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CHAPTER THE TWENTY FIRST.

OF

ARRESTS.

W

E are now to consider the regular and ordinary method of proceeding in the courts of criminal jurisdiction ; which may be distributed under twelve general heads, following each other in a progreffive order: viz. 1. Arrest; 2. Commitment, and bail; 3. Prosecution; 4. Process; 5. Arraignment, and it's incidents; 6. Plea, and issue; 7. Trial, and conviction; 8. Clergy; 9. Judgment, and it's consequences; 10. Reversal of judgment; 11. Reprieve, or pardon; 12. Execution: all which will be discussed in the subsequent part of this book.

FIRST then, of an arrest: which is the apprehending or restraining of one's person, in order to be forthcoming to answer an alleged or fufpected crime. To this arrest all persons whatsoever are, without distinction, equally liable to all criminal cases : but no man is to be arrested, unless charged with such a crime, as will at least justify holding him to bail, when taken. And, in general, an arrest may be made four ways: 1. By warrant : 2. By an officer without warrant: 3. By a private person also without warrant: 4. By an hue and cry.

1. A WARRANT may be granted in extraordinary cases by the privy council, or secretaries of state; but ordinarily by juftices of the peace. This they may do in any cafes where they have a jurifdiction over the offence; in order to compel the person accused to appear before them: for it would be abfurd to give them power to examine an offender, unless they had also a power to compel him to attend, and submit to fuch examination. And this extends undoubtedly to all treasons, felonies, and breaches of the peace ; and also to all fuch offences as they have power to punish by statute. Sir Edward Coke indeed hath laid it down, that a justice of the peace cannot issue a warrant to apprehend a felon upon bare fufpicion; no, not even till an indictment be actually found: and the contrary practice is by others held to be grounded rather upon connivance, than the express rule of law; though now by long cuftom established. A doctrine, which would in most cases give a loose to felons to escape without punishment; and therefore fir Matthew Hale hath combated it with invincible authority, and strength of reason : maintaining, 1. That a justice of peace hath power to issue a warrant to apprehend a person accused of of felony, though not yet indicted; and 2. That he may also issue a warrant to apprehend a person fufpected of felony, though the original fufpicion be not in himself, but in the party that prays his warrant; because he is a competent judge of the probability offered to him of such suspicion. But in both cafes it is fitting to examine upon oath the party requiring a warrant, as well to afcertain that there is a felony or other crime actually committed, without which no warrant should be granted; as also to prove the caufe and probability of suspecting the party, against whom the warrant is prayed. This warrant ought to be under the hand and feal of the justice, should fet forth the time and place of making, and the cause for which it is made,

2

1 Lord Raym. 65.

b 2 Hawk. P. С. 84.

• 4 Inft. 176.

d 2 Hawk. P. С. 84..

2 Hal. P. С. 108..

f Ibid. LIO..

:

and

and should be directed to the conftable, or other peace officer, requiring him to bring the party either generally before any juftice of the peace for the county, or only before the justice who granted it; the warrant in the latter cafe being called a special warrants. A general warrant to apprehend all persons suspected, without naming or particularly describing any person in special, is illegal and void for it's uncertainty; for it is the duty of the magistrate, and ought not to be left to the officer, to judge of the ground of fufpicion. And a warrant to apprehend all persons guilty of a crime therein specified, is no legal warrant: for the point, upon which it's authority rests, is a fact to be decided on a subsequent trial; namely, whether the person apprehended thereupon be really guilty or not. It is therefore in fact no warrant at all: for it will not justify the officer who acts under it; whereas a lawful warrant will at all events indemnify the officer, who executes the same ministerially. When a warrant is received by the officer, he is bound to execute it, so far as the jurisdiction of the magistrate and himself extends. A warrant from the chief, or other, justice of the court of king's bench extends all over the kingdom : and is teste'd, or dated, England; not Oxfordshire, Berks, or other particular county. But the warrant of a justice of the peace in one county, as Yorkshire, must be backed, that is, signed by a justice of the peace in another, as Middlesex, before it can be executed there. Formerly, regularly speaking, there ought to have been a fresh warrant in every fresh county; but the practice of backing warrants had long prevailed without law, and was at last authorized by statutes 23 Geo. II. c. 26. and 24 Geo. II. c. 55.

