New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-06-15
Court Items.

In the Fifth District Court yesterday, :,
Judge Cullem read an opinion. to be found
in full IN the court record, which is one of
those enlightened, incisory and unpreju-
diced expositions of solid -headedness that
the judiciary occasionally favor the com
munity with, and do more good than vol
umes OF essays. While following the cur
rent Of decisions ON the subject, he presents,
IN few words ar argument which seems
70 refIte the points OF the dissenting opin
ion of Judge WHY in Sauvlnet vs.. Walker.
A careful reading Of the opinion will give
more Information on the subject than any
abstract could.
The Pieayune case got on little further
yesterday before Judge Lynch. A jury
was impaneled without much opposition
from either side. Counsel for both htigants
seem 80 have great confidence in the
strength OF their case. The ghost of Pelagie
Brown appeared in motion OF j. D. Hill,
of counsel for defendants, that subpoena
duce tecum be issued against Charles Petrie,
requiring him to produce receipt and bill
OF sale of furniture from Pamela Marchand
to Pelagie Brown. Mr.. Petrie was in court,
and was brought to the bar, when the sub
pena was served on him. He said he didn't
know whether be could deliver the papers
he had or not, and would consult his coun-
sell He was promptly informed that
whether he consulted counsel or not he
would be served with an order Of court,
and if he did not obey it instanter he would
be put in prison. Charles S. Rice, Esq.
opened for the plaintiff, reading the peti-
ton and lucidly explaining the necessary
legal technicalities.
Mr.. Forman followed by reading the an
swers of the defendants. The fact of pub
Gcation was admitted. They proposed to
prove the perjury Charged by the fact that
the board in which the plaintiff served had
no returns 10 act on. Answers were read
from the CORPORATION and the Individual
defendants.
Mr.. Rice then Of cred in evidence the ar
ticles published, then the charter Of the
New Orleans Printing and I publishing Com
pany, from which he read two sections. He
then produced the minutes of the corpora
ton and proposed to offer in evidence GER
tain portions. He commenced to read when
he was interrupted by Mr.. kandolph, OF
counsel for the defense, who maze tie
point that the plaintiff having called for
'the minutes" should offer them entire in
evidence. This was denied by all the coun-
sci for the plaintiff successively. Mr.. Ran
dolph answering each time.
Two hours were taken up in this discus
sion. At ten minutes Of three the court put
a stop to counsel talk. and decided that any
complete record of any days proceedings OF
tho meetings OF tho corporation must be
read entire. but that plaintiff could not be
forced to introduce in evidence the whole
minutes. Whereupon tho defendant ex-
cepted and the court adjourned.
While the trial was going on and the court
room jammed crash Of & lass was heard.
In about twenty-one seconds, and to the
intense disgust of Judge Cooley, who was
telling every body something they ought
to know. q voice proclaimed from the door.
"There are too many people in the room.
The floor is sinking" Everybody wanted
to get out and all started with rush.
Some sensible folks tried to go out quietly.
Some called out to :'go easy" Some legal
gentlemen rushed to the window. Cooley sat
down, put his feet on the adj djacent chair,
and said: ~ ct her sink, and'-the rest Of the
sentence was lost in the confusion. There
wasn't any danger, but there might have
been. The plastering over Judge Saucier's
desE- had fallen Gown, smashing tie lamp
shade, but it didn't hurt anybody because
the courtroom was enpty. In a lew mill
utes tie Ficc yl,ne case proceeded t:th :ts
rrOcraStinati0r.