Middletown transcript., 1875-05-15
Proceedings of Court.

The court of General Sessions and of the
Peace and Jail Delivery opened at New Castle
on Monday. Chief Justice Gilpin and Asso-
ciate Justice Houston on the bench. Nathan
iel Williams Esq, was made foreman Of the
Grand Jury. The usual charge was deliv-
cred by G. ]. Gilpin. The most notable fea-
ture in the charge was his Honer's statement
that crime was fast increasing in this county,
while it was decreasing in both Kent and
Sussex. ''The people," said he, fare becom-
ing lawless. The only check is the quick,
prompt and speedy visitation of the penalties
Of the law" The Judge alluded to the re-
cent supposed homocide in Wilmington and
explained the law Of murder-different de-
grees &c, and the duties of the Grand Jury
in regard 10 it. He also called the attention
Of the Grand Jury TO the Temperance law,
and spoke cf the duties of the various con-
tables TO prevent infringements of this law,
and of their disregard of it, and charged the
Grand Jury to hold them to a strict account.
A large number of petty cases-selling
liquor without license, selling liquor on Sun
day, assault and battery, illegal voting, doing
business without license &C., were then dis
posed of. Some by payment of costs, some
by forfeiture of bail, others by entering
,olleprosequi &C., &c.
The Grand Jury returned true bills against
number of men and women both white and
negroes, for small offences-petty larcenes
&c. Several of these were convicted some
by trial and some by pleading guilty. The
court made short work with them and placed
various sentences upon them, according to
the nature of their several offences, and thus
ended the first day.
TUESDAY, May 18th, rs.
The time of the court was again occupied
with lot of miserable little cases of larceny
and assault that any J. P. might have set
tied. The first caseof any account whatever
was that of
State vs. Chas. H. Gallagher, indicted for
an assault upon Wm. T. Croasdale, of EUsry
Erening. Mr.. G. submitted the case to the
court, and was tried without jury. Messrs.
Croasdale, Cameron, G. r. Greenman and
W. Fl. Brady testified for the State.
This closed the testimony.
Mr.. Gallagher then made statement to the
Court admitting the truth of Mr.. Croasdale's
testimony and acknowledging the assault
He stated that for more than II year he had
been abused through the columns of EDery
ESening and denounced as thief, a scoun
lrel and a liar While admitting the techni-
,al offense, however, he did not regret its |
There seemed to be no other
way of saving himself and his family from
he base attacks of Mr.. Croasdale 1t has
been the boast of that paper that it keeps
within the limits of the libel law and men
who 60 into that office indignant, come out
meek as lambs. A man has no remedy
against this abuse, stood it as long as hu-
man endurance could stand it. | am in no
public Office, if l were I might be criticised.
If there is any charge of fraud or theft against
ne let it be proved. In this very article l
was charged with being thief.
Mr.. Croasdale asked the -Coart if he had
permission to reply to the statements just
made Being granted permission, he spoke
as follows:
The article to which Capt. Gallagher al
udes did not, even by implication, call him
i thief, and his statement to that effect is
false, as are also good many of the other
statements he kas just made. have never
attacked this man from personal feelings, but
have simply performed what believed to be
a public duty. / believe him to be bad
man, dangerous to the community, and have
simply sought to prevent him from obtaining
official position. He claims that my last at
tack was made on him since he was in private
life, but have frequently heard such claims
in his behalf and Immediately afterwards
found him active in political movements. My
last attack upon him was directed against an
effort on bis part to return to Office, which |
consider it as much my duty to prevent as ]
considered it my duty originally to drive him
out, which l successfully did.
The Court said the prosecuting witness did
not appear to have susta ined any very severe
injury, and it thereupen imposed fine of
Sl5 and costs on the prisoner, the total pen
atty amounting to little over $50.
Court then took recess till p. m.
Another batch of petty larceny cases were
disposed of in the afternoon.