Women Are Drawn Here As Jurors

The Register-Leader, September 22, 1921

For the first time in the history of Washington County women have been chosen to serve as grand and petit jurors during the fall term of court. This became known Thursday morning when jurors for the October term were drawn from the wheel by Judge David H. Thomas of the common pleas court. One woman, Laura Best, of 705 Second Street, will be included in the fifteen grand jurors who meet at the court house on Monday, October 10, at 10 A.M., to consider cases that have accumulated during the past four months.

Among the twenty petit jurors drawn to serve during the October term, four women are listed. They are Maud Edwards, 317 Sixth Street; Lillian Kerr of Newport; Anna Williams, 605 Montgomery Street; and Fannie Mindling of Cutler. The petit jurors have been summoned to meet on Monday, October 17.

The names of the newly enfranchised voters were first placed in the jury wheel when the annual selection was made by the jury commissioners in June. The drawing of grand and petit jurors Thursday was the first held since that time and hence women will sit in the jury box for the first time during the October term.

The following grand and petit jurors were drawn:

Grand Jurors - F. F. Graham, Vincent; E. H. Basim, Vincent; H. H. Hening, Dart; E. G. Day, Wingetts Run; Laura Best, 705 Second Street, Marietta; H. G. Chamberlain, Marietta R.D. 3; James R. Heyler, Marietta; Benjamine Wagner, Waterford; E. E. Reed, Marietta R.D. 5; C. T. Engle, Lowell; H. N. Smithson, Macksburg; William W. McAtie, Lowell; George White, Archers Fork; E. J. Morris, Cutler; and G. W. Pierce, of Waterford.

Petit Jurors - Maud Edwards, 317 Sixth Street, Marietta; J. Frank Coffman, Marietta R.D. 5; Lillian Kerr, Newport; F. E. Goddard, Cutler; Ray Beagle, 213 Montgomery Street, Marietta; William M. Hart, Muskingum Drive; W. F. Hale, Macksburg; Anna Williams, 605 Montgomery Street, Marietta; H. B. Goddard, 726 Second Street, Marietta; Lewis Hockinberry, Lower Salem; L. E. Miller, Marietta; F. A. West, Marietta; O. S. Creighton, 805 Fifth Street, Marietta; Fannie Mindling, Cutler; Clement Schilling, Marietta R.D.; O. Breckenridge, Watertown; E. J. Schott, Marietta R.D. 5; Frank Bartlett, Marietta R.D. 3; Frank McGirr, Little Hocking, and H. J. Tresch, of Fleming.

The Register-Leader, October 18, 1921:

Two Women Take Places in Jury Box

Women occupied two places in the jury box for the first time in Washington County, Tuesday morning, when petit jurors of the October term assembled at nine o'clock. One woman was excused from the panel selected for hearing of the first case on the court calendar while a fourth, drawn for duty as a petit juror, was excused by Judge David H. Thomas and did not report.

The two women who have drawn the honor of sitting on the first mixed jury of the county are Maude Edwards, 317 Sixth Street, Marietta, and Fannie Mindling, of Cutler. Both were impanneled for hearing the case of Edward F. Herrlinger against The Spectrum Crayon Corporation, the first on the October calendar.

Under a challenge of one of the attorneys in the case, Anna Williams, 605 Montgomery Street, who had been tentatively selected, was excused.

The fourth woman drawn for duty as a petit juror but who was excused from reporting Tuesday was Mrs. Lillian Kerr of Newport. Mrs. Kerr is the mother of four children, all under ten years of age, and her request that she be excused was granted.

In the case of Herrlinger and Company against the Spectrum Crayon Company it is alleged by the plaintiff that on April 16, 1920, the defendant placed its order with the plaintiff for 1 ton of chip board at the rate of $110.00 a ton. This was changed on June 14, 1920, the plaintiff asserts, to consist of two tons. On November, it is alleged, 4625 pounds of chip board were delivered, total cost of the consignment being $254.38. No part of this sum has ever been paid, the plaintiff asserts, and asks judgment for the amount, together with interest from December 4, 1920.

Attorney T. J. Summers is counsel for the plaintiff in the case while Attorney R. M. Noll represents the defendant.

In addition to the two women in the panel, jurors hearing the case are J. Frank Coffman, F. E. Goddard, Ray M. Beagle, Lewis Hockinberry, L. E. Miller, F. A. West, Clement Schilling, E. J. Schott, Frank Bartlett, and H. J. Tresch.