Elting v. United States

Nott, J.,

delivered tbe opinion of tbe court:

Tbis is tbe first instance in tbe bistory of tbe court where proceedings have been instituted to punisb a witness for refusing to testify. It is a remarkable fact tbat in substantially every State and Territory tbe same deference bas been rendered to tbis distant tribunal tbat is ordinarily given to a court of tbe place where tbe witness lives. Inasmuch as tbe ordinary manner of taking testimony in tbis court differs from tbe ordinary manner of giving it in other tribunals and tbis difference affects both tbe practice and tbe rights of witnesses, it…