New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-25
CRITICISMS OF THE GRAND juicy.

FAIuTING THE COUPON EXAMINERS.
WANT or PROSECUTING wITNEssEs-A GROWING
AND DANGEROUS EVIL
The August Grand Jury of which John larsen
Rboades the president of the Grecnwicn oavinss
Bank as the foreman. was discharged yesteia .a
by Recorder Smyth The foreman na1 Ss c W
frauds and the abolition of the practice Oh sehons
witnesses to the House of Detention g.,
The presentment on the first suDlect was as ioi-
lows: a.
"The Grand Jury In and for the city and county
of New-York respectfully invites the attention OF
the court TO the following considerations ,egsauns
the alleged coupon funds IN the Controllers once
" Nrst-Wnen the Grand Jury was empaneileo
they were informed that tney could eApe au
within ten days report ,Ioro1 frapds'
then being made by the Commissioners OF hc,
counts Eighteen DAYS have elapsed anu tue uia sa
Jury has received no such report. MortoNei sn
Grand jury Is informed that but FIX hours uay
al being devoted to the Investigation lnis eaeJ
Jury having report regirdlnB tneso a,'os -,
frauds deems IL inpracticable 10 m tbese
detailed investigation OF them. In view vi uuro o
facts The Grand Jury recommends that n n
be taken to secure greater expedition III 'no pi0p
aratiun of the report ,,oa ,b a, closer
attention. to Their duues by the Commissioners vi
Accounts would have made materially rSs 'n as
opportunities for the commission Of is
those alleged. The inquiry OF the Coinm M m
thereto partly inquiry into acts Oh lhelI wv
which are now in question. Such an INQUIRY c' ,h,
moi command entire conhdehce., iheieiolo o
Grand Jury recommends that sePHia,,4p
iuouIry be undertaken by the ControIier nin' g.,
before further lapse OF time snail cnu'nSei 10
:" Thrd-The Grand Jury finds that the city has
followed the practice usual Win col o.
leaving engraved plates ana bloneS mn. 49,
hnnds have been printed IN the hanhs Oh tue per
ms rn"t,ng Them While the Grani Jury has no
reason to suspect that TINS practice n"s yot "" ~
harmful, 1T stun thinks y al uh and therefore
recommends that all existing plates anu stones IIo
winch series of bonds of the city nave Deen pIl'ot
and compile ed be eflaced ana proper eviuenCS VI
o., an.,n.ut be filed IN the Controllers Oince
and also hereafter when any series OF oonus " "o
issued by the city shall have been printed anu c'ul
nl.f,d the plates aud stones from Whcn tncy W.
rIteI be Immediately eltaced and prop'r evidence
of the placement fled III the Controllers once.
Recorder Smytu, IN receiving the presenimeht VI
the Grand Jury, said that the Mayor hAu nAoil
HIM al tue beginning oil tue term lhaV VIC Ioiii
souers OF Accounts mad agreed 10 present. tu''i IL
p,rL IN ten DAYS or TWO weeks from lhdI tiin' iV
WAS inclined 10 think that tue commissioners nau
d,vnt.d the lime and attention TO the lnat'er tnat
It's Importance ueSvIf'u. . =, .-.-.e , .
connts Yesterday hat the Grand JufOfs hau D'eh
m,sIulorned ) 4 clerks are employed ny tue Com
mlssoneIs every day examining lno cunts ol '"o
Finance Department back TO 80, an" me In'e,es'
coupon accounts back 10 1876, wurAlhg IIoih d,
m 10 d. H. Ine work. II Was SAID. II ulcch greater
than was expected when II was begun. but the Ie-
port wlll soon DC Issued. -,
M
tine pre,euI.ncnt he sail tnit the steel plates Oh
W ucn ponds are engraved arc III l.ie CUSTODY vi
the Americas aud tue Franklin Bank Note Coihpi-
nIes he latter company has eugdVed OnlN one
oo.d since Controller Kelly went out OF Once IN
1880. and the American Company has not
engraved any bOnas sinCc ConirOlicr Otccb term
n ouicr expired. IDc Deputy Controller sdld tudt
the Companies namtd are tesp0nslUlc cOip'rallOhS'
and that tue OpluIUa OF the GRAND jury thdt lh-
prrssIons have been taken from !bese P,dt"s "hcu
,'ns CIV dla not order, Is absurd Furthermore he
said that he bonds are 10, negotiable un'l sighed
by the Mayor and tho Controner, aud seaiod WIN
the cItI 5 sea-, when Is lh tho CUSTODY u.
Cantaln Francis j. Twomey. cielk ot
The Common Council The revenue OonGs
are litnosraphsd and when the Impressions have
been TAKEN the engraving ~ erased IRON the STONE
N,uy bank bonds are Ia the Finance Department
al prescut ana new cagrayInss have been re-
quiTed III lous tlmc' s.,. ,,.,.
of the HOusc oi DctentlOn the Grand jury calls me
attention of the Court 10 the large number Oh cd-rs
submlttod to ~ in which III was npOh'lOc % pro-
cute lie attendance OF material Witnesses VINO hp-
n.ared b..oTe the committing magistrates Whcn
me prisoners were held Tor trial from tae ainda-
WIS OF the officers charged with The duy oil ptocur-
ing the witnesses, u appears tnat dlgelt euOits To
lind them were made without success lho ulahd
Jury therefore believes that fictitious hities aud
| addresses were gwen In the police courts. Inc
I1.trict-Attorney has said that many cases IN wh en-
IKE trouble has been felt nave come oeioIe
inc Court Itsell. he committing inagsTa cs are
n; the opnion that tine amendments To the Code OF
Criminal Procedure forbid them requiring security
Tor IN. auprarAucc oi material witnesses iot the
1
tnar oplnon. and in most cases ma.ng no
effort To- secure their attendance The jury THINKS
mat because of this justice Is trquenfiy
defeated The District Attorney has advised tine
Grand Jury that notwithstanding the amend EMS
to tnr Code the magistrates have the power ana 1t
Is.ther duty to To urc nom all material witnesses
for the people personal undertakings Tor their ~
pears. cc. ms prrsentmcnJ concludes a. follows:
f. Will be observed thRt the Nnici nave en-
efore us IN which Witnesses caluOt DC Uund are most
enircy or pockepickinS ana robbery Two 81 tue
orst forms oi crne and the nO,aDo inc.casc Ia the
umper OF cases wneases cannot De procured
renders IL desirable IN tue opinion vi this Grand jury
mar Hoe measures snOuli he taken To settle the law
ma the rates, II tney nav" the power under the
la TO secure attendance OF Witnesses, mag Dc con-
peed 10 exercise tue powers which tDey MAY nave Tor
that purpose.
The Grand Jury for September. 1882, made a
uresentIneut III winch they strongly recommended
The ABOLITION OF the system OF OBTAINING witne~ses,
a. evening those no witnessed crimes from MAX
| inc ihelnselves AuOwu for fear Of ImprlsOnment
| Recorder Smyth, IN commenting on the present
| meuL Yesterday, saId that tie was inclined 10 be-
neyo that the Dlstnct-Ai tOrney was rIgnt III his
construcuon of the Law, bu. he would make a
fuIIuer examination and consult with tho District
Attorney as to the advIsaDiIty OF sending COM
municatlou Oh the SUBJECT TO the pOllco justices.