The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-26


the stuyvesaut Institute to nominate their candidates for
the Judiciary, and hear the report of committee ap
pointed to judgment Judge Grer for his conduct
Ia the late fugitive slave in Pennsylvania. John
Jay, Esq, presided and William s. King oiiciated
cretary After the minutes of the preceding meeting
read, Mr. Stansbury read the report of the nomi
mating committee, follows
For Judge of the Supreme Court-Wiiam Jay
For Judges Of the Superior Court-Luman Sher wood
FL NJ Robinson, Horace Dresser
For Judge of the Common Pleas William McDernott
For District Attorney-Jsmes Il, Bowman.
At the suggestion of one of the members the following
report which presented at the last meerg and re-
ferred to the committee, also read
The committee appointed report list Of nominations
for city and county officers to be supported by the free
democracy at the ensuing election report the following
for .Jn ndge of the Supreme Court-Chas p Xii kland
For Judges of the Superior Ce urt-Robert Emmet,
Murray Hoffman, Iucius Robinson.
For Judge # the Common Pl-as--George r Nelson
For District Attorney-Chauncy Schaier
For Governor Of Aims -house-.DaTid March
1t will be perceived that for judicial officers the
mttee recommend the OF persons already pnt in
nomination by other parties. This course is adopted
from belief that such Offices should be removed far
as possible from party consi aud that the aims
of the free democra be be promoted by selecting
from the candidates presented By other organizations
those persons who believed TO be best fitted by cha
racter and ability for the positions to which they
nomins ted. For legislative and city Offices the
committee Of c.-uion that 1t is inexpe-
dent to make distinctive nominations at this
time but that friends recommended to adopt such
action reference to those officers as will secure reform
in city administration sustain the aims of the able
and inoorruptibe City Com ptroer Azariah c. Fagg and
promote the eec ion of such candidates are most
friendly to the principles OF the free democracy.
When both reports read Judge JAY addressed the
meeting He said that he opposed to the
OF partisan judges and could not therefore vote for the
adoption of the report which had been read first He
believed that Ii would have most injurious
effect and he therefore Of opinion that it would be
much to leave the choice OF the judicial offices to
the people.
Mr. WM. McDyRaor who it viii be perceived was nomi
nSed the free democratic ticket for Judge of the
Court of Common Pleas express ed himself strongly op
position to the nomination of the ticket last proposed
Mr.. McDermott opposed the nomination Of any party
ticket for the judiciary, and said that he would be
PEELED to withdraw his from that offered by the
committee.
last meeting he thought it had declined making any nom
nations at all. lie not in favor nominating part
zan judges, for he had already enough of them.
Mr. STANsBURY hoped the ticket presented would be
cepted. He considered il every way worthy OF support
The meeting, however, seemed to think different and
finally decided not adopting ticket leaving ii
to the free democracy to vote for whom they pleased Two
of those who were nominated, Mr.. McDermott and Mr..
Bowman declined the nomination The committee nm.
pointed on the Of Judge Grier made the following
report which was read by the President
The committee, to whom referred the subject Of
Judge Griers proceedings in the Wk cae report
that the Sd of September last three Deputy Mar hals
attempted to arrest William Thomas fugitive slave,
at Gilchrists HOTEL in Wikesbarre, Pa. The deputies
were aided by two Virgnians who came with them.
Thomas made most brave resistance and effected his
escape The slave catchers behaved in cruel and
outrageous manner frequently firing at the fugitive and
endapgerrg his life
On complaint made before magistrate warrant
was issued for the apprehension of the three denues
Two only were arrested but they Immediately
brought before Judge Grer Of the e. S. Court habeas
corpus.
sion with great ndecorum and arrogance He is reported
to have been exceedingly indignant that 81 tuppenny
State magstrate' should presume TO issue a warrant
against aiied States officers and also 10 have said
will have en- indictment sent TO the United States Grand
Jury against the person who applies for the writ
st in getting 1.-THE lawyer ho defends and the sheriff
who serve, the writ, to whether the United States
officers are to be arrested and harassed whenever they
attempt to process Of the United States &c.
