Mr. Van Dyke said he was aware of the position he occupied.
Judge Kane then said: ‘The contempt is now regarded as purged and the party is released from custody. He is now reinstated in the position he occupied before the contempt was committed. Mr. Williamson is now before me on the return to the writ.’
Mr. Van Dyke then arose and addressed the court.
After Mr. Van Dyke had concluded, Mr. Meredith inquired: ‘Is Mr. Williamson discharged?’
Judge Kane replied, ‘He is. I understand from the remarks of the district attorney, that a nolle prosequi has been entered in the case in this court.’
The court then adjourned. Mr. Williamson was congratulated by his friends on his restoration to liberty.[159]
Footnotes:
[1] The German graf, for which the Latin comes (in English, count or earl) was employed as an equivalent, is a form of the same word. The law Latin for sheriff is vice-comes, a name given, it would appear, after the title of earl or count had become hereditary, to the officer who still continued to be elected by the people for the official functions originally discharged by the earl.
[2] See Forsyth’s History of Trial by Jury, ch. iv. sec. 4.