Year: 1871

Vh0 Grand Jury and tho CITY FoiOntes-


Is tsere a s.Niyser In tho Fence ~


The Grand Jury Of the General Sessions
appeared in Court yesterday and presented,
through their foreman, long written state
ment, reviewing the work that has been
before them since they we're empanelled
on the first Monday Of November last,
and giving their reasons for asking further
extension of time to enable them to complete
the Investigations in which they are engaged.
They state In substance that they did not
commence their labors until the 18th
November, In consequence Of the election
that fonr days thereafter they were called into
Court and specially charged to examine into
the telonies alleged to have been committed
by officers Of the city government, and
that Sin Difference to that charge"-they
had better have said in Difference to their plain
duty as grand jurors-they had Immediately
commenced such Investigations, land have
pursued them with zeal and diligence from
that day to this" They have now very con-
siderable number Of cases-of course relating
to these city felonies-in the hands Of the Dis
trict Attorney and Mr.. O'Conor, whose assist
ance in preparing bills of indictment they have
solicited, and they are awaiting the return Of
the proper papers for their final action but
they have not time before next Monday, to
tended, to finish those cases and others which
are ready to be submitted. A new diff.
fculty, however, now confronis them.
Another Grand Jury has been empanelled
in the Court of Oyer and Terminer, now in
session, and the statute provides (sec.ion 81,
chapter $50, Laws of 1s7O) that Grand Juries
in the Oyer and Terminer and General Scs-
sions may be empanclled and meet at the
same time, ''but in such case the Grand Jury
in the Court of Sessions shall only act upon
such matters as shall have been heard before
committing magistrate and shall have been
submitted by the District Attorney" This
contingency now exists; the two Grand Juries
are in session, and while the District Attorney
expresses his readiness to do his part towards
securing the indictment Of the, city criminals,
1t unfortunately happens that ''the fraud
cases on which the Jury are engaged have not
been heard before committing magistrate"
The Grand Jury OF the General Sessions,
however, determined not to ''shrink from the
responsibilities of action" ask that their term
be further extended for period sufficient to
clear off all the ordinary prison cases. when
the Grand Jury of the Oyer and Terminer will
be discharged, and they can then proceed
with the fraud cases without the restriction
imposed upon them by the statute to which
we have referred.


There is no doubt that the time they ask
will be instantly given them by Judge Bed
ford, who has shown o determination to do his
duty calmly and fearlessly In the matter, and
TO afford the Grand Jury all the facil-
ties they can desire. The Judge will
assuredly grant their present request
for an extension, as he granted their
first request, and hence they will not
meet with any embarrassment from the Court
But delays sgs dsg ds1gssgsus, particularly xhen
men who are threatened with the State Prison
have ample means and opportunity 10 give JUS
tce the slip. According to the account
Of their work given by the Grand
Jury they have already been dill
gently pursuing the investigation into the
city felonles from November az 70 December
Is, period, deducting four Sundays, Of
twenty days. We give them the credit Of
desiring to do their duty, and are willing to
believe that District Attorney Garvin is sin
cere in his professions OF readiness to submit
the cases to the Grand Jury; but we
have been unable to understand why all
these delays and difficulties, muddles and
miscarriages should exist in relation to the
Wholesale forgeries and robberes committed
against the people In their corporate capacity,
when they are never found to impede the
course Of justice In the case Of ordi-
nary felons. 1t Is, therefore, fortu-
nate that the arrests of Tweed and
Connolly, made last night, will bring the
matter to an issue and enable the Grand Jury
10 bring In their bills at once, without waiting
= A. - lIx.n