Ex parte Cuddy

• Decision Date: 13 May 1889
• Parties: Ex parte CUDDY
• Court: U.S. Supreme Court

131 U.S. 280

9 S.Ct. 703

33 L.Ed. 154

Ex parte CUDDY.

May 13, 1889.

J. A. Anderson, for appellant.

Sol. Gen. Jenks and Geo. J. Denis, Dist. Atty., for respondent.

Mr. Justice HARLAN, after stating the facts in the foregoing language, delivered the opinion of the court.

This is an appeal from a final judgment in the Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern District of California, denying an application for a writ of habeas corpus.

The appellant, in his petition for the writ, represented that he was detained and imprisoned contrary to the Constitution and laws of the United States, under and by virtue of a war- rant of commitment based upon a pretended judgment of the District court of the United States for the Southern District of California, adjudging him guilty of contempt of court, and sentencing him to six months' imprisonment in jail.

The petition purports to set out all the minutes, records and files of the court, in the proceedings for contempt, from which it appears that on the 12th day of February, 1889, the case of United States v. W. More Young coming on regularly for trial, a jury was ordered to be drawn and impanelled; that the names of twelve jurors were regularly drawn from the box, and they were sworn on their voir dire; that among the names so drawn was that of Robert McGarvin, who, being asked upon his examination if he had been approached or spoken to by any one about the above case, replied that he had been approached and spoken to about it by the appellant Cuddy; that, upon the testimony thus adduced, the court made an order directing a citation to be issued forthwith, requiring appellant to appear before the court, on the next day, to show cause why he should not be punished for contempt; and that such citation was accordingly at once issued.

It further appears from the minutes and orders, that the matter of contempt came on for hearing the next day, the appellant appearing in person and by counsel; that an exception to the proceedings was taken by him, "a general denial entered, and the hearing was proceeded with;" that after the witnesses on behalf of the government were examined, the appellant moved to dismiss the matter of contempt, and the motion was denied; that he testified, under oath, in his own behalf; and that upon the conclusion of all the testimony the matter was submitted. The court made the following order:

"Whereas, in the progress of the trial of the action of The United States of America v. W. More Young, on the 12th day of February, 1889, upon the examination of the term trial juror, Robert McGarvin, as to his qualification to sit as a trial juror in the said action, the said McGarvin testified, among other things, in effect that on the day previous he was approached by one Thomas J. Cuddy with the object of Cuddy's part to influence his, McGarvin's, actions as a juror in the said case in the event that he should be sworn to try the said action; and

"Whereas, from the testimony, this court, on the said 12th day of February, 1889, entered an order directing the said Thomas J. Cuddy to show cause before this court, at the court-room thereof, at 10 o'clock, on the 13th day of February, 1889, why he should not be adjudged guilty of a contempt this court; and

"Whereas, in response to said citation, said Thomas J. Cuddy did, on the said 13th day of February, 1889, appear before the said court; and

"Whereas testimony was then and there introduced in respect to the matter both for and against him:

The court, having duly considered the testimony, does now find the fact to be that the said Thomas J. Cuddy did, upon the 11th day of February, 1889, approach the said Robert McGarvin, at the time being a term trial juror duly impanelled in this court, with the view to improperly influence the said McGarvin's actin in the case of the United States of America against the said Young in the event the said McGarvin should be sworn as a juror in said action.

"Now, it is here adjudged by the court that the said Thomas J. Cuddy did thereby commit a contempt of this court, for which contempt it is now here ordered and adjudged that the said Thomas J. Cuddy be imprisoned in the county jail of the county of Los Angeles for the period of six months from this date, and the marshal of this district will execute this judgment forthwith."

The petition for the writ sets out also the warrant of commitment, which recites that the appellant "was convicted of a contempt of the said court, committed on the 11th day of February, 1889, at the city of Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, State of California, and within the jurisdiction of said court."

The appellant in his application claims "that said United States District Court had no jurisdiction or authority legally to try and sentence him in the manner and form above stated: (1) For the reason that the matters set out in said judg- ment do not constitute any contempt of court provided for by § 725 of the Revised Statutes of the United States; (2) for the reason that the proceedings in said court were insufficient to give the court jurisdiction to proceed to judgment in said matter; (3) for the reason that said judgment is void, because not based or founded upon any proceedings in due course of law."

This is the whole case, as made by the petition for the writ of habeas corpus.

Although the testimony given on the hearing of the question of contempt was taken down by a stenographer, under oath, no part of it except the evidence of McGarvin, the substance of which is recited in the above order, appears in the transcript.

We are unable from the record before us to say that the circuit court erred in denying the application for the writ of habeas corpus. The statute requires the application for a writ of habeas corpus to set forth 'the facts concerning the detention of the party restrained, in whose custody he is detained, and by virtue of what claim or authority, if known.' Rev. St. § 754. The return must specify the true cause of detention, and the petitioner, or the party imprisoned, 'may deny any of the facts set forth in the...