New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-02
LAW INTELLIGENCE
THE SLAYER EXAMINATION.
United STATES COMMISSIONERS OFFIcE-MA,

=.
Before @. w MORTON
The DIsrRIcr-ArroRSkY on THE e. S. cossi;-
SIoSERs.
John Jones and Jas. Mills, captain and mate OF the
schooner Merchant, seized last week suspicion Of
being SLAYER brought before U. S. Commits
soner Morton to-day for examination.
The Assistant District Attorney handed in the fol-
lowing letter from the Distnct-Attomey:
SorrEERS DISTRICT or Nrw-YoRK,
Us. DIsr. ATTORNEYS OFFICE, hayl, 1875
United States agt. JoEes ard Mills
DEaR SIR: | acknowledge receipt Of your note Of
Both April 1857 in which you say that you do not
thr that you can adjourn this case longer than uaia
- O'Clock this day.
The above parties, with Others. stand charged be-
fore YOU upon good aud sufficient dispositions, with
being engaged in the Illicit slave trade in connection
with the vessel the Merchant You are aware, a.
well as am, that this hsrbor Is infested with these
Illicit traders and that II is only our simple duty 70
III orousy enforce the law enacted TO protect tho
United States from the disgrace which the cOntnu-
ance of the African slave trade casts upon this land.
ore Of the means resoted 10 by these traders 20 de-
feat the prosecution Is to clamor for preliminary
fa styling it examination andto present the case
az Of hai d,hp because OF the detention OF their
persons unless they give bcil As to some of the par
ties thus charged the present Instance understand
that without any due notice to me- bail has already
been taken by YOU though in my note to you OF tho
9Th November, 1850, | asked that might have such
notice, for the protection fpubhc justice. o.,
The cases of these men are now before the Grand
Jury Of the United States District Court, actually in
session That respectable body, bound by their oaths
to diligently inquire into all otfenses against the laws
of the United States committed within this circuit arc
actually hearing evidence against Jones and Mills and
the other parties connected with the Merchant. l sm
thai these prisoners would prefer that tho Grand
Jury sh uld act upon the case before their coun-
sci has become possessed OF rs much "a possible OF
the of the prosec uon IL must be apparent to
you that commencing investigation, not exam
nation such susthess defendants, is virtually to
lend ourselves their designs and obstruct the action
Of the Grand Jury tribunal at least coordinate with
yourself | submit therefore, that neither You nor
are called upon TO produce witnesses, &c The only
question lcgitmatey before you is whether the Of
Tense of the parties i basble, and the amount of BAIL
That ought not 20 be less than 5000 for each de-
fcpdcnt. Yours, truly
JOHN McKEoN Dist Attorney U. S.
This letter. after being read by the Commissioner, was
handed to the counsel for Jones and Mills. An acri-
monious discussion arose. the defense declaring that
this was condemnng them before they were tried and
the Assistant District-Atomey asserting that there
was no presumption of innocence in this er parfe pro-
ceedng and that the witnesses who were then before
the Grand Jury should not be withdrawn from that
body. The case was adjourned until Wednesday. tho
9Th inst, at ~ o'clock.