencer, Thomas Tileston Baldwin, 1893