The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-09-15
United States District Cont,


slur "a Tho Grand Jury, Of which Mr.. Henry Erbeu
was foreman sworn in this morning before Jldge
Belts in his Chambers the court room being occupied
the Circuit.
His Honor briefly addressed them, saying that he would
not require them to rise, the accommodation ba
while he made very brief reference to the calendar.
There are some sixteen or eighteen cases presented for
their notice several of them against masters Of vessels
for bringing excess Of passengers to this port, which
subjects them to imprisonment aud fine. The policy OF
tho act would doubt meet their There
several Of the ordinary charges against seaen for
structvs to the jury for him to enlarge on that law It
would be sufficient to say that any refusal to do duty
Any violent to the orders Of the master is
tnous conduct and subjects the offender to punishment
Then there charges Of fraud the government
by parties entering fall invoices The District Attorney
them Then there arc several persons CHARGED with az
saut with dangerous weapon To constitute that Of
fence not necessary there should DO actual wound
Ing. man attempt to strike another with danger.
weapon knife, any other dangerous instrument,
is sufficient to constitute the offence though he
not necesssy that the party Charged should be- seen
actually making the coin If for that purpose
are found in his possession Is enough unless saac
custom house officer 1t is not only necessary to in
ducs every citizen to obey the law but it is proper put
them under criminal punishment for resisting its officers.
There IL charge against two persons for granddaughter
the high the death caused in defence Of
life, under other ustifable circumstances it does not
amount to mapsaughter but if the life is taken without
these mitigating crcu ces the persons charged are
liable to be placed trial for manslaughter Congress
regards mansaughter as Little more than msdemeanor.
If stab another at the law Furnishes him With
fns and very severe i'm prisonment; but if he kill the
person, the law considers it sdemean,r and the pun
shment 10 comparatively light There is charge oflsr-
ceny the high There against pilots ssrv-
rg without license The act for he Judge Bs.ts)
could see subjects the persons offending to q fine
only but perhaps the District Attorney would DO able to
point out to the Grand Jury portion of the act
under which 1t is made criminal offence There is
charge Of cruelty at Masters have the po yer Of
Furnishing sailors for nsubordnaon but for any act OF
cruel or unusual punishment they were formerly only
liable to action damagss In 1885, however, Congress
msdeit criminal offence for master to inhct cruel
and unusual punishment For instance il cook neglect
his business, and to punish him master sends him to
the masthead that would be cruel to him. u.s. being
sailor, it might endanger his life. II the Grand Jury
four that the punishment inflicted by the master
the mate from malicious teeipgs-that II was cruel
and inflicted without reasonable and proper cause and
fer malicious motive, then it would render the party
liable to the criminal charge. The accommodation was
such that he he Judge) had been obliged to discharge
the petty jury. No can, therefore, be teied this
tenn but the court would receive the bills found by the
Grand jury and they would dispose Of the petty jury
next month.