New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-01
Important Prescntmenf by the Grand Jury
Of Kings County-Thc Failure Of the
Excssc InMs.
Excise I.nvs

The Grand Jury, which has been in session
FOR about two weeks came into the Kings County
Court Of Sessions yesterday morning and reported That
they had concluded their labor. They were thcreupon
discharged. Among the indictments found was one
against prominent Justice OF the Peace for maicas
ayce in Office in holding court IN fun-shOp on sun
day and releasing prisoners arrested Tor drunAennesS
Sc The Grand jury also submitted plcsentmchl IN
relation 10 the administration 81! the Excise laws Tie
principal points Of which are as follows
They proceed 10 present some facts showing the
causes OF the failure OF excise laws ~ now admins
tered by the authorities whose duty u II 10 enforce
Them The law Itself seems be- comprehensive enough
70 rcruate the traffic In ardent spirits II unity 81
purpose were heartily entered into hy the Commission.
crs of Excise the Police and the Dhtilct-Attorney,
which, IL appears, Is not the case lie Board oil TX.
else file 20 Intervals during the Official year the htt o.
licenses granted hy them. They do not deem u Their
duty 10 furnish tie Police Board with the t- OF those
licensed unasked. The Police Commissioners do not
deem il their duty O. ask for TIE lists nor do tAcy Or
tain The same from the County Clerks Office. Ito
Grand my on examination, find that there are within
Kings County THAI 80 places where lhtOAcGth *
liquors are now being sold without license lAe police
have hceu ecsnf nnl in arrests for violations of the
Excise laws when directed 20 DO so; ~ arrests ~ ef
traffic IN spiriiuous liquors were made ron Apr l-"
TO 90 and the police state tnt they could arlest many
If informed who We're aud who were not licensed
The Grand jury condemn thc practice by some 81 the
Justices in releasing offenders against the Excise act
by merely nominal fines or suspension 81 JndFin. ~
aud IN relation Co the District Attorney the Grand
jury states that DC porcmptoriy declined !" iurlsu
them with information on file m his Office ~ 10 The fact
fneuts had been Ourd were forthwith brought forward
FOR tral. They obtained tAe information from the
County Clerk Office however, ana ind i'At nom N"'.
TO- log TO Jan. l-0J sixty eight indictments were
found against parties for selling liquor on Sunday or
without license that from January lsoJ 20 May l-f
seven persons were indicted " which cases from
Jan ls63 90 My le6l four only had been disposed
OF hv Tho County Conf. They further find that rom
Apri J. 1865 20 April J. lsCi. the Police Department
reported 10 tie District Attorneys Office va eases Of
breaches of the excise laws with iu particular Of Wit
nosses dates &C. six only Of which had been brought
g. the Grand Juys notice for Indictment and two only
Of which had been disposed o. During the official year
liquors IN lroO al places ia lrtl l.2i places in -f2
l5a places in ls6j ending No tits daie). ~ place
al Yielding 20 the Poor Fund OF The county in the re-
spcct.ye wears ~ above S. 100 SIZED s64-O sis,0
saUO IT, without regard 90 tlcir official oath, the
Board should compel hll no" eug liquors m ne coun.
q % tese ont nccufc the re- eun or TIE retail NIunr
tiudc would amount o. $1,000 Tho iihill enforce.
mont OF the laT end lfs penalties however would yield
~ tc Poor Fuad II flc county tie much larger fun Of
slas 60 r sales without license during tae Year past
and in addition thereto the sum Of o0p or snlcs upon
Slidals. making total OF sli5pn Tie conclusion
arrived ~ by ho Grand jury under s state Of facts IT,
that through tie el'ct ~ furnishing TIE Romeo zap
tains with .t ~ The licensed persons and thereby cI
Aiding them 10 know who are selling without license
bu much more through the s4caue Of offenders from le
Courts AID .u the Prosecuting Attorneys office. by
questionable remission or suspension ol pcuAics under
me act tho License LAW as NJ present administered is
almost q dead statute.
Tie Grand jury al.O called attention IN their pre-.
sentiment 10 The abuses under tie act entitled An act
IN relation 10 the detention of prisoners In Kings Conn
Is aud show 'int Justice NJ least has adudicetod
eases and admitted prisoners % bail without any
plant Anyiug been made whereby jurisdiction lad been
acquired. In another case Tie Court Was held In %
drinking rncc on sunday IlhoncIb were Drought
before The Justice tried without complaint convicted
sentenced. suspended. and then discharged from cufO-
d. IolOls haze been taken out OF the custody Of tie
Justice an unusual hours o the night and released on
bail Vitloui the formaly Of an examination and with
out certificate Of the nrcsiing officers O0th attached
tie officer no. having been sworn or present at tho
time. The Grand jury conclude hy recommending The
tax-payers-tAe moral portion ~ our citlers-to see
that mono but honest and law-abiding men are nOni
mated and elected % offices Of trust.