The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-26

in allowing II, II oonversssioa with COMMISSIONS
Csse, aAd once OF e.ioe Win Engineer Seymour.
Gsst ~ sppSssd e s;s sss !. PARTON to
tho Chat6eA slste," tAaA was finally AWARDED
to hin; coBhsred With Mr.. Law, and together 40
quacsced IN the ailctments naiy made. Msther( Cal
sssisted wttaess also. In urging claims he done 60
O. political grounds (Abel Is 9 wing Of the wooley
!. The , s...ss.s pu. the following question Did
personal and political claims OF othcr parties inter.
ested In the bid Of Mr. Richardson ~
Mr. Pockham. Of counsel for the respondent, rose
and remarked that these questions relating to third
parties, OF conversations which took place at which
MI Mather wss not proseat, could have partioi.
pated iD. wero not pertinent to the case. Mr. Ma
theF alone was on trial here and Il was unfair and
ungsnerMs 70 bring in testimony relating to per-
Sons who were not arraigned before this hxi tribu
nal They ought to have been notified II 1t Is the in
teBtan to investigate their conduct. The opposite
counsel c"ntended IN the main, that they expected
to follow up thus testimony with other In order to
show thar Matber. by word or deed, was concerned
~ conspiracy with other individuals; and that
contracts wee awarded on account Of political con-
sideratons. Senator Taber wished to divide the
questioii-he was not prepared to enter into aa
inquiry as to the acts or words of parties now de
ceased and others who are absent. Senator Cooley
stated thu question to be one OF great mportance 1t
much latitude should be allowed In propounding
questions OF this nature and layman felt unable
to decide be wanted the opinion of the judges In this
court, and therefore moved private consultation,
which motion was carried-l8 to IL. The specta
tors, lawyers reporters aud all, were thou turned
out the doors closed and the court went into private
counsel. Soma three hours were spent in secret
when the doors were opened, the vote taken upon
putting the question. and decided in the affirmative
-l6 to Is. The question quoted above was then put
to Mr. Abeel. He does not recOlIect that any such
matters were urged. There was nothing said iu re-
iaton to the excavation of hard pan and quicksand
yVQa t,nFolu Yfh updr
The witpess underwent a long and tedious exam-
nat10D relating to conversations aud transactions
bad with various parties other than Mr. Matber
There was not the slightest bearing the question
legitimafely before the court, Immediately rele
want to the Case though the managers expected at
some future period TO connect Mather with the con-
versatiop CT ether parties. question was put whe-
ther q certain assignment OF contract was made,
to whom, and for whose benefit? Mr.. Brady OBJ
jected, another vote was taken and decided as the
previous 0ne-l6 to 15-eight wings and eight barn
hurners in the affirmative, and six wings, eight
hunkers and one barnburner in the negative.
The witness had no intercourse with Mr. Mather,
before or after the canal lettings This closed the
examination Of this witness, amounting to scarcely
anything bearing upon the case.
Charles Cook was again called. No answer.
Walter 8. Church was called, and was sworn. Mr..
Lo0mis stated that he was compelled to call witness
out OF the order intended rs some were not present
The witness stated that two three sections of canal
work was awarded to him he has had experience
in contract works has assisted on the Erie road in
estimating and engineering The witness WAS asked
question or two in reference to his bids not mate
rally pertinent The counsel for Mr.. Msther asked
Mr.. Church no questions, and he left the stand Two
or three other witnesses were called, but none ap-
pearing, Mr.. Loomis stated that the prose-
cution should call no more witnesses this af
tern0on, ~ several against whom attachments
had been issued were expected to be present
in the morning. Mr., Morse moved to dispense With
afternoon sessions Lost. Mr.. johnson moved that
the time Of the court should be from ten in the morn
m than ko
until tOur. Several members Of the court desired
that soue me hod should be devised by which the
testimer can be condensed, az that already taken
II quite too vouminous. Judge DEMO suggested
that each member take notes for himself Senator
Bahcock old not wish to discharge the reporter.
Van schoonhoven said the Testimony had been kept
with great accuracy better than members could do it
daily sessions at ten o'clock in order to afford more
time for the reporter to prepare his notes for the
press.