The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-13
JUDGE BEDFORD'S GRAED JURY
Important Communication from tho Grand
Jury Relative to Finding Indictments
In the Fraud Cases-Decisive Re-
marks by Judge Bedford.

Yesterday morning the historic Grand Jury OF ehs
Court OF General Sessions came into Court ana the
Foreman dive have no indictments to presents
to Your Honor this morning. but we have subjeog
under consideration In the Grand Jury Room that
we consider important, which propose to presents
to the Court and through the Court to the pubNo
press. II Your Honor Will permit the Secretary
Will read the paper
Judge BEDFoRD-Certainly.
The SECRETARY proceeded to read the following
paper:-
To the Hon. CUNNING 8. BEDFORD. City yudge:-
ROUR HoNoR-That our present POSITION as the
Grand Inquest OF this Court may be fully UNDER
stood by this Court and our fellow citizens We desire
We were e@paneled az Grand Jury Of the Court
Of General Sessions , Of the city OF new York
week and few other working days. we have been
the material damage Of the private interests Of many
OF u.s. having had our time extended thrice BY Your
aity ordinary cases that have reached US through
committing magistrates, and have found no hess
Early IN one session we were especially charged
by Your Honor with the investigation or the well.
known municipal frauds OF officers and others upou
We have examined such cases, finding them In,
city-ffauds more gigantic and desperate than evek
before known IN any civilized community.
dies, and we now think il proper to inquire II W.
are TO be defeated In our efforts TO 40 justice 10 ne
aSlsaso ana DsipsSlSg isSors we nave per-
Besides examining a great number OF Witnesses
we have correspondent with some 300 BANKS
bankers, savings institutions. railroad oompanieS
and brokers, in order to trace the stolen funds.
In the midst OF our work we were met by the folt
lowing law, passed last winters
and another IN ss N 6s 81
hs % at ao o ne Ss IN :
act upon such matters as shall have been heard before
District Attorney. - '-~
Grand Jury in the Court Of Oyer and TermineR
was Just taen empanee1 anu an our and cases
heard by committing magistrate, we were them
exacty IN the position by TINS COURT
this law been made In anticipation of this very tn1
was s0% Se coa C oy sa ~
likely to insist upon the continuance OF their jury
to the destruction d OF all we had done , I" o
Fhst-It was plain that had we proceeded Ithe
the accused without having discovered rhls law,
any judge having jurisdiction would, on motion. bd
at once y We therefore reased BY notice to this
Court proceed to finish these cases until the othe4
acquiesced In this course.
.Second-we offered to act upon all cases that
remove ali necessity Tor this continuance ana 50
notded the Court aud the District Attorney, who
wrong that this jury had not the right to indlct III
the election fraud cases. Either Grand Jury haa
must be In the Oyer and Terminer.
Thu'd-The case was stated 10 the Justice holding
the Oyer and Termner, and he was asked when hts
was obtained; his jury held over the holidays, from
Christmas to the New Year-an incident never be-
fore known In Its history.
Fou,Lh-That jury is now adjourned to next weeE.
Court IS entitled TO empannel another Grand jury
and hold 1t together during the February term OF tnas
Court and al the end OF the February term another
nry may be empaneed Tor the next term, the last
jury hold over, and 80 on ad tnanttum, thus pre-,
venting the action or this any other Grand jury
OF this Court in these fraud cases which II Is impracs
ticable to bring first before committing magis.
SLOW long shall this last Are the ends OF Justice
in cases OF such magnitude TO be thus defeated
Are fellow citizens satisfied tn0t our attempt4
TO aid In bringing the authors Of these frauds 20
punishment thus to end P
Relying on the prompt and decided manner In
Wishes when we have required moro time. we now
| ask at your hands should the Oyer and TcrmineT
persist In holding this legal obstruction In our wayl
| to bring 10 q proper completion the work which
has been attended with such sacrifices to ourselves
and by means or which we hope to further the cause
OF justice and contribute some influence toward thd
prevention OF similar r0bberies OF the treasury OF thu
city for a long time to come.
LUCIUS s. COMSTOCK, Foreman Grand Jury.
JOHN II. DhAf6s, Secretary.
Judge BEDFORD, amlc profound silence, responded
as follows:-
Mr.. FOREMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CRANE
JURY nave listened with attention to your state
'nent this moment read by your Secretary, Mr.. John
Draper In reply tell you that II on the 9th day Of
January, the day on which your present extension
will EXPIRE you gentlemen come into this Court and
you ask further extension OF time, not only yeu
gentlemen but the community at large, may rest
assured that your request will be granted withoue
the slightest hesitation. You may now proceed.
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