Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
There were in the Circuit and District
courts of the United States terminated during
the last year 1872 criminal prosecutions; 235 of
these were prosecutions under the customs
laws, in which there were l24 convictions, IS
acquittsls and 92 were entered mol. pros, dis
continued or quashed; 1868 under the in
ternal revenue laws, in which were 2664 con-
victions, 600 acquittals and 1899 were entered
mol. pros, discontinued or quashed; 446 under
postoffice laws, in which there were 277 con-
victions, So acquittals and l16 entered mol.
pros, discontinued or quashed; 2S7 under the
election laws, in which there were so convic-
tions AZ acquittals and 1876 entered mol. pros,
discontinued or quashed; 9 under civil rights
acts in which there was acquittal and en-
tered mol. pros, discontinued or quashed; 2
under the naturalization laws all of which
were entered mol. pros, discontinued or
quashed; 535 under the intercourse laws. in
which there were 406 convictions, 50 acquit-
tails and 20 mol. pros, discontinued or quashed; I;
100 under the pension laws, in which there
were "a convictions, IS acquittals and 80 en-
tered mol. pros, discontinued or quashed; 81
for embezzlement, in which there were 6 con-
victions, acquittals and 26 entered not. pros,
discontinued or quashed; 1873 miscellaneous
prosecutions in which there were 751 con-
victions, 24S acquittals and 479 entered mol
pros, discontinued or quaShed.
The expenses of the courts, when finally
ascertained for fiscal year, usually reach
s., 100000. 1t is not prudent to suppose that
they will fall below this sum in any year.
The practice of compensating the United
States marshal by fees is an expensive one.
Examiners of The Department of Justice who
have been detailed to examine their accounts
report that in order to make the maximum
fees of the office $4,000 per annum, unscrupu
IL,
their deputies, have encouraged frivolous
prosecutions, outraging the rights of citizens
and involving the United States in unneces-
sary and excessive expenses. 1t is estimated
that it costs the government ten dollars eX-
penses for every dollars emoluments of the
marshal.
The Treasury department seem to have
been well protected by laws designed to pre-
vent and punish The use of false affidavits
concerning the business in that department.
But the other departments of the govern
ment, particularly the Postoffice department,
have not been SO fortunate. By act of Con-
gress the head of each department is allowed
to prescribe rules and regulations for the con-
duct and management of the business of this
department. Under this authority rules and
regulations have been prescribed in each of
the departments, and these rules and regula-
tions have the full force and effect of laws.
The postmaster general, when called upon
to exercise discretion in diminishing or in
creasing the service and prescribing the pay
to be allowed to the contractor for such in
crease or diminution, is compelled to rely
mainly upon the statements of the contractor,
made under oath, to guide him i'll this re-
speet. An affidavit may now be furnished to
the postmaster general false in every par
ticular, and upon the strength of which oath
the postmaster general may make an order
whereby the government may be defrauded
of q large amount of money, yet it is doubt
full whether the person making such false
oath commits any offense against the present
laws of the United States.
A change in the law afiording a remedy for
this trouble is suggested. The costs of the
jury system in the District OF Columbia are
set forth. The attorney general remarks OF
the people of the district:
There are large number of people who
carry on business, or who own or rent houses
and live with their families during the
greater part of the year in the district, and
yet claim home and citizenship elsewhere.
To become citizen of the district is to lose
the right to vote in any other place, and this
matter of temporary residence is so we'll un
derstood that the question asked by one &C
quaintance casually meeting another in
the streets or houses in Washington is not
Where do you reside?" but invariably,
Where are you stopping?" This large class
Of intelligent and desirable residents, un-
fortunately, are exempt from jury duty.
On the first day of the term, it is usually
found that about two-thirds of each set of
jurors answer to their names, the marshal
having been unable to find the other one
third. The first business in order is for the
court to hear the various excuses offered by
the Jurors who have been summoned and
who desire to be relieved from duty. At
this point it is proper to direct attention to
in the district means an enforced attendance
at court and almost total abandonment of
private business for one-fourth of the whole
year, hardship and injustice that is not
imposed upon citizens in any other place in
the United States, and would not be tolerat-
ed in any community where the people have
a voice in framing their own laws.
1t is the subject of belief and common re-
port that the business of "jury-ixing' flour
ishes to an alarming extent in the district.
1t is asserted that men live, support their
families and even become rich in the prac-
tice OF this nefarious profession. Such n
practice or profession exists to some extent
in nearly every large city, un1er the best
devised jury systems, and notwithstanding
the care, attention and safeguards thrown
around the juries TO prevent their being
tempered with. But as the jury system now
exists, that INSCRIPTIONS men should safely
conduct lucrative business, in debauching
juries in the district should occasion no sur
prise. With but twenty-six jurors such as
usually serve, an active jury-fixer would be-
come acquainted with at least two or three
of them in few hours, and that would give
him strong beginning in his effort to thwart
justice. With but twenty six jurors serving
for three months, it would not require
one-third of that time for the combined
force of jury-fxers to become thoroughly
acquainted with the habits, associations
character and business of each Juror, and the
Influences, if any, that could be used to
reach him and bring him within their
power. Then again, what is there to pre-
vent one or more well-dressed and appar-
emily respectable looking rogues placing
themselves in the way of the marshal or his
deputies, to be brought into court as tales
men, and serving upon the juries to acquit
their friends or confederates2 Such devices
unhappily are not unknown in the district,
and others could be enumerated, and will
naturally suggest themselves, after careful
consideration, but enough has been shown
to demonstrate the fact that unnecessary
responsibility is placed upon officers who,
although acting from the purest and most
conscientious motives, are liable at any time
TO censure and reproach; and that the court
and prosecuting officer should not any