The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-07-26
LOCAL Nj ALTERS.

THE TOBACCO SFIZCRE~-IHE CASE BEFORE
THE POLICE JUSTICE. warrant of seiZ-
urc In the case of the 302 packages OF strips
found on board the British bark Tsrpeian.
ehen she was about 10 clear for Liverpool,
caimed to be unnspectrd" tobacco, was
returned to the Police Justices Court on
Saturday, having been executed on Friday
evening by Special Constable John l.. Wea.
therford. Judge w. w. Crump appeared as
counsel for the hippers-Measrs. Z. X.
Bnksdale, William Hatcher, John Enders &
SOP, j. J. Gray, Montague & Gentry, and
Mathew GiImour. Mr.. e. Cabell CARING
ton, Ccmmonwealth's attorney, was present,
but not having looked into the case, having
but just returned from his wedding tour,
| told he Police Justice that Mr.. G.. V. Mere
| d,h, who was more familiar with the mat"
ter, would act for the Commonwealth.
Judge Crump said that it was understood
| on Friday night between Justice w. K.
Granger, who issued the warrant of seizure,
Detective Weatherford, Mr. MarshalI, the
| British Consul, and the captain OF the ship,
that the bearing would take plice on Mon
| day. He would like for the Justice to desig-
| nate the hour when the case could be taken
up.
| Mr.. Meredith bad no objection to the hear
| ing being postponed until Monday, but 10.
sisted that The law should be complied With,
and he read from section 81 chapter S5 Of the
! Code 10 relation to the seizure on board ship
| Of tobacco believed to be uninspected, that
| "The officer executing such warrant shall
! carry any such tobacco so seized before the
same or other Justice, who shall cause the
said tobacco to he carried to the nearest
warehouse established by law for the inspec'
| tion OF tobacco, and there inspected and
marked, or branded, according to law"
| Mr.. Meredith claimed that this should be
done at once, and ought to have been done
before.
Judge Crump ridiculed the idea of bring.
| ing 302 hogsheads OF tobacco into the Police
| Court.
| Mr.. Meredith said he was not to be turned
| from what be conceived 10 bn his duty by
any ridcule from the other side. TIE law
was plain and should be obeyed, ard the un.
Inspected tobacco >hoTd oe taken possession
OF by the Justice and "carred 10 the near
est warehouse"
Judge .Crump was not willing to admit
that this was the unnspected tobacco re-
terred to in the Code. On the contrary be
expected 20 prove that all Of it had been iu
spected. Had it not been for the under.
standing of Friday night he could have gone
on at once with the case. AS it was he de-
sired little time TO procure the attendance
OF witnesses. DC.
The Justice said, as he understood, the
question to be decided was whether or not
this tobacco had been inspected. He would
therefore not have it removed from the
ship, but would require the Chief OF Police
to detail sufficient force to take charge oil
il until Monday.
The case was thereupon postponed unit
to-day at II O'Clock.
The Police Justice asked what action had
been taken in reference to the captain Of the
ship. If this tobacco was unlnspected he
should be arrested for misdetneanor in VIC
lating The state inspection laws.
MessrS. CabrlI and Meredith promised to
consult about that.
The representatives of the Commonwealth
Immediately started to draw up warrant
for the arrest OF the captain, but probably
rrconsidered their determination, as up to t
late hour Saturday night the captain had not
been taken into custody.
We are informed that the seized tobacco i
worth somewhere abou' S9n,0U0, and shoulC
Detective Weathertord MAKE good his cast
be would be entitled 10 fees that would
amount TO large fortune, 10 say nothing q
upon and collected from the captain.
But the section under which this acton !:
taken, if it really means that leaf -iobaccC
having been 0nre Inspected shall be again ip
spected if sttmmed and repackcd, as far a:
known, h IS never been enforced. II was ir
tue Code of 1919 and certainly from tia
date 10 this has not been enforced in Rich
moud. From time to time questions nave
| been raised as to It's true intent ana mean
ing, but the decisions Of lawyers, inc ludins
attorney generals. OF the State (no case wa:
ever previously before the courts), were
always favorable TO the l0ng-prcvallng Gus
tom OF not requiring strips from inspected
tob,cco to be IT Inspected, whether intended
Tor eXpOrtaiion or not.
Tue inspection laws Of the State are totally
di,reyarded everywhere except III Richmond
Petersburg, and Farmvlle. Among thos'
who petltloned the General Assembly at th'
last session not 10 abolish the inspection law
we're some OF tue gentlemen who appear a
shippers on the Tarpeian.'