The New York herald., 1850-05-23

The SlooL-PIoEoN TRIALS IN TIE SESSION.
ARLINGTON BENSEr-The fourth or ffth-we for
get whch-of the stool-pigeon trials, commencing
with Drury's, has been going in the Court Of
Sessions for the last three days, namely; the trial
of Arlington Bennett, on the charge of putting in
circulation forged note on j. Foster, H., one OF
the fnancieis in Wall street. The evidence
brought out on this trial has afforded q number of
curious additional facts and interesting incidents in
the great batch of stootpigeon mysteries which
have aSitated the fashionable world about the
Tombs for the last few months. We do not wsh
TO say much in the present stage of the trial in re-
ference to the charges against Arlington Bennett.
Although the evidence thus far sgenerally admitted
to be weak and inefficient IN very extraordinary
degree, yet the trial displays and develops several
curious and very rich riacrs in the sool-pigeon
mysteries which have agitated the world about the
Tombs for the last six or nine months. When the
trial is completed, one way or the other, We shall
be better enabled to give an opinion several dis
tineuished characters in connection with these
trials, who have been figuring in these affairs for
some time past, in our curious and original com
munity.
We have known the general history of criminal
jurisprudence in New York for nearly the last
quarter of century, but have seen nothing TO
equal these curious o-pigeon Developments now
coming out. One of the most original minds in the
stoolpigeon business, during the period we have
known New York, was the celebrated Bill Wiley,
who was caught in some of these mysteries tried,
convicted, and, but for his early death, would have
been sentenced to the State prison, there TO study
mathematics, music, or mysteries OF any kind. He
was originally Tammany politician Of the talking
order, frequentiDg the famous Pewter Mug, and
inventing and relating anecdotes Of langhable
and original kind His great forte was perfect
acquaintance with the criminal mysteries of New
York-a science which he applied, when he became
ward Judge, TO rather unwarran'abe extent. lie
used to be connected with c0teie OF police officers
of his day, and he reported and misrepresented
their feats in various journals OF that time
But the stool-pigeon mysteries with which Bill
Wiley was connected are far outstripped in extent
in violence, in malice, in bitterness, IN folly, and
in absurdty, during the present time. Instead OF
one Bill Wiley, the recent deyelopements during
these trials show that we have half dozen, all
concentrated, and acting OF less together. In
fact, il appears there has been pro ected during the
last two years system of Independent police, the
persons concerned in which speculation have ac-
tualiy thought that they possessed the full criminal
authority of the city, and ttat The regular police
were only trenching ON their peculiar ground when
they attempted to catch any Of their rascals, or
take up any Of their fayorite and peied criminals.
Bit by BIT, and step by step, this vast coaederacy
of crime is developing itself Bill Wiley after Bill
Wiley comes out in quick succession during the
testimony these trials: The result of all will be,
that the administration CT criminal justice, from
top TO bottom, will be developed investigated, re-
novated and purged from is impurities and follies,
and our courts and uries and police will start here
after on new tack, better adapted to the equal adj
mnistrstion Of justice for real criminals, without
manufacturing blockheads and smpletons- into for
gers and msrderers, in order TO or exculpate
the real rascals who dodge behind