Trial of the Officers and Crew of the Privateer Savannah, on the Charge of Piracy, in the United States Circuit Court for the Southern District of New YorkWarburton, A. F. (Adolphus Frederick)
History
Trial of the Officers and Crew of the Privateer Savannah, on the Charge of Piracy, in the United States Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York
Warburton, A. F. (Adolphus Frederick)
Piracy -- United States; Privateering -- United States; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
_Mr. Larocque_: If your honor please, I represent but one of the
prisoners. There are other counsel, I believe, who represent them
generally. I appear for Mr. Harleston (the mate), and I will now state
what I have to say with respect to the motion made by the District
Attorney. Mr. Daniel Lord is associated with me, and I believe he is
now engaged in the adjoining Court, but will soon be here. The Court
will perceive that the learned District Attorney has very properly
taken a considerable period of time for the framing of this indictment.
It is some weeks now since the warrant of arrest was issued, and the
course which he has taken certainly deserves great commendation; for
the indictment in this case, more than any other that has ever been
found in this Court, required greater care in its preparation, and it
is one which will certainly present more important questions than
probably any that has ever been tried in this Court. The indictment was
only presented yesterday, and, as far as I am concerned, I was only
informed of its presentation late yesterday afternoon. Of course, I had
no opportunity to examine it. I believe it is quite a voluminous
document, and contains a great many counts; and before the prisoners at
the bar would be prepared to plead to the indictment, it will certainly
be necessary that their counsel should examine it with care, and
determine what course to take with regard to it; and then, probably,
there may be some application that it will be necessary to make to the
Court before the prisoners will be prepared to plead. I therefore
desire a postponement for that purpose, until we can have time to
examine this indictment.
_The District Attorney_: I doubt not it is proper that time should be
given to examine this indictment, and to adopt such course with respect
to it as gentlemen standing in the sacred relation of counsel may deem
it their duty to take. I should be very glad, however, if that time
could be, with due regard to the convenience of counsel, so near as
that the pleas may be recorded and the trial set down for some day
before the Court adjourns. I shall be ready, if your honor please, on
behalf of the Government, to try the prisoners on any day. I shall be
prepared to try them within two or three days; but, certainly, it is
right that counsel should have time to examine the indictment, as
suggested. I hope only that such examination may be made speedily, as I
understand your honor will adjourn the Court at an early day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account