Civil Government for Common Schools | Page 7

census for 1880 is not fully completed, but gives substantially the
above figures.
Q. How populous must a village be, before it can be incorporated as a
city?
A. No definite number is required; whenever a large proportion of the
inhabitant desire it, the legislature will grant a city charter.
Q. What is the executive officer of a city called?
A. The Mayor. His term of office is one year, unless otherwise ordered
by the, charter, as in New York and Albany where it is two years.
Q. What other important officers are elected?
A. Aldermen and Supervisors; one each in every ward unless otherwise
ordered by their charter.
Q. What officers form the common council?
A. Mayor and aldermen; and they are the legislative body of the city;
they have authority to appoint police officers.
Q. What courts exist in cities in addition to those established for the
State at large?
A I. The Superior Court of the city of New York.
II. The Court of Common Pleas for the city and county of New York.
III. The Superior Court of Buffalo.
IV. The City Court of Brooklyn. Const, Art. VI., Sec. 12.
JURIES.
Q. What is a jury?
A. A body of men elected according to law, and sworn to inquire into
and try any matter of fact, and declare the truth of it on the evidence
given in the case.
Q. Name some juries?
A. I. One of six persons for the trial of causes in a Justice Court
II. One of twelve persons, summoned for the purpose of laying out new
roads or discontinuing old ones.
III. One of not less than six nor more than fifteen persons, summoned

by the coroner, to inquire into the cause of any violent death.
IV. One of twelve men, called a petit jury, whose duty it is to try causes,
civil or criminal, in the county court and sessions, or circuit and oyer
and terminer.
V. One called a grand jury of not less than sixteen nor more than
twenty-three, whose duty it is to examine into accusations against
persons charged with crime, and if they find sufficient testimony to
warrant it, to find a bill of indictment against them to be presented to
the court.
Q. Name some qualifications requisite for jurors?
A. They must be freeholders, twenty-one years old.
Q. Who are exempt from sitting on a jury?
A. Persons over sixty years of age, postmasters and many others.
Q. How many are summoned for a justice court and by whom?
A. Twelve, and by a constable; and from these twelve six are drawn.
Q. Who selects and notifies the jury for laying out roads,
A. By the coroner.
Q. How is the petit jury list obtained?
A. The supervisors, town clerk, and assessors of the several towns of
the county make out a list of the names of those persons qualified, and
the names in the several lists are written upon slips of paper of the same
size and deposited in a box in the county clerk's office.
Q. How is the grand jury list obtained?
A. The supervisors apportion the number (three hundred,) among the
several towns in the county in proportion to population. Each
supervisor selects from his town the number to which it is entitled; and
these several lists are written upon slips of paper as before and
deposited in a box in the county clerk's office.
Q. How frequently are the lists changed?
A. The petit jury list is changed once in three years; the grand jury list
every year.
Q. When are these juries drawn?
A. Not more than twenty, nor less than fourteen days before the sitting
of the court for which they are drawn.
Q. How many are drawn?
A. Thirty-six petit and twenty-four grand jurors.
Q. How is the jury for each individual case obtained?

A. The thirty-six petit jurors' names are put into a box and the names
are drawn out until twelve satisfactory persons are obtained.
Q How many of this jury must agree in a verdict?
A. The twelve must agree.
Q. Who is the officer authorized to report the verdict?
A The person they have elected foreman.
Q. In case the twelve jurymen do not agree, what will be done?
A. When the judge is satisfied that the jury will not agree he will
discharge them.
Q. What will be done with the case then?
A. Another trial will take place with a different jury, unless the suit be
discontinued.
Q. Who is the presiding officer of the grand jury?
A. The foreman, and he is appointed by the judge who presides at that
court.
Q. What other officer does this jury have?
A. A clerk, one of their number, who writes out the testimony as