Edward Douglass White

“ But the correctness of that conclusion is not a matter of concern in view of the fact that the question of the voluntary nature of the confession was submitted to the jury at the request of the accused. As from no possible view of the action of the courts below concerning the confession can we discover even the semblance of the assertion of denial of a right under the Constitution, it follows that the errors assigned on that subject furnish no basis for the exercise of our jurisdiction. ”

“ The first error assigned alleged to embody a Federal right is that the trial below was absolutely void because the district court in which the information was filed and trial had was not a legal tribunal within the intendment of the act of Congress of April 12, 1900, the organic act of Porto Rico. To test the merit of the contention it is necessary to briefly state the organization of the judicial system of Porto Rico under the American domination and the legislation of Congress relating to the same. ”

“ In determining whether the assignments of error present Federal questions it is to be borne in mind that the mere fact that some of the assignments relied on assert Federal rights is not determinative, since, even although the assignments formally involve such rights, we are nevertheless without jurisdiction 'where it indubitably appears that the Federal right asserted is frivolous ”