New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-21
Court Items.

| The large number of decisions rendered
By the Supreme Court yesterday are of i'm
portance in deciding several unsettled
| points OF law, but no decision was rendered
in any case involving State issues.
Judge Hawkins. in the decision published
this morning, settles the troubles of the
gaslight companies, and in effect secure
the citizens of New Orleans in rights of il
Elimination that dark proceedings thre a t.
ened to extinguish.
In the criminal courts the newly sum.
moned Jurors made their appearance. In
the First District Court there were thir ty.
six. Of these, three. Messrs. Charles E.
Slayback, Peter Pourcene and B. J,
Flospoller were suspended to await de
cision on the fremen's exemption. J. G.
Fleming and John w. Roxborough were
sick in bed: Andry Tessier and NJ. Dun art
were over age; Adam Thompson and
Louis NJ. Commagere were physicall dis
abled; T. Grandpre and Charles Joub ert
were attached to the United States cour t:
A. DeBlanc was absent somewhere. and
Samuel Cheese had smallpox in his fam iIy
Judge Aoell put curb on the imp ulse
his kind heart usually forces him to ex-
ercising him to excuse jurors, but he only
saved fifteen out of the thirty-six. Three
of them could not be held any way, for they
were not citizens Of the United States, II
must have astonished soma of their frien ds
to hear Messrs. B. j. West, Sylvester Cam
hon opA T,iInra
The last name on the list was that of Mr..
D. G. Byerly. He informed the court that
lie had every inclination to serve on a iury
if it would help his country, but he was
desirOus of being put where he would do
the most good. At present he was man ag-
ing the leading journal of the city lin the
counting room) and helped enforce the
laws by abusing its executors. He tho ught
he was of more value to the commun ity in
that capacity that he would be on a iury.
Judge Abel concurred.
The district court then adjourned and
the Superior Criminal Court came in. Some
few got excused. Mr.. Michael Bulger ca me
in under the firemens exemption clause;
Mr.. w. M. Perkins was consul of fore ign
power; Messrs. Thomas Mccarthy, C.. T.
Salvador Fernandez and j. S.
Copes were too old; Msssrs. J. Terva lion
and Nelson McStea were United States off.
GERS; Mr.. II. P. Bartlett was dead; Me ssrs.
Joseph Ellison and Joseph A. Lum W ere
not found, and Mr.. j. T. Barrett was
physically disabled; others the law ex.
empted; Mr.. P. Egan. prominent Dem
ocratic politician of the fourth ward, and
). NJ. Lapeyre, banker, made oath thew
were not citizens Of the United State S: Mr..
Joseph W. Champlin being too sick to
serve, his name went back in the box to be
drawn when he gets better.
Senator Pinchback was informed BY the
court that as United States officer he was
exempt, if he chose to claim his priv ilege.
He replied that the only reason he knew
why he should not serve was that he was
IN favor of hanging. Judge Atocha said
hat in the mids of some people that condi-
ion of mind might be an objection, bu t in
his court it would be no obstac Ie to the
situation as Juror, and the
senator was eligible if he did not claim ex.
'mption on the other ground Mr.. Pinch.
'ack thereupon became juror.
Many excuses We're offered by those whose |
lames were first called, but the strict ruling |
If the court deferred those who 70 lowed |
he first half dozen from Offering any.
MIR. Joseph Cohu said he coudn It hear, |
'ut understood the court very well and had |
o serve. Mr.. Horace Carpenter was sec re-
airy OF the Sun Mutual Insuran CO Com pany,
Which would be eclipsed if he did not |
distribute its sDise. He had to serve.
lr. Charles Eugstfeldt was vice presi-
ent Of the Teutonia Insurance Com
any. The court said it would try
nd make the jurors duties light, but
erve he must. Mr.. j. X. Small informed
be court that he wanted to go and attend
is plantation, now threatened with over
ow. The court pitied Mr.. Sma II for the
ack of knowledge as to the duty of a pub
spirited citizen, and kindly said that
lis time, Mr. Small having never been in
ourt OF justice before, he would not be
ned for contempt in offering 80 frivolous
excuse. By serving two weeks he would
arm better and have plenty of time to at.
nd to his plantation.
Mr. l.. Beebe. tailor, wanted to serve on a
ry very much, but he had nine suits to
axe, which was one mans work, and he
ouid like to put in his public mending two
onths later. The court preferred to en-
lge him at once. Mr.. Walter II. Wait had
settler for the court. He was an employe
the jackson railroad, secretary in fact,
I'd the charter of the company, granted in
%, especially exempted him. The court
as pleased to learn this, and glad to con-
atuiate the employees of the road on the
easure they might receive from perusing
Is permission. But the jury law of 1873
rgot to mention it, and the court could | {
It supply the omission. Mr.. Wait will 9
rye as Juror.
After this all the gentlemen marched
easantiy to the bar and said they had no I
cuse. The consequence is that there is I
best grand jury and two petty criminal a
'ies that New Orleans ever saw.