The New York herald., 1871-03-01
UNITED STATES CIRCUIT COURT.
Before Judge WOOdrur.

Before Judge woodruff.
Judge Woodruff sat yesterday for the trial OF
prisoners.
FINING JURORS.
Isaac II. Bailey, E. N. Lawrence, JOSIAH T. Leavitt
and Frederick NJ Winston, petit jurors In United
States Circuit Court were fined fifty dollars each for
being absent without permission.
FRAUDULENT VOTING.
william Quirke, indicted for fraudulent voting
pleaded guilty, and was remanded for sentence.
STEALING LETTERS FROM THE POST OFFICE.
Joseph Hartnett letter carrier from station II,
Third avenue, indicted for secreting destroying
rom the Fosa 6cees letter containing sixteen dollars
Department, gave evidence to the effect that the
5th OF December he prepared TWO test letters, one
containing SO SO and the other 81 so. These letters
with the money III them and sixteen other letters
were found on the prisoner and were offered in EVIL
dence. The letters containing the money had not
The Assistant District Attorney asked leave from
the Court to open the letters IN question.
1t was Otyected to on the part OF the defendant that
the United States had only special property in The
letters, and no one had right to open them but the
persons TO whom tncy were addressed.
The Ourt Overruled the objection and allowed the
letters to be opened.
Hartnett took the letters from the box of another
letter carrier contrary to the laws OF the Post Oce,
which say tnat one carrier has no right to take
letters from the box OF another
The DEFENDANTS counsel called attention to the
fact 10y way or motion TO quash) that The word
Treasury" was spelled Treas"
Ine court observed tIlat Cnat 8Va1lcd nothing.
The Assistant District Attorney, in summing up
the case for the government, observed that there
was hardly term OF the Court in which there were
not from two to ten carriers from the Post olfce
convicted Of stealing letters and sent the State
Prison, but sometimes they got pardoned out. They
thought that the political influence that appointed
them could acquit them.
The Judge then charged the jury, observing that
II they had doubt OF the prisoners guilt they
doubt not sprnging from ingenuity.
the Jury remained for some time in consultation
without leaving court. In reply to question from
The Judge said it was not at all necessary that the
letter should be destroyed In ORDER TO complete the
offence.
rhe jury then retired, and after some further con-
sultatlon found the prisoner guilty, with strong
recommendation to mercy.
The prisoner was remanded for sentence.
M'INTIRE, THE LOTTERY DEALER IN COURT.
John McIntre who had been called on on Monday
to plead to an indictment charging him with hav-
ing done business lottery dealer paying
the special tax required by law. had his bail bonds
forfeited Yesterday however, the defendant, who
does business In Chatham street. appeared In court
with his ballsman ex-Alderman Charles McBrlen,
also Chatham street lottery dealer, and stated to
the Court that his absence on the day before was
wholly unintentional. Upon this representation the
voked.
CHARGE OF DEFRAUDING SOLDIERS or THEIR BOUNTY.
against Colonel J. Woodruff Lewis, a well known
writer OF sensational stories, charging him with
having fraudulenty retained bounty money, the
His trial Will probably take place in the
present term of the court 1t is stated by his coun-
Sci that he i'll for several months; that the
transaction complained of conducted during
this illness through a clerk, who had proved un-
faithful TO his rust and that he Is not therefore,
responsible for the alleged fraud. The Colonel has
placed SUN Of money In the hands OF the Treasury
agent sufficient to cover al claims against him.
Seamen Belonging to tho Ship ShatnmUck
Charged with NIutiny.
The United States rs. Peterson, Johnson ana
7hompsoa.-Thc defendants are indicted under the
amended act OF Congress Of March 3, 1886, which
provides for the punishment Of persons guilty of
revolt and mutiny on board vessels. The act says
that such persons shall be fined and imprisoned
and not dealt with after the manner of those VINO
commit capital offences. The trial came on yester-
day, before Judge Woodruf, IN the Uniled states
Circuit Court.
on the stn o, December, 1870, the ship Shatamuck,
OF Bath, Me- owned by J. y. Morse, was hauled
out ia the stream in the port OF New York,
from the Brooklyn side, her crew, consisting
fourteen or fifteen men, having gone on board that
m forming, preparatory to voyage TO England. The
captain was on Shore ana the vessel was then under
the command Of the first mate, George Hall, aud the
second mate, Wright. Everything went on pretty
well until the afternoon, wnen, according TO the ties.
tmony Tor the prosecution, the defendant, Thomp-
SON. was lashing the beds OF the water casks. The
mate told him he did not 40 II properly wnereupon
Thompson had in his hand marllnsplke, which
the second mate took from him and put In
his room. subsequently there was good
by the fact that man named smith, one OF the
crew approached the second mate, SAID he was the
man he was looking for and struck him with his
fisf. Upon this the first mate desired the second
mate TO arm himself with cutlass which he did,
while the mate procured . revolver and the steward
q musket. As the second mate was coming out Of
the cabin Smith attempted 10 stab MIN with theath
knife whercupon the second mate struck him with
the cutlass upon the head Smith fell from the ef.
fects OF the blow, several members Of the crew ex.