The New York herald., 1850-06-12
Court OF General Sessions.
Before the Recorder aud Aldermen Grimm and OAkley


SENTENCE OF THE LIEELIER, NORTON.
yuSK s.-Wm Norton, who victcd Of libel A.
Of this called Up for sentence this morning
and condemned to a mouths imprson ment and TO pay
fne of $40. On being asked what he had to say
Why sentence should not be passed upon him accord
Ing TO law Norton arose and read certain paper. In
which he set forth that he had pleaded guilty to the
charge al the suggestion 81 of the for the
prosecution. AR. Brady, who intimsied that his pun
istnsnt would be light. This Mr. Brady denied, and
immedistsly drew up an affidavit contrsdcting this
statement entirely The prisoner then addressed
by the Recorder nearly ~ tnllows -
Mr.. Norton. have listened with great patience,
having desire to do full justice Ia this matter After
hearing you through neither my associates nor myself
any reason for altering the opinion entertained by
us previous to those remarks being made The libel
was n most malicious one. against the character of
young male lonr afhdavits set forth that you
not he author OF that letter You present Alayits
TO show that u was not in your handsritng aud yet
there stands the records Of this very court your
plea of guilty 10 this Indictment We cannot
travel beyond that record. We have freque ntly
tr,ls for ib. IN mi, Court hut tbsv ar. srn.r.liy
against men; this one howe,,r IL against femaiean
unprotected female Had she done you any wrong,
lees In her reputation TO be BERT. of character By
thisact You cay that this libel was not published
you sent this letter to the editor Of pubic newspapers
he took ~ at once to Mr. John Graham. to whom he
read It. saying that u something rich one Of the
cfaracterstics Of Low mind IL apparent Ia the ex-
preston of something rich,- being used In oonnec
tion with circumstance calculated 10 stab ths repu
tstion Of lady You. ~ member Of the bar, In re-
pptable standing used the influence of your reputs-
lion against her This Court while u viii by all its
influence. advocate snd defend the freedom Of the
rrtss will. most ee tsiuy the zane influence TO
bring the common lib ller to Jsstice You young
just starting in life. and the Court inform
ed, have parents dependent upon your exertions We
shall take these circumstances teratisn The
sentence Of the Court ~ that you be imprisoned che
city prison for thirty days. that you pay dns Of
$40 ard stand committed tiIl such hnr h. paid The
prisoner then removed by the keeper Of the prison
to commence the fulaimen. cf the Court. judgment.
prcce.dinas IN ksiafoa ~ me ~ yosesh G
.asssp The District Attorney moved that the court
now proceed 20 pass sentence on Joseph q. Ashley.
Who convicted Of forgery In the second degree in
having In his possession aud passing bills the kagle
Eank Of Bristol. Il T.
trct Attorney moves for sentence Josrph Ashley
According TO notice heretofore gwen 90 tn. public
prosecutor. now move for arrest of judgment
the ground cf q defect In the record. The counsel
then preceded 20 show thst the indictment which
hr. Ashley was tried. had not the signature Of the
foreman of the Grand Jury endorsed upon the back
OF u. and said that the words bill,f printed
the back cfan indictment not sufficient unless
authorized y the signature Of the foreman of the
Grand Inquest lie then proceeded h read authorities
In support Of this proposition
Mr David Graham. counsel for the prosecution read
lom th. clerks minutes the entry OF the Indictment
on which Ashley was tried To this Indictment, he
fad. Mr.. Ashley pleaded not guilty. This entry Mr.
q. claimed 10 be the record
Mr. McKeon read from auth critics 20 show that the
endcrsems nj l. not material part Of the indictment
hut that 10 merely appended TO the bill % AID the
clerk In making the proper entry his books which
are the records. the enforcement being no record OF
itself
authorities and commentaries thereon going 70 sus-
tsip the position assumed by the prosecution IN TINS
In illustration Of the doctrine that the endore
mert vas not material he pointed 70 instances IN which
me MT had been objected to the ground that
Ale Enforcement made In false orthosrsgay. aud
"a which instances the courts had ovstrsed the oJcc
tn Mr. q further stated thst the highest courts IA
the state had decided that appeal csuld BE- taken
Of the people when the reversal Of the decision