People v. Kraus

212 A.D. 397, 207 N.Y.S. 87, 1924 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 7845
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedDecember 5, 1924
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 212 A.D. 397 (People v. Kraus) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Kraus, 212 A.D. 397, 207 N.Y.S. 87, 1924 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 7845 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1924).

Opinion

Young, J.:

The main question presented by this appeal relates to the jurisdiction of the State court. The crime admittedly having been committed upon property belonging to the United States, namely, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the rule in regard to jurisdiction of the [398]*398United States upon the point in question is stated in Fort Leavenworth R. R. Co. v. Lowe (114 U. S. 525) as follows (p. 530):

“ This power of exclusive legislation is to be exercised, as thus seen, over places purchased, by consent of the Legislatures of the States in which they are situated, for the specific purposes enumerated. It would seem to have been the opinion of the framers of the Constitution that, without the consent of the States, the new government would not be able to acquire lands within them; and, therefore, it was provided that when it might require such lands for the erection of forts and other buildings for the defence of the country, or the discharge of other duties devolving upon it, and the consent of the States in which they were situated was obtained for their acquisition, such consent should carry with it political dominion and legislative authority over them. * * * The consent of the States to the purchase of lands within them for' the special purposes named is, however, essential, under the Constitution, to the transfer to the general government, with the title, of political jurisdiction and dominion. Where lands are acquired without such consent, the possession of the United States, unless political jurisdiction be ceded to them in some other way, is simply that of an ordinary proprietor. The property in that case, unless' used as a means to carry out the purposes of the government, is subject to the legislative authority and control of the States equally with the property of private individuals. * * *
“ When the title is acquired by purchase by consent of the Legislatures of the States, the Federal jurisdiction is exclusive of all State authority. This follows from the declaration of the Constitution that Congress shall have ‘ like authority ’ over such places as it has over the district which is the seat of government; that is, the power of ‘ exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever.’ Broader or clearer language could not be used to exclude all other authority than that of Congress; and that no other authority cart be exercised over them has been the uniform opinion of Federal and. State tribunals, and of the Attorneys-General. * * *
These authorities [referring to cases cited] are sufficient to support the proposition which follows naturally from the language of the Constitution, that no other legislative power than that of Congress can be exercised over lands within a State purchased by the United States with her consent for one of the purposes designated; and that such consent under the Constitution operates to exclude all other legislative authority.”

It seems to be conceded that the lands included within the Brooklyn Navy Yard reservation were acquired by the Federal [399]*399government without the consent of the State Legislature, and so, under the rule stated, the Federal government would stand in the position of the ordinary landed proprietor, and the State’s jurisdiction over these lands would not be affected, were it not that the Legislature of the State, by chapter 355 of the Laws of 1853, and by chapter 678 of the Laws of 1892, known as the State Law of 1892, expressly ceded to the United States all jurisdiction over said territory with certain reservations not affecting the question presented here. Chapter 355 of the Laws of 1853, section 1, provides as follows: “ The jurisdiction of this State over all the lands in and adjacent to the city of Brooklyn, belonging to the United States, and used and occupied as a navy yard and naval hospital, and which has not heretofore been ceded to the United States, is hereby ceded to the United States for the uses and purposes of a navy yard and naval hospital, on the condition contained in this act, and according to the plan furnished by the Navy Department, and bounded as follows: ” and section 4 provides as follows: The United States may retain such use and jurisdiction as long as the premises described shall be used for the purposes for which jurisdiction is ceded, and no longer. * * * IS]or shall the jurisdiction so ceded to the United States impede or prevent the service or execution of any legal process, civil or criminal, under the authority of this State.” Chapter 181 of the Laws of 1833 also provides in section 1 as follows: “ The jurisdiction of the State of New-York is hereby ceded to the United States of America, for the purpose of erecting and maintaining a navy hospital and other necessary edifices and buildings, over all those certain tracts, pieces or parcels of land, situate, lying and being in the county of Kings, and State of New-York, bounded and contained as follows,” and sections 2 and 3 of said act provide as follows: § 2. The jurisdiction so ceded to the United States of America, shall hot extend, or be construed to extend so as to impede or prevent the execution of any process of law,, civil or criminal, under the authority of this State, except so far forth as such process may affect any of the real or personal property of the United States of America within the said tracts of land. * * * § 3. The jurisdiction hereby ceded * * * shall continue so long as the premises herein above specified shall remain In the occupancy of the United States of America, or of their officers, agents or servants, and no longer.”

Section 28 of the State Law of 1892 provides as follows: Cession during use for purposes thereof, with reservation of right to serve process.— Title and jurisdiction to the following tracts or parcels of land have been ceded to the United States by this State, on condition that the jurisdiction so ceded should not [400]*400prevent the execution thereon of any process, civil or criminal, issued under the authority of the State, except as such process might affect the property of the United States therein, and that such jurisdiction shall continue in the United States so long only as the land shall be used and occupied for the purposes of cession, unless the consent of the State to a different use has been granted.”

Then follows, in subdivision 2 of said section, a description of land covering the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Kings county “ for the purpose of erecting and maintaining a navy hospital and other necessary edifices and buildings,” in the same words as contained in the act of 1833.

Section 29 of the State Law of 1892 provides as follows: Authorization of acquisition and cession of jurisdiction thereupon, during use for purposes thereof, with reservation of right to serve process.— The United States has been authorized to acquire the following tracts or parcels of land, and jurisdiction thereof has been ceded to the United States upon such acquisition on condition that the jurisdiction so ceded should not prevent the execution thereon of any process, civil or criminal, issued under the authority of the State, except as such process might affect the property of the United States therein, and that such jurisdiction shall continue in the United States so long only as the land shall be used and occupied for the purposes of cession, unless the consent of the State to a different use has been granted.”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
212 A.D. 397, 207 N.Y.S. 87, 1924 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 7845, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-kraus-nyappdiv-1924.