Year: 1871




Yesterday morning the Grand Jury entered the
Court OF General Sessions, ana. after presenting
large batch or indiotmenSs Tor larceny and burglary
the foreman read the subIoined statement After
he mad concluded the reading Recorder Hacxett
said that IL would be submitted to Judge Bedford.
who would come into Court on Monday


REASONS WI TEE GRAND JURY OF THE COURT OF


GENERAL SESSIONS ASK FOR AN EXTENSION OF


THEIR TIME.


This jury was empaneled on the first Monday Of
November last. That being election week. by advice
OF the Court the jury did no duty until Monday,
the 18th OF November In about four days. the jury
having passed upon about seventy cases OF ordinary
character, they were on the - day OF November
called into Court by His Honor Judge Bedford
and specially charged to take up, examine and act
upon the alleged immense frauds upon the public
treasury Of the city and county. In Difference to
that charge the jury Immediately commenced such
Investigations and nave pursued them with zeal and
diligence from that date to this. They began with
the case ADVISED BY the de dct0 Attorney General,
MIR. Charles OConor, as recommended by His
Honor Judge Bedford. The first resolution adopted
by the jury that all bills OF indictment ordered
by them In the fraud cases should De prepared Dy
the District Attorney, aided by Mr.. o. Conor and Mr.
Tnden. This was done with the expressed hearty
concurrence OF the District Attorney, and the OBJ
ject was to secure the correct technical
accuracy OF the bills OF Indictment tnat
might be finally passed by the jury and
signed by the foreman, and to MAKE all these gen.
temen equally responsible for such ACCURACY. After
many days Of continued labor It was found that 1t
would be quite impossible to complete any proper
Court, when the disposal OF the motion would
be matter OF course. On representation OF these
inst and afterwards stated thai further time would
be given n the Jury required It, the Jury have now
the 1 district Attorney tori i ami MI. Oconor, and are
waiting the return Of the proper papers Tor the


final an 0aS Of tine others SSs nave 4ssar not %
submit Another and further reason why they
desire more time s:T0 the neglect OF their private
tion matter OF duty and they are all unwilling
that their WORK should be lost and their acts made
VOID BY any unforeseen technical ANTIQUITIES. Tney
desire that this Court and their fellow citizens
should understand that they do not shrink from the
responsibilities o action: The attention OF the Jury
has been called to the following statute OF the Laws
OF the state to be found In section IL chapter $780,
Laws Of 1870 volume 2, page l,S00:-


u5, be eus the Of Oyer and
may meet a and during the same times but in suGn case the
upon such matters as shall heard before


ing magistrate and shall have been submitted by the dis


The District Attorney expresses his readiness to
submit these and all other cases the Jury wish, but
the fraud cases on winch the jury are engaged have
The contingency referred to in the statute now
exists Doubtless the crowded condition Of the
prisons rendered the empanellng OF the new jury
necessity, and especially this jury had suspended
hearing prison cases IN order to hear the fraud
cases. as requested BY the Court. In this state Of
affairs the Jury asked the advice OF the District
Attorney and Mr.. OConor 10 the effect OF this act
upon their official decisions upOn the complaints
before them, and although those gentlemen think
the action OF this jury, II taken during the
session OF the other Grand Jury, would
ssiil still the jury think it would OF course raise raise
questions that might and doubtless would take
the to Courts OF last resort for decision and
thus delay, II not defeat the course OF justice.
Under these circumstances the jury respectfully ask
that their term may be 30 extended that they may
pass uron the cases now being prepared for action
after the discharge Q; the other Grand Jury aud
facilitate such results propose 70 act upon prison
cases at the same time With the Of1er Grand Jury
until such cases be all disposed OF.


To this amendment the District Attorney gives his
approval, and has already sent to this Jury numer
GUS PRISON cases on which they are now acting and
have passed upon some one hundred and seventy
causes. LUClEN ]. C0MSTOCK, Foreman.