MARSHAL, a Federal officer appointed by the President in each judicial district and cor responding to the sheriff of a county. His duty is to execute all precepts directed to him, issued under the authority of the United States, and is under the jurisdiction of the United States Dis trict and Circuit Courts. The United States government maintains marshals in its principal dependencies, as the Philippines, Alaska, Porto Rico, Hawaii, etc. They are appointed by the President for four years, and in addition to serving the courts have certain duties regarding internal revenue, public lands and the postal service. Sometimes the chief of police in American towns is known as marshal. In some European countries the title of marshal confers the highest military distinction, that of Marshal of France being especially prized. The word is derived from the Old High German word march, a horse; and scalh, a servant; hence Marascalh, a man appointed to take care of horses. The marshal of the German Empire
derived his origin from the Frankish monarchs and was equivalent to the comes stabuli or con netable. He was bound to keep order at the coronation of the emperor, and to provide lodgings for the persons connected with the ceremony. He was called arch-marshal, a dig nity belonging to the electorate of Saxony. At the coronation it was his duty to bring oats in a silver vessel from a heap in the open market place, and to present the vessel to the emperor. His duties were discharged by a hereditary marshal (Erbmarschall). In Prussia general field-marshal is the highest military honor. In England field-marshal is given as an honorary rank to general officers who may have no im mediate command. Marshal also signifies a person who regulates the ceremonies of certain solemn celebrations or, as in the United States, at parades, street processions, etc.