Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-01-17
Wilmington Criminal Court.

We published several days since u letter
from 4 very prominent and influential citi-
zen of this county, favOring the establish
ment of the Criminal Court in this City.
We believe ali who have given the matter
much consideration, whether citizens of the
county or city, arc favorable to its estab-
lishment The necessity for such Court
has forced itself upon the minds of the
people since the re establishment of civil
law from the very large increase of crime,
in both the white and black population,
the natural sequence of the disorganized
condition of society during the wal, and
the confusion and chaos attending its close.
This necessity was not only felt on account
of the great expense saddled upon the
county to support the Jail, about twenty
thousand dollars per annum according to
the petition of the Grand Jury of the last
Superior Court, but because of the alarm
ing frequency and character of the crimes
committed in this city and in New Hano-
yer county.
We understand that some differences of
| opinion exist as to the extent of the juris-
diction of the proposed Court It is thought
| by some its powers should be limited to
crimes committed within the corporate linn
| its of Wilmington, while others think, and
| the bill now before the Legislature SO pro-
| vides, that it's criminal jurisdiction shall be
co-extensive with the county. The bill was
| drawn in accordance strictly with the re-
commentator Of the Grand Jury, as APP
proved by his Honor, Judge Merrimon.-
| This recommendation came from some of
the leading and most practical citizens of
| the county, but one or two of whom being
| residents of the city, who not only had be-
fore them the experience of nearly two
years fpeace and the criminal dockets OF
the County and Superior Courts, but an
| insight, as Grand Jurors, into the number
| and character of the crimes coming before
| them, and the very large number
of criminals who were still at large.
| Judge Merrimon, who told the Fore
man, when their petition was hand
ed to him, that he would endorse it most
cheerfully, had the terms experience and
the very great number of criminal cases to
be tried to the almost total exclusion Of the
very heavy civil docket and the number of
presentations before him, and lie was salts
| fed that until there was a total change in the
state of society, there must be a continued
exclusion of all other than criminal business
| in the Courts of this county. His endorse
ment on the petition of the Grand Jury ex-
presses very strongly his hearty approval of
the proposed Court.
To confine its operations to crimes COM
mitted m;th n the city limits, would do but
little towards decreasing the heavy expen-
diture to'which the county is now subject
ed to support the Jail. The saving of the
county would be Insignificant, and the ex-
pense to the city heavy, as the municipal
authorities of Wilmington must of course
support the Court should it merely be a
City Court. A very large proportion of the
Crimes, whose perpetrators now fill our iails,
are committed outside of the city The
criminals, no doubt, either live, or are