The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-05-21
The Court and It's Jurisdic-
tion Of the Guiteau Crime.
Removal Of the Victim does
not impair the Jurisdiction.
Treasurer and Auditor of Ar
kansas and their Defalca-
ti0nS.
Shipherd Proposes to make
Public some Suppressed
Testimony.
WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, May 20.-The grand jury
returned new presentments against Gen
Thos. S. Brady, John Dorsey, Stephen w.
Dorsey, Montfort G. Rerdell, Henry M.
Turner, J. R. Miner, J. NJ. Peck and Har-
vey M.lVailes charging conspiring to defraud
against the United States in connection
with awards star route constructs.
Shipherd says he don't propose to bother
with the Foreign Affairs Committee any
further. but intimates he will give public
through the press, documents which the
committee declined to receive upon his
terms.
Shipherd has issued card to the public
which concludes as follows: ''In answer
to letters received from nearly every state
in the Union am considering the expedi-
ency of continuing narrative The necesss-
data are all ready and if the public wants
facts and documents am rather inclined
not to refuse them"
The postmaster general will leave to-
morrow for the west where he will arrange
for fast mail train fscm Chicago west.
GUITEAU's CASE.
WASHINGTON, May 21-A unanimous
decision of the district supreme court on
the question raised by the defense in the
Guiteau case will be announced Monday.
The Post to morrow will give the following
as points of the decision. The opinion of
the court will probably sustain the posi-
ton taken by the district attorney that
the jurisdiction is complete where the
fatal blow was struck without regard to
locality of actual demise. The court holds
that the bullet fired at the president by
Guiteau on the I'd of July in this city was
the cause of his death, and that the trial
could only have been held i'll Washington
that the death of the president in New
Jersey except as affected by local statute
could not change the jurisdiction. The
assassin had not been in New
Jersey had committed no of
ense against New Jersey laws,
and that the mere fact of the victim
being removed to Elberon to prolong his
life or save it if possible, could not be
made to affect the character of the crime
The court will hold in addition that there
are several grounds on which jurisdiction
as exercised might be maintained if it were
necessary to decide the case, first, that this
is on United States court with all the pow
ers Of any circuit court of the United
States; second, that this is judicial dis
trict and that under the provisions of law,
when a crime is begun in one and complet-
ed in another district, the offense is COM
plete in either; third, that murder being an
offense in this district against the United
States and removal of the President to New
Jersey did not take him beyond jurisdiction
of the Government against officers COM
mitted. Considerable anxiety has been
expressed as to the action of the Supreme
Court of the United States, it being an
nounced that an application will be made
to that body by the defendants counsel
for writ of habeas corpos. There are
now only two Justices Of that Court in the
city, Court having adjourned for the term.
Chief Justice Waite and Justice Miller, the
best legal authorities, express doubts
whether such writ could be granted by
fnll Court in session and it
is not believed that any single
Judge win take the responsibility
so important question, when it is re
called that the court was in session for
three months after the sentence of death
had been passed. 1t may, therefore, be
reasonably concluded that Guiteau will
hang as sentenced, and that there is no
earthly hope for him. The Post adds:
After delivery of the opinion the prisoner
will be taken at once to the solitary cell in
jail, where he is now confined, and placed
under continued guard, known as death
watch. Every action will be observed up
to the fatal moment, and not q word per-
mitted to be spoken to him except by his
spiritual advisers, or by persons especially
authorized by the warden. General
Crocker, who has entire charge of, and is
responsible for the assassin from this
time until his dead body is ready to be
consigned to the doctors for post rhorten
examination. District Attorney Corlkhll
has determined upon an examination o1
the brain of the assassin by board of the
most eminent medical experts in the
United States, to put at rest all, as he be
lieves, forever, question as to his insanity
After autopsy the body win be delivered
to relatives of the doomed man if any oi
them call for it.
STATE TREASURER sH0RT.