New-York tribune., 1872-04-01
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
POLITICAL PERSECUTION.
A BATCH OF MYSTERIOUS INDICTMENTS.
OLD WHISKY CASES REVTVED-s. q. COURTNEY
AND ROBERT MURRAY DEFY THEIR ENEMIES
ILL.

| OLD WHISKY CASES RRvIyED-s. g. COURTNEY
AND ROBERT MURRAY DEFY THEIR ENEMIES
| SINGULAR CONDUCT OF THE GRAED JURY.
The announcement in THE TRIBUNE that
the United States Circuit Court Grand Jury had ordered
indictments for official corruption against x-UDted
States DlstrictAttorney Samuel @. Courtney and ex-
Marshal Robert Murray drew 10 that court on SATURDAY.
largo number Of prominent loungers and politicians,
| among whom was the Hon. Lewis Sessions ~ C. After
sentencing the prisoners convicted at last term
the Court, Judge Benedict directed a unt
| at which hour he had been informed the Grand Jury
would rise. When that hour arrived, the Jury word
10 the Judge that they required further time FOR deb
eraton which granted them. At o'clock they
nounccd that they would not rise for hour and tired
of waiting, Judge Benedict went away leaving the Jury
to present to Judge Blatchford, who transactng
bankruptcy business the indictments they had found.
At about o'clock they entered Judge BlatchfOrd's
Court, presented a large bundle Of Indictments aud
| were discharged for the term.
Soon after the presentation Of tn ic;mcnts, Mr..
| Courtney appeared In Court and said:
YOur Honor, IL stated responsible paper that
me Grand Jury have ordered an indictment to be
arawn a against me, and want to know II have been
Judge Blatcnford-I have not looked at the indcr-
been indicted or not Won cam o bo 1 no.
nation from the United states Distrct-Attorney. I
have Seen for several Year; an officer
OF this Court and know OF no place in which il is more
proper 70 ask Tor the Information desire. The District
The District Attorncy-Mr. Courtney, the e and Jury
nave found no indictment against you.
Mr. Courtney then left lthe Court. Further evidence
was soon obtained, however, corroboration OF the
statement that the Grand Jury had ordered indic
ment to be drawn against Mr. Courtney and that the
DstricAttorney had declined draw It for the reason
that he was satisfied that the allegations upon which the
indictment had been ordered were false. The charge
preferred against Mr. Courtney before the Grand Jury
hat la iVp1 N Hil ofRa atal
as United Satcs Dlstrict-Attorney, a bribe
of 5000 from some connected with the kentucky
Bourbon Company to release the premises under seizure
To refute this charge, Mr.. Courtney appeals to the
records In the DstrictAorneys Office which show that
the sum he is charged with receiving a brbe
eeVed in legitimate manner, and that 4. was turned
| over to the Treasury Department Mr. Courtney an
| nounces his intention Of prosecuting II ne can
| ind him, the person who made these charges
against him. and saystha his official conduct as United
states DisrctAttOrney will bear the srictest scrutiny
Such to be the opinion Of all except those who
desire to make political captal by prosecuting Mr. Court
| ney.
ExIarshal Murray was in attendance with his conn.
sell Mr. Spencer and was ready, II indicted 10 give any
required bail, That the Grand Jury ordered hin to be
| indicted, Is certain; and that the Indictment was
10 be founded upon q false charge of ac.
cepting brbe in some .od whisky case, most prob
| able. Mr.. Murray says that during the tno he was
Marshal, from 1850 to 1863, s2oO00ObO passed
through his hands, and that he account for every
dollar. He proposes, moreover to discover the
dre" who testified against him before the Grand Jury.
| and 10 bring him to grief"
| Judge Blatchford directed Kenneth c.! White L. G.
Commissioner and Clerk of the Court to take charge Of
the indictments to ball. or commit in default BAIL
indicted persons and TO Issue bench against
them until to-day. 1t is sadiupOn apparently good
thory Grand Jury indicted persons for
spring Ave ago to defraud the Government in
certain whisky and prominent lawyers are inclined
to the opinion that all Of these indictments ere barred
by the statute Of Limitations They argue as follows
The defendants indicted for conspiring TO defraud
the United states. Judge Nelson has held that the law
furnishing conspiracy applies TO all such crimes against
the United States and that although the law was passed
portion OF the Internal Revenue law, il Is not
fined to, and is no part Of that law. Now, ofenses
| against the Internal Revenue law are barred by %
period of five years and all other crimes barred
by period OF years. the .question il, therefore,
whether the mere conspiracy TO violate the Internal
Revenue law ia Odense against il, and whether, as
such ofense ii barred in less than five years The
que has been udiciay passed upon, bnt VIII
he raised upon the trial OF these indictments, and for
this they regarded with than ordinary
| interest.
In charging this Grand Jury about i've weeks ago.
! Judge Blatchford said:
The practice OF defrauding the Government by
smuggling is greatly on the Increase and snugges ara
jurors and good citizens, promptly and ieFossy To pre-
sent for trial eEery one sno%n oy proper 10
other subject 10 which desUe TO call your OH il attc
giving and taking Of bgibes by certain United States
| officials. also desire TO cal your atten.
money ana keeping out OF circulation
for purpose of feeding the appetite for speculative
gambling already keen and enough 20 require
no stiInulaut Money is Withdrawn from circulation
| when national banking associations receive United
States notes. or national bank notes, security for
loans The act OF Feb. 49, 1862 says that national
| banking association shall hereafter offer or receive
United states notes national bank notes security
or "a collateral security, any loan At money
shall they, for consideration. withhold the same om
| use.
Notwithstanding this charge, it IS said and not with
out foundation the Grand Jury took steps 20
II any the national banks violating the act of Feb
1862 in regard TO looking up money! that they paid 20
attention to the charges OF bribery openly made agus.
certain Custou-hOuse officials and that the only smuggling
cases Of which they took any notice two Of minor I'M
portance in which United States COnmisionor had held
the accused to await their action. In speaking Of the
alleged disregard by this Grand Jury of the Instructions
OF the Court prominent lawyer said: Grand Juries
| are irresponsible bodies they can ignore the most
explicit instructions OF the Court, and there rs no
law reach them. It ia high time, therefore, that
they were abolished that law be passed empowering
the Court to punish them for contempt thcy dsobey
its instructions II tie Court directs Ptt jury nnd
certain verdict it IA bound 10 obey aud the Court
ders a Grand Jury TO inquire concerning certain
crimes, there is no reason why obedience
| should not be enforced" The report that the Grand
Jury did not investigate the crime of locking up money
for the that OF Its number hld been con-
vcted of like oense is incorrect The records Of the
Court show that he was only indicted for thai he
| pleaded guilty, and that he was fined $50
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rELEGRAPHIC NOTES.
| A postal convention was concluded an the 9th
| between Russia and Italy