The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-22
THE BROOKS CASE.

THE BROOKS CASE.
TsE sudden change in the District Attorney
ship occurred at very inopportune moment.
Mfr. Gibbons and his new assistants are called
upon to try, without previous preparation,
the difficult and important case involving an
examination into the guilt or innocence of
the parties charged with murderous assault
ON Revenue Detective Brooks; and although
Mr. Dwight's former experience as Assistant
District Attorney enables him to conduct the
prosecution in q very creditable manner, he
labors under serious disability arising from
the want of opportunities to familiarize him.
self with the testimony and the witnesses
likely to be produced.
The public have expected an adroit and in-
oenious defense, but they could scarcely have
been prepared for McLaughlins asseveration
that the parties arraigned did not commit the
assault. The testimony of alleged accom-
pGces is always dangerous and to a large ex-
tent untrustworthy. Even if they swear
positively to all that the Commonwealth de-
sires or expects them to prove, it is not diff
cult to break the force of their testimony by
ringing the changes on the maxim that ''it is
the biggest rogue that turns States evidence"
But in McLaughlin's case, he contradicts in
court the statements he made before the
Mayor, alleging as an excuse for his prevari-
cation that he was ''skeered" by that official
He now asserts that the men he had driven in
his coach on the day of the assault were
''bigger men" than the prisoners and that he
frst became acquainted with Mara and
Dougherty in New York subsequent to the
attempted assassination of Mr.. Brooks
This unexpected course of Laughlin, cou-
pied with the attempts of the Commonwealth
to prove the contradictory character of his
statements, constituted the leading feature of
the proceedings yesterday. But there was
some other evidence adduced to prove that
the prisoners at the bar probably made the
assault One witness, who alleges that he is ac-
quainted with Laughlin, Dougherty, and Mara,
testified that he saw them in Front street,
near Arch, on the day of the assault, and that
few days previous he had seen Dougherty
and Mara enter Laughlin's carriage, but it
appears from the cross-examination of this
witness that efforts will be made on the one
side TO argue that he was tampered with by
the detectives, and on the other that agents
Of the whisky ring endeavored to seal his lips
The turning point of the case will be
whether the Commonwealth evidence is
sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt
the identity Of the prisoners with the parties
who made the assault. The counsel for the
Commonwealth evidently expected that Nc
Laughlin would give direct testimony on this
point, and it remains to be seen whether
since they have been foiled in this attempt
sufficient evidence will be obtained from other
sources
The association of Laughlin, Mara, Dough
erty, and young man who rejoices in the
name of ''Bottles" at New York. and at
Coney Island, after the assault, is proved by
the detectives and admitted 10y Laughlin; and
although this circumstance is by no means a
conclusive evidence of guilt, it possesses, in
connection with the other features of the
case, deep significance. ..1