Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-11-25
General Sessions.
Present Recorder Morris. Judges Iaglis, Lynch,
nj I'VE Alderman


Nov. "a The Libeiious Caricatures ON the
French Consul The Court directed Alfred f. Ba
ker to be put to the bar and arra2 ned for judgment
The Recorder said that the prisoner at the bar had
been found guilty, his confession OF publish
ing four libellous prints, charging lewdness the
French Consul, and calculated to bring that func-
tionary into contempt A number OF afidavits OF
good character had been pat in the part of tn c
prisoner, and also the other side in sggrava-
ton of the efence. One of the latter was from a
gentleman whs called upon the prisoner, after the
Of the danger he in giving such publications to
the world. To this the prisoner replied, that he
did not care, he was we'll paid, etc.
Here Mr. Prescott Hall, counsel for the prisoner,
reminded the Court that counter affidavit had been
handed in, which gave different account OF that
conversation
Mr.. ssdgwick, on the part of the prosecution,
said he would admit il the Court pleased that the
affidavit the other side would give different
peet TO the conversation referred to.
The Recorder said he did not find the af1idavits
among the papers, but it would not alter the opinion
ofthe Court Baker stood in this position, young
man OF good talents honest and so forth,
yet willing to receive such information, and, Cor
ney, willing to stake his character in publishing it,
though containing false and injurious insinuations
against the moral character of respectable people in
this community.
81 can conceive" said the Recorder, " of no more
dangerous person than the prisoner at the bar and
ho merely sets up in extenuation that he is igno-
rant of the law, and at the same time says, he
born in that country from whose institutions draw
all oar laws. The law OF libel il the same Eng
land here and if it not, it would be JUST
fcatisp.
The sentence Of the Court is, that the prisoner be
fined in the Of $3.50, and be imprisoned for thir
ty days. The prisoner was then marched off to the
Tombs, under the escort ofthe corps of indefatiga
blcs.
Thomas Moran, elderly man, who said she
followed the sea- was charged with stealing bun
die Of wearing apparel frem the house Of friend
whom he visited when he came ashore.
The prosecutor swOre that he saw the prisoner
getting out of his bed room with the bundle in his
hand. The wife ofthe witness swors that it was
old trick Of the prisoners, and that he would steal
from any that ne had grudge against. In the
present case the grudge engendered against her
husband, because some girl whom the prisoner was
fond Of, married some other man, and went to New
Orleans.
Several witnesses gave Moran good character.
The Jury retired under the charge Of the Court,
and found Moran guilty, bat recommended him to
mercy.
The Court imne diately fued Moran ten dollars,
which he paid in hard money.
In the matter Of John Estell, a negro accused of
intending to commit a rape upon a young married
yellow wench, Mr. Morrell moved to postpone the
trial until he could get witness now absent, who
saw the entire affair
The Court admitted the excuse, and set the trial
down for Thursday. All the fashionabes ofthe
gro population were present, as the parties move in
the first circles OF the negro race, and each of the in
dividuas interested are possessed OF about twenty
thousand dollars. The case necessarily excites
great curiosity, and the trta! will elicit some very
curious facts in moral philosophy.
Some other motions were then disposed of, and
the Court adjourned.