The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-11-05
Court or General Sessions.

Before Judge Beebe and Alderman Cornell ana Barr.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE TERM-THE CALENDAR
ORGANIZATION OF THE GRAND JURY, AND CHARGE
BY JUDGE BEEBE.
Nov. This Court, which, during the last 70.
csss has been painted and made to appear somewhat
cleaner than 1t has done for long time, was opened
this morning, according to adjournment, and the
business Of the present term commenced.
The calendar is light. presenting only forty throe
new cases for the consideration Of the Grand Jury.
OF these, there were for assault and battery with
intent TO kill, 5 mayhem, robbery, first degree,
A !; assault with slung shot, forgery, I; bur.
gary q; grand larceny, 81 receiving stolen goods,
l obtaining goods under false pretences, / selling
obscene books, /; and keeping disorderly house. ..
From last term there remain indicted 10, OF which
Ill ore capital cases, and therefore trable in the
Court OF Oyer and Ferminer, which stands Adjourned
till Monday next. These are exclusive of bail
cases.
THE GRAND JURY.
The following gentlemen having answered to their
names, were sworn as Grand Jurors, wiz
David S. Jackson Fora man.
George w. Bovine, Peter r. Voorhees,,
Paul s Brown, Wn. III. Adams,
Thos. Brennan, John c. Alstadt,
Enoch Chamberlain, Duncan +. Curry,
James Cody, Patrick Grove,
Ogden bennington, silas Furbush.
Edwin Falconer, Hiram M Forester,
Stephen Half, John +. Fisher,
Benjamin Hutchinson, Charles M. Nawry,
Lewis Reynolds, Joseph N Parker,
Moses Sweet, Archibald Woodruff.
Judge Beebe delivered the cha 90 Of the Court.
1t very brief, and almost confined to recapitd-
lation Of the duties as originally imposed upon them
by common law, and since more explicitly and def
nitely prescribed by statute. He observed that the
institution originally, under monarchical govern
ment, was ordained us Constitutional and salutary
check against the .ncroach Ments Of the crown on
the liberty OF the subject. In our form of govern
ment, happily, no such check was required, ana it
beloved them to sec that .he other hand tho
grand inquest was not perverted to a means Of OPP
preston on the citizens, by charging them with
criminal offences on exparte statements, possibly
made from sinister malicious motives With
this view he would recommend great eau
ton ere they indicted any one their own
motion Where the matter had undergone
regular investigation before magistrate, there was
not, of course, the same danger Of injustice being
done. In calling attention to the election laws,
required by statute, the Judge took occasion to al
lude to the all-absorbing topic of the late excite
ment, saying the time was one when they were
especially called upon to inquire into any offence
against those laws designed as the bulwarks Of our
constitutional liberties, by preserving the purity of
the system OF popular representation. With these
remarks they were dismissed to their labors.
CHARGE OF FALSE Observation-Disclosures
Samuel j. Proper, a respectable looking man,
who indicted in May term last, for obtaining
certain goods Of tho firm of Rumble s, Van Kleeck,
grocers, to the value Of s. GIVE doars), in the pre-
vious month Of March, by means Of a fcttiou,
up and postponed, the recognizances on tho last
casion having been forfeited, surrendered to take
his trial. An array Of counsel appeared for the
defence, consisting of the Honorables +. A Tai
madge and Ambrose l.. Jordan, Il. G. Wheaton
(late District Attorney Of Albany, and Jonas b.
Phillips, Esqrs. Their services, however, were little
required, as Mr. Zines b Runds, the only witness
called to the stand, failed completely in his proof,
not being able to remember, even, what the goods
obtained were; and the prosecution was necessarily
under the direction of the Court
Adjourned till this morning.