Notwithstanding this silly ebulon he postpon ed the
hearing for the purpose OF aown time procure testi
pony III behalf of the prosecutions and as he afergar
said to give lthe state opportunity Of interfering.
On the day appointed the judge found it convenient to
insist that the hearing must be pare, and behalf of
the accused. Not witness might be examined against
them not lawyer might open defence of the arrest
cept by the express authority of the Governor Attorney
clear field before him, that
he issued the warrant against Thomas and the Marshal
swore be directed his deputies to the warrant and
one OF the three deputies swore they attempted to
cute this same warrant and the Judge discharged the
prisoners
The Judge in his printed opinion assumes that the
complaint against the officers for executing legal
assumption utterly groundess the complaint
being that the savecatchers in rioous manner with
pistols and other weapons beat and wounded certain
colored man named Bill and that they assaulted, beat
and abused him, he believed, with intent to kill him.
The process tempted TO be served civil
against man charged not with crime, but sowing
vice" And VIII II be maintained that marshal in an
action of debit may shoot the defendant if he from
bim Yet this s the logical conclusion of Judge Griers
argument, although not frankly avowed
The Justice had undoubsed right to inquire whether
attempt to murder had beer made Tie Judge in.
sulting the justices of the peace by styling them tup
penny magistrates and by berating the slave catchers
may think he saving the Union and vindcatng the
majesty OF Fugitive Slave law; but whose minds
less clouded by passion than his will in such off
cia arrogar and psurpaton only motives for dig
turbng the federal gOvernu ent new cause for alb
borring detestsble law
The Judge, after giving an account Of the affair with
many important facts omitted remarks:--''We
bic to perceive in this transaction thing worthy of
blame in the conduct Of these ohicersh
Although he would hear witnesses ayainst the depu-
ties yet numerous aidavts respecting their conduct
have been published made by citizens OF wilkesbarre
who were witnesses of the affair." we give extracts from
some Of these documents:
Charles Gegenbeimer, deposed- Heard scurle and
noise in the dining room; went there saw the men had
thrown William Thomas on the floor; one of them held
and threw him again; they fastened handcuh his
right wrist; he snatched knife from the side table,
one of them got it from him and struck HIM with the
handle the head he struck with the handcu who
then called to Seaman for help Seaman answered, If
you five cannot take him won't help you Bill got out
Of the room when they all gone went into the
dining room and scrubbed up the booda great deala
pint, more or less.
Henry L. Patton deposed-whis the five men were
struggling with him. they beat his head with billies ;
they got chair him twice they caught him by til
hair and beat his head against the floor when they had
right wrist when he got up he third time he struck
of the men with the hand cuff he got loose from them
and and reached the door they caught him there,
but, he threw them off,
Casper fetterli swears-Heard great noise and In
couple OF minutes Bill Thomas out OF Gichrists
covered with blood, and all his clothes bloody ran
fast as he could towards the river when he about
fifteen yards from the house three after m
two saw had pistols one revolver, the other think
double barreled they fred three shots at him as they
the road and bank saw jenkins fire one shot
while Bill was in the water jenkins stood then the
Wvpkn nd raly G-aJ
he stood In the water the ball strike the water
behind Bill, and it must have passed by his head and
shoulders.
Jacob kutz deposed-lleard pistol shot and scream
the other side Of the bridge heard another shot, got
to the wall and saw standing few feet from the
water, on the ground with pistol in his hand; Bill
who presented the awfuest sight ever in the
water, nearly TO his pits washing of the blood
that ran down his face; while looked at Bill the
the ground fred; turned and that the pistol which
still smoking, leveed directly at Bill straight
could aim at another; while looked he shot
again. and then right awayagain third tme Bills face
nearly square towards called out You infer
nal scoundrel you going to murder the ~ re-