The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-01
Court OF General Sessions.
Before Judge McCunn.

The term of this court extended for another week
by the City Judge for the purpose Of disposng OF the
prisoners who are now awaiting trial in the Tombs.
During the week large number Of cases tried the
majority of which possessed features Of interest
few days since, Judge McCunn visited the City Prison,
TO learn the actual condition of the inmates when he
discovered that the cells so crowded Gin some in
stances four prisoners occupying ce to prompt
him take energetic to decrease the number
by giving the accused parties speedy trials Recorder
Hoffman will preside during the February term but the
City Judge will hold another branch OF the court in order
to dispose OF the large calendar of criminal
awaiting the action Of the judges OF this court
CoUNTERfEIrEHsA QUESTION FOR THE POLICE COM
MrssoNEBs.
1t Is worthy OF remark, that during the week in four
separate Instances men who indicted for passing
counterfeit bills declared not guilty. by the jury
stances surrounding the showed that the prosecu
ton would have been sustained had the police officers
VINO made tne arrests psopery discharged their duty
they arrest person charged with passing bogus bank
notes. to put private mark the bills found upon the
may be legally identified otherwise the prosecution
cannot secure conviction II would be well for the
Police Commissioners to refresh the memory OF tho
OF the public peace in respect to their duties
re as lax as their colleagues have been, the city win
CON be flooded with counterfeit money.
pIABorIcAL OUTRAGEs ON CHILDREN
amentable illustration Of the depavity and brutality
Il creatures in the shape Of human beings furnished
in this weeks calendar for three cases OF rape said to
have been on little girls under twelve years
OF age brought before the attention OF the court
In instance old man. sad to have been over sixty
years Of age charged with attempting to ravish
young girl. His counsel produced competent medi-
cal testimony to show that it utterly impossible
for him to have perpetrated the oieuce for which
he was indicted, and believing in his innocence, the
legal adviser instructed his client to plead guilty
TO simple assault. The City Judge sent Miller (ror
that the of the accused) to Bllckwes Island
nine months Another charge of rape resulted in
acqutal, and in still another the jury disagreed for
iuries are cautious in pronouncng verdict of guilty
upon men who had previously sustained good reputa-
ton except when the testimony OF the females is corro
borated by physicians and their story is sustained by
circumstances Yesterday melancholy spectacle was
presented married man, named Phillip Wterson,
having been placed on trial for committing rape upon
d little girl named Sarah Dorf who that the de-
PENDANT entced her into his store, and after giving her
some confectionery, took improper liberties with her.
This tried some time ago when the jury failed
agree upon verdict The girl is evidently precocious,
for she stated that the defendant took liberties with her
five times The will be finished on Friday. Coun-
sci for the defence claim that they show that this is
attempt at exoron on the part OF the parents OF the
girl.
Early in the week counsel for James Shepard (who
has been twice tried and sentenced to be exc
cuted for 1.-The crime of arson in the first de.
gree, when it supposed that his wife was burned
up) stated to the Court that Shepard had been
confined in the Tombs for three years and half For
several months he had been urging the District Attorney
to bring the for trial and counsel suggested TO
the Court that unless his client was tried within
reasonable time he ought TO be discharged. II will be
remembered that trial obtained for Shepard,
the Court of Appeals having decided that there were in
formalities in the previous trials The last that were
called upon to decide the question Of his guilt or limo
4 NOTED BURGLAR SENT TO SING SING
An Eighteenth ward burglar who called himself George
pleaded guilty to burglary in the third degree and
sent to the State prison for four years and nine months
sTABBrNG OF BLACK REPUBLICAN,
colored man named Frederick Scott tried and
convicted Of assaultng Charles Ayrcs also " black
publcan az he was entering boarding house in Park
street, the 18th of December. Scott knocked the
other colorcd gentleman down and then cut him with
pocket knife For this sauaton Mr. Scott furnished
board and lodging at the expense Of the county in Sing
Sing for three years and nine months.
