The New York herald., 1874-12-28
BUSINESS IN THE FEDERAL COURTS.

BUSINESS IN THE FEDERAL COURTS.
Judge Woodruff has been recently sitting IN the
United States Circuit Court IN TINS district, IN
when he has decided several appeals IN adm
ralty; he has reviewed proceedings In bank
ruptcy and his late decision In the matter OF the
charges preerred against Commissioner Daven-
port OF Illegal and oppressive dongs as magis-
trate viii be remembered as an able and skllful
exposition Of the law relating to the powers
ana duties OF United States Commissioners. That
decision has been the subject OF much comment
For our present purpose 1t is simply necessary to
say that Judge Woodruff exonerated Mr. Daven-
port from all blame, while persons holcing diner-
emf political opinions and different sentiments on
public policy were expecting that the judgment in
this case would be such TO exactly suit their
views. The result has been to please some and to
disappoint others. This ls the way with every
law suit If the plaintiff gets verdict he is de-
lighted, and, Of course, the defendant is displeased.
II the defendant be the victor, as natural conse-
quence the plantin becomes perfectly disgusted.
Could not people manage tn keep out OF law ana
out OF the hands OF the lawyers and thus save
themselves all this hearl-burnlngf II they could,
we suppose the millennium would be soon at
hand.
Judge woodruff has gone to Albany, and win sit
there for some days in discharge 0: the business OF
his circuit.
Judge Nathaniel Shipman, OF Connecticut, sat for
q considerable portion OF this month IN the United
States Circuit Court Ior this district. He was en-
gagged In the trial OF civil jury causes, and disposed
OF many important questions relating TO the In
ternal revenue and taxaron OF the country. He
is well informed, painstaking Judge, courteous
to the Bar, and very much respected ov that body.
Judge Wallace will take Judge snipman's place
here on the 5th or January, and then continue the
trial OF causes on the civil Jury calendar. Among
the important cases to be DISPOSED OF is that OF
Nine. de Aaluta Fralon, Russian lady, wao
brings an action against the New York
Central and Hudson River Railroad Com
pany to recover about 100000, being the
value wnlcn places large quantity OF
old fam ilv laces which she alleges were stolen
rom her trunk while she was travelling three
four years ago on the train between Albany and
Niagara Falls. This case was tried before, but
resulted IN disagreement Of the jury. The lacts
have been already published IN the HERALD.
Judge Blatchford has been engaged during the
present month IN hearing admiralty suits and dis
posing OF motions IN patent cases and bankruptcy
proceedings in the United States District and Cir
cult courts He is one OF the most hard working
Judges that ever sat In Q court OF justice. He
never Shlrks work when 1t Is to be done; in fact,
nothing seems TO please him so well as when he has
plenty to do, and ne knows, too, in quiet yet
/
yers when they "adiournn cases, sometimes on the
| most frivolous excuses thus blocking the wheels
OF justice and leaving the Court with nothing to
do. He Is quite familiar with the bankruptcy
practice in this district. Some OF his recent de.
! clsIons in regard to compositions under the Bank
ruptcy act are important, anu may be regarded
as settllng the practice in this district under
that very peculiar piece OF LEGISLATION. His de.
extradltion OF Antonio di Giac0mo. VINO is
charged with murder and brlgandage IN Italy,
mas been much talked OF among awers, as 1t goes
the length OF holding tnat though the crime inl-
puted TO Giacomo was committed one year Ueiore
tween the United states and Italy, YET nevertne.
less the treaty Is operative IN enabling the Italian
government to obtain possession Of Glacomc,
the offence alleged against MIN. 1t is Just possible
that the State Department may dissent rom this
view OF the treaty, but 1t Is not likely that they
| Will 90 SO. Governments sometimes 90 things as
matters OF pubic pohcy and as concessions TO the
demands o. other Powers which they would not
dream OF insisting on under the ordinary prlnci
pies Of law In court OF justice And 1t is IN ex-
I tradition cases which come so directly under the
cognizance OF the executive power that govern
meuts take course relative TO the rights and lib
wholly inapplcable II the prisoner were tried ac-
cording 20 the law OIL the country IN which he was
lound seeking an asylum. the @ case Of Carl vogt,
| before Judge Blatchford on habeas corpus under
It's new aspect, and, assuredy, this Is, perhaps
the most extraordinary eXtraditlon proceeding
tnat has ever occurred In this country. 1t Is en-.
trely unnecessary TO repeat the facts, as they are
| already quite familiar TO the public.
Judge Blatchiord will tomorrow resume the
! hearing OF admiralty causes, and In February
the United States VS.. Naylor 4 CO., in winch the
government sue the defendants Tor several hun
dred thousands OF dollars for alleged under .vaiua
| ton OF steel rails and fish plates imported from
Europe. TINS t:ial Will occupy at least three
weeks or q month.
States Circuit Court, No. u Chambers street. Not
long since Congress passed an act making 1t an
rllous postal cards through the mails This
very proper tning to do, Ior without some protec-
ton or TINS kind the great advantage and con-
venience OF the postal card system might be
very seriously abused The recent CONVICTION OF
| Moses Chamberlain under this law indicates that
the government are determined to punish all in
fractions OF the statute so lar as they can. Re-
gardlng the case OF Mr.. chamberlain, we desire 10
say not word, as his counsel propose to argue a
motion for a new triai. For this reason comment
/ is deferred.
IL IS PROBABLE tnat an officer OF the Customs will
be put on his trial tomorrow before Judge Bene-
Diet, on charge Of having taken brlbe to IN
nuence his oficial action In conniving at the snug
gllng Of large quantity OF cigars from Cuba.
commissioners White, Shields and stillwe
have before them extradition cases ana suits
arising out OF the destruction of American
( property by the Alabama, &C., and commissioners
Belts and Osborn have been actively engaged III
On The whole the business OF the courts is pretty
good, and II Is sure 10 become better alter the
holidays. The Old federal courts in Chambers
street will be deserted after the 1st Of MAY next,
as the government has given notice tnat at that
ready in the new Post Onice. Tnen there viii be
such q clearing out OF legal and Official lumber, In
.ne shape OF OLD doCuIneuts ana papers, az was
never before witnessed IN tins city, and thus the
ghost OF poor burton will have ample room TO nit
around IN the gloomy and deserted halls where,
In years gone BY, his wit and brllllancy as an
actor used TO ''bring down the house" ana give
pleasure 70 thousands OF gratihed spectators, VINO
never supposed that the dramatic stage IN cham
bers street would have gwen place TO the forum
and to the Bench.
THE STATE COURTS
Increasing population and growing expansion
OF business and commerce OF necessity augment
litigation. To say, then, that the calendars in all
the varied branches OF the state courts as al
ready prepared for the advent OF the new year,
are larger than they were year ago, IS only say
ing that the city IN the intervening time has
grown additionally populous and It's business In