New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-11
THE SUPERIOR CRIMINAL COURT.

The act creating the Superior Criminal
Court was promulgated yesterday, and
the announcement Of the appointees to
the positions thereby created is made this
morning. 1t will be seen that the duty of
organizing this most important and in
the opinion of many, necessary tribunal
will devolve upon Judge A. A. Atocha, a
jurist who is SO well known to the New
Orleans bar and people as scarcely to re-
quire formal introduction from u.s. The
new incumbent has been educated to the
law, and is as thoroughly versed in the
criminal practice of this State as any man
in it. Though comparatively young, he
has already had valuable experience in
| duties analogous to those he will now I'M
dertake, IN case he accepts the appoint
ment rendered by Governor Kellogg
| which We learn from his friends it is his
intention to do. He was appointed by Gen
eral Banks about eleven years ago to the
responsible position of provost Judge of
the military Department Of the Gulf.
This was at the time the only criminal
tribunal in New Orleans, with o iurisdic-
ton extending to all ofenses, from the
petty DRINKS to capital cases. Necessarily
the duties were arduous, and required
man with the power to dispatch business
with accuracy to give satisfaction. Besides.
Judge Atocha succeeded at the time to 2
position that had just been made illus
trious by Judge Bell, of Boston, one Of
the ablest and purest jurists that had ever
presided over g New Orleans court ND to
that time. Il Will be accepted as a suf-
ticlent compliment to any man to say Of
him as we are able TO say of Judge Atocha,
from intimate personal knowledge, that
he maintained throughout the deservedly
high character which his predecessor had |
first given the position, and left it with |
the unanimous verdict that he had been q |
good judge"
TO his well known character for ability |
as an able Jurist we may add that of being
valuable patriotic citizen, Republican
from conviction, and gentleman by birth
and education. We concur in the opinion
we yesterday heard expressed upon the
street after the appointments had been
published in one of the evening papers
that Judge Atocha will be found to possess
more of the requisite qualifications for the
position than any other of the able candi-
dates on the list from which the Governor
could make selection
The new judge is native of Louis
lana, and therefore not amenable to
the charge Of being a carpet-bagger.
Without conceding that there is any
special advantage in the circumstance of
MS nativity, per Sc, yet we remember that
ne has thereby acquired a complete
Of the several languages which |
ire spoken in this city. We know him
o be first-rate English scholar; he is
llso well versed in French Italian. and
spanish, and if our memory is not at
ault, understands the German. He is
therefore, an undoubted linguist, an ac-
which he will be able to
'ut to good use every day in the year.
We cheerfully congratulate the COM
nunity upon the wisdom displayed by
Governor Kellogg in the selection of the q
Ulcers of the two criminal courts, full L
st Of which will be found in another S
lace, and return thanks to his E1cellency
n SO fully meeting the general public U
esire in the appointment Of Judge Atocha s.
} the bench OF the new court. t