CONVICTION SENTENCE Miller ARSON
ON Wednesday Jacob Miller, who kept lager beer
=. no soo an was me p "r o se
sisted entirely OF circumstances, but the signs OF guilt
presented in such TO lead the jury to
render verdict Of guilty
John McCulom testified that on the 10th OF September
he saw the prisoners store open usual but hour
afterwards he awakened by fire. and at the expira
ton Of three quarters of an hour floor Of the house.
the partitions and window frames burned. Early
the following morning Miller seen to hurry down the
street be looked nj the house. and after remaining
minutes went away having stated to bystander that he
was not insured. Other witnesses examined who
testified that the morning after the fire examination
was made of Mllers premises, when 1t discovered
that no property was there save few trling articles
nation Of the prisoner before him, when he confessed
him that he was insured II was proven that Miller
insured in the Hamilton Fire Insurance Company for
$3.50. The surveyor OF the company made inventory
OF the articles found In Mers house after the fire. the
aggregate value Of which was s102 IS
The jury convicted the prisoner on Wednesday even
ing and Miller was brought up for sentence the following
morning.
The City Judge prcfaccd the sentence by some re-
marks upon the gravity OF the crime of arson He
admitted that the evidence in this case was circum-
santa but clearly demonstrated the guilt of the
cused. The building which he fred separated by a
thin partition from dwelling which was occupied BY
human beings II was true that the prisoner took the
precauton to clear the inmates out before the building
fired; but in this crowded city, II necessary
that his Honor should make example, or else there
would be no end to the commission of such offences In
corclusion he compmented Fire Marshal Baker for his
industry and sentenced Miller to Imprisonment in the
state prison for twelve years and three months.
PREsENTMENT OF THE GRAND JURY.
FREQUENCY or FrRFs-TIE sEDITTors rHB
MAyoR-A MORE EFFICIENT POLICE REQUIRED, Erc
The Grand Jury having finished their duties present
cd batch Of indictments 10 the afternoon and previous
TO being discharged handed the suboned presentment TO
the Clerk which was placed Gle without being read:
The Grand Jury OF the General Sessions OF the city and
county OF New York, in the discharge of their duties
cannot avoid noticing certain matters which at this time
demands the attention Of all good citizens The FIRE.
quencc Of fires Is well calculated to alarm US afordng
II docs, ndispuable evidence that the number OF in
cendiares has greatly increased and should cali forth
that degree Of promptness activity and
the part OF the police OF city, which alone cacu
lated efectuay TO remedy the OWL by bringing offenders
to punishment The Grand jury believing in tho efficacy
and necessity Of public example, regret that however
much the department may have been exerted with this
view II has not yet produced the desired result We
have the most amentabe proof Of the existence other
evils In community to which desire to direct the
attention of the proper authorities The prevalence Of
spirit OF nsnbordinaton TO the laws the sediAonary
doctrines annunciated throughout the recent pub
lished papers OF the highest executive officer OF
this city, we look upon as being too well calcu-
lated to pander TO the worst passions OF dangerous
combinations OF persons IN our midst-by
Dol n ma az
hibting rioons proigacya reckless disregard OF the
rights of peaceable czcns-and acts OF open outrage
which have OF late resulted in the death OF several per-
sons, maronly and respectable woman among the num-
ber at her own residence in the day Few subjects
could be presented OF importance TO the good OF
ce,y than this Numbers combining in the preparation
OF crime strengthen rotous determination and encourage
in each other the hope or escape and impuny. The
Of evil example s Of late greatly increased
and unless the prompt nterposon or the strong OF
the law is eiectual In the break ing up OF such combna
tons and the certain punishment OF tho Offenders they
will go increasing In numbers and in boldness OF crime
until at length the life and property OF individual
sae and society generally be thrown into the highest de-
gree OF alarm and disorder Wo trust that our Police