82 Hawk. P. С. 85.

1 Hal. P. C. 580. 2 Hawk. P. C. 82. i A practice had obtained in the secretaries office ever fince the restoration, ground ed on some clauses in the acts for regulating the press, of issuing general warrants to take up (without naming any person in particular) the authors, printers and publishers of fuch obscene or seditious libels, as were particularly specified in the warrant. When those acts expired in 1694, the same practice was inadvertently continued, in every reign

and under every administration, except the four last years of queen Anne, down to the year 1763: when such a warrant being issued to apprehend the authors, printers and publishers of a certain feditious libel, it's validity was disputed; and the warrant was adjudged by the whole court of king's bench to be void, in the case of Money v. Leach. Trin. 5 Geo. III. P. R. After which the issuing of fuch general warrants was declared illegal by a vote of the house of commons. (Com. Journ. 22 Apr. 1766.)

warrant

2. ARRESTS by officers, without warrant, may be executed, 1. By a justice of the peace; who may himself apprehend, or cause to be apprehended, by word only, any person committing a felony or breach of the peace in his prefence. 2. The sheriff, and 3. The coroner, may apprehend any felon within the county without warrant. 4. The conftable, of whose office we formerly spoke', hath great original and inherent authority with regard to arrests. He may, without warrant, arrest any one for a breach of the peace, and carry him before a justice of the peace. And, in case of felony actually committed, or a dangerous wounding whereby felony is like to ensue, he may upon probable fufpicion arrest the felon; and for that purpose is authorized (as upon a justice's warrant) to break open doors, and even to kill the felon if he cannot otherwise be taken; and, if he or his assistants be killed in attempting such arrest, it is murder in all concerned m. 5. Watchmen, either those appointed by the statute of Winchester, 13 Edw. I. c. 4. to keep watch and ward in all towns from funfetting to sunrifing, or such as are mere assistants to the conftable, may virtute officii arrest all offenders, and particularly nightwalkers, and commit them to custody till the morning".

3. ANY private person (and a fortiori a peace officer) that is present when any felony is committed, is bound by the law to arrest the felon; on pain of fine and imprisonment, if he escapes through the negligence of the standers by°. And they may justify breaking open doors upon following such felon : and if they kill him, provided he cannot be otherwise taken, it is justifiable; though if they are killed in endeavouring to make such arrest, it is

1 Hal. P. С. 86.

1 See Vol. I. pag. 355. m2 Hal. P. C. 88-96. VOL. IV.

■ Ibid. 98.
• 2 Hawk. P. C. 74.

Nn

murder P.

murder. Upon probable suspicion also a private person may arrest the felon, or other person so suspected, but he cannot justify breaking open doors to do`it; and if either party kill the other in the attempt, it is manslaughter, and no more'. It is no more, because there is no malicious design to kill : but it amounts to so much, because it would be of most pernicious consequence, if, under pretence of suspecting felony, any private perfon might break open a house, or kill another; and also because such arrest upon fufpicion is barely permitted by the law, and not enjoined, as in the cafe of those who are present when a felony is committed.

4. THERE is yet another species of arrest, wherein both officers and private men are concerned, and that is upon an hue and cry raised upon a felony committed. An hue (from huer, to shout) and cry, hutefium et clamor, is the old common law process of pursuing, with horn and with voice, all felons, and such as have dangerously wounded another. It is also mentioned by ftatute Westm. 1. 3 Edw. I. c. 9. and 4 Edw. I. de officio coronatoris. But the principal statute, relative to this matter, is that of Winchester, 13 Edw. I. c. 1 & 4. which directs, that from thenceforth every country shall be so well kept, that, immediately upon robberies and felonies committed, fresh suit shall be made from town to town, and from county to county; and that hue and cry shall be raised upon the felons, and they that keep the town shall follow with hue and cry, with all the town and the towns near; and so hue and cry shall be made from town to town, until they be taken and delivered to the sheriff. And, that such hue and cry may more effectually be made, the hundred is bound by the same statute, c. 3. to answer for all robberies therein committed, unless they take the felon; which is the foundation of an action against the

P 2 Hal. P. C. 77.

1 Stat. 30 Geo. II. c. 24. 2 Hal. P. C. 82, 83.

* Bracton. 1. 3. tr. 2. c. 1. §. 1. Mirr.

€. 2. §. 6.

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