The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-08-05

TEE HnnY CLAY MAssAcRz-THE VERDICT OF
THE CoRoNR's JURY ONE OF NuRDER-Tm PAR
TIES ALL HELD TO BAIL IN THE UNITED STATES
DISTRICT Court The verdict of the Coroner's
jury Of Westehester county goes much farther than
at first sight may strike the reader It is verdict
that the persons implicated are guilty Of the crime
Of murder. The jury have found that the act
charged was committed under circumstances which
the revised statutes declare to constitute murder
The statute declares that killing shall be murder,
when perpetrated by any act imminently dam
gerous to others, and evincing q depraved mind,
regardless Of human life, although without any
premeditated design to effect the death of any par
ticular individual" The other provision Of the
State law under which the accused might have been
held, is that which makes granddaughter to consist
in the act, procurement, or culpable negligence OF
another. The jury saw fit to pronounce that the
offence amounted to the higher crime. Twelve men,
after patient elaboration, have unanimously declar
ed the officers and managing owner OF the illfated
steamer guilty Of murder. But were we not right
in saying we feared this was but btttun fitLnea?
How has the Coroner followed this up? Has he is
sued his warrants? Not one. On the contrary, he
does not intend to issue any, the parties would
demand hearing, and that would give him too
much trouble. What Coroner. that is! We guessed
low it would be in Westchester We shall see what
the District Attorney and Grand Jury Of that county
will do Meantime We look for justice to the United
States courts.
Yesterday, the parties, who ought to have been
arrested on Saturday, appeared before the United
States Commissioner, and were held to bail, with
the exception Of the Captain, who was too sick to
o,,J rbn 30 Ia 5,~ bafa
the Commissioner, who will attend at his house for
the purpose. The charge before the United States
| Court is one Of manslaughter, and under it the
owner, Mr.. Radford, who was not on board, and
who is the security for the defendants, cannot be
made amenable. The section is as follows
Chap. 191, IL, sess. H., year 1S3S-And be it
further enacted, That every captain engineer pilot,
other person employed board Of any steamboat or
vessel propelled in whole or In part BY steam BY whose
respective duties life lives of person or persons
board said vessel may be destroyed shall be deemed
guilty of mansaughter; aud upon conviction thereof
before any Circuit Court in the United States, shall be
sentenced to confinement at hard labor for period of not
| more than ten years.
Under this act Mr. Collyer is held, because he was
| on board at the time, and acted manager or
captain. 1t will be observed that the statute au-
thorzes ten years imprisonment. 1t also author
ICES one month. And here it is lame. But we have
| no GQuDb tnat IN lHe event OF u CONVECTION une
Judge of the United States Circuit Court will do
his duty. We understand that yesterday the par
ties were all in the highest spirits, in court, and
were rather merry, and unconcerned at the terrible
deed with which they charged. No doubt they
calculate upon IMMUNITY through Mr.. Radford's
wealth. But it remains to be seen whether they
may not be sad before all is over and whether there
is not some virtue and efficiency in laws for the
| protection of human life. We learn that the par
ties have demanded hearing, and that some time
next week is fixed; but we doubtvery much whether
| they are in earnest, and whether, when the time
comes, any hearing will take place If there
should be one, let it be full and complete. Let the
public have materials for accurate and impartial
judgment. Valuable lives have been lost-familes
have been desolated-justice must be indicated and
the law must be made effective
INCREASE OF BANKs-OPERATIoN OF THE FREE
BANKING LAw.-The number Of new banks com.
mencng operations in different parts Of this State il
truly astonishing; and we have by no means the mo-
nopoly of this business. In nearly every State il
the Union the movement is going with equal rapid
ity. The facilities furnished by the free banking
laws of the Eastern and Western States are so great
that it is the easiest thing in the world to get up
bank. More than fifty new banks have been started
in this State, within the past two years, with CAPT
tails varying from one hundred thousand to two mil
lions of dollars. In that time the banking capita
has increased more than fifty per cent In the West
ern States the increase has been at a greater rate
than this. In 1850 there in the United States
eight hundred and twenty. four banks. Now, there
more than thousand institutions of the kind
in active operation.
tend the opening of some new bank, and partake o.
the oysters and champagne furnished on such inter
estiDg occasions. In the lower part of the city
ly every corner of the great thoroughfares is
pied by a bank. Several magnificent buildings are
going up in Broadway on the Of the princi-
pal business streets, which, when completed, will be
occupied by banks recently established In towns on
the Hudson river, and along the lines Of all the
great railroads, in places where banks never
before existed, we now find two or three of these
concerns, all apparently doing large and profta-
bic business. 1t requires little capital to put a
| bank into operation, under the new banking law,
that two or three moderate sized capitalists can get
| up any number Of them. One hundred thousand
dollars would suffice the basis for banking capital
to the amount Of one million or more The notes of
issue received on the first deposit Of one hundred
thousand dollars, would buy securities to deposit for
another hundred thousand dollars, and so on to an
unlimited extent Itnever appears to have entered
the minds Of the originators Of these innumerable
banking institutions that these circulating notes will
ever be presented for redemption in coin This never
enters into their calculations, and the meaas are
therefore, not provided. The time is not atd aut
however, when the means for redemp lon vii bt
wanted; and then there will be trouble among thc
small fry. The free banking system lis very good
one, so long as it is kept within proper limits. and
so long specie forms proportonate basis in con-
nection with stock securties but when the mania for
starting new banks goes.so far that proper means
for redecming the circulating nSees in what they
represent-specie-a arc not provided, the difficulty