The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-02-03
Court OF General Sessions.
FEBRUARY TERM.

To-day commences the February term of the Court
OF General Sessions and 1t Is to be hoped that by aid
Of an arrangement made With the Court Of Oyer and
Terminer the business OF the court may be conclude
during the legal term. The judges of the Oyer and
Terminer have consented to try a number of cases
which promised to take up good deal Of time in the
sessions by means Of this arrangement the prison
be relieved and the calendar cleared.
When application was first made to.the Legislature
Tor the creation Of the Office of City Judge 1T
templated by those who applied to have two courts
held necessary, at the time In this and in
ether way the business Of the sessions be despatch
ed fast 1t accumustee. 1t Is hard for prisoners
who may be innocent to lie in bridewe throughout
whole term and then learn that their have not
been reached and that they must await another term
occurred short time since, In which poor la
borer with wife and two children dependent on him
fer support arrested and imprisoned for several
weeks and finally called to trial for assault and bat.
terry, when, 10 1t appeared that the wrong man had
been arrested the prisoner entirely innocent and
the District Attorney abandoned tho prosecution at
once. The wrong in this instance arose in the first
place in the grand jury room, where reckessness and
Stupidity must have combined to allow the finding OF
bill OF indictment and the evil prolonged by the
crowded prison list which did not allow of speedy
disposition Of justice and policy demanded
The truth Is need another court room II Is not to
ons for the Transaction OF the city's criminal bust
ness, which sufced thirty years ago will be adequate
to prese mt demands There is nothing prevent the
Recorder and City Judge each holding court at the
came time, or II there s any mere technical objection
the Legislature would doubt obviste the diff ulty
once, on application being made to them BY the city
authorities.
great deal Of time is taken up in the Sessions In
the trial of very young criminals many Of them being
boys The Chief Of Police has reported time az
ter time the necessity Of some stringent asures
to prevent juvenile vagraney grand uries have call
ed the attention of the authorities to the subject and
judges have in their charges dwel on the topic,
but ss yet active measures have been taken to
break up the unhsly anzations which exist In
vsrsl parts Of the city 1t Is well known that several
lower wards regularly organized, and ready for
mischief that either profit or qualification Of their
fendish nj alice may prompt them to. They are to be
found roaming about the city night and day. How
they live lie nystery but live they do, and by some
means, fair foul. manage to keep themselves clad
In comfortable garments. When q member of Of
these gangs finds himself In the clutches OF the law
every effort lie made to get him free but II all is
avaling and he Is obliged to stand his trial he Is not
alone In his time Of need his companions in at
tendance BY scores and 1t ID not unusual to the
prisoner converting with great sang Joid, from the
dock With the spectators in the seats outside the rail
ing 1t would not be difficult on these occasions, for
the police to mark the companions Of the prisoner so
This shameful and ought TO meet with signal rebuke
wherever euch q state of things lie known to exist
All that s within the province OF the court however
is to see that the law IL strictly sd mnstered and in
cases of convcton to visit the oe nders with heavy
pc Altiss emporizing will never do.