New-York tribune., 1871-06-24
THE LANAHAN TRIAL.

SEVENTH ann LAST DAY-CLOSING ARGUMENTS
OF JUDGE REYNOLDS AND GEN. RUNYoN-
NO DECISION TILL NEXT WEEK.
Judge Reynolds occupied the morning session
OF the Court, yesterday, in summing up the case In
behalf Of Dr. Lanahan speaking In substance as follows;
Mr. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN There Is something
at the outset Of this which stllkes us as aule
singular IN the position Of the r tss Cot bv
the course adopted by the proseeSthg sonS sS which
nr Ianahap is here charged is not to be consd
cred "a such. but Of series OF acts, 10 e DS
ST SpHH the motives under which he was acting. Then
this singular position IS presented: You are asked 10 o
capitate Dr. Lanahan for single act, ana Wnen us -
done You propose so into an exended ana thGTons @
examination OF the state OF things ont OF Wlc1 W. nun pa
tcuar act has arisen You propose to turn OUT Dr.
ahan, and after that is done, and ne shall sta % ouo @
of the gate With his oic2 heaa M 1nGc oee m assembled
10 consider what action should be taken on DIS aPpt
oR SsT would 1 Su cg Se Desired books S his
he would withdraw the application The Soihittuie M
step was NECESSARY is now the main question at issue
The charge is that he resOred to eiv lTSeeeulnss ~
tSeTefore is whether he shall exercise his right as an
agent 10 look into books Of the Concern or whether
The first question is Has he that right If he has not
then he has gone into the courts des,aIsd IN 'y yes
terday that he had not As IT appears upon ose sne II
ia aSe 81 g ss fr tSat Stbe Agents shall have an
thOrity to regulate the publications and all otner parts
0 I9 II has e been esmd by The that
the Committee had restricted the right by specify S
Gn to apply to his examinations for his defense in te ,Re
Coodenough suit for IN that resolution they tbe man
words hereafter IL anything shall occur ~ H. soacal
sgemen Of the Book Concern which require % se seb b
&e such nyegaGafh bT fhe attorney of the
Book Concern" 1t is when anything '""
T f not snSstsDaIIy Claimed that he has had that
access which say he has been id uoiod' 90 the Com
mittee lie had no right TO make that call lie went 10
Dr. Carlton and told him what nc b % 20 @ ~ t % he Cont
refused Then he had perfect sst " So sought was
we don't claim toariV toas Nv FOR the Goodenough suit He
"a ~ oefend his charges against the Concern.
The resolution which you passed specify suRer
mnst go into that private and stand over the exam
inaon The Committee never meant that or Wnat dl1
they mean by saying receipt should Dc gwen lol al
The prosecution make merit of having allowed unre;
tTicd access for ten weeks. Has any man suggested
that testimony here showing that tne business
the Concern was embarrassed during those zen
What then becomes OF tne preenSS lao % th hnsness
that could not have the books because tne
would be nereTed WITH A5otSI fbSnt seonsntins Dr.
Carlton Grant II his apparent
ont of office He was seeking by his examination to
Justify his charges and his conduct Dr. Carlton ana an
found ANYTHING wrong could he disclose II to them VINO
ever heard OF a suit where the defendant showed nus
whole case TO the complainant before going 70 court
Mr. VanderpOe has told you that he dd not peheVe Iaa
any process in the superior court Uy III
Court had ordered Mr. Grant TO bring any or
b 5ave % disturbed m the business Of the Concern His
lawyer told him that Indndamus was the Only InInS
which could get him to the books and are % you
going TO expe him for following the advice OF his eonn
SELF The Book Committee had no more business 10 dene
the powers OF the Agent and Assistant Agent t nhvt
That belongs the General Conference and 70 the DsC
pne. Counsel for tho prosecution says az tba Mission
put IN the gdnddnlus SUIT GetogCLy 20 70 tboe E o nr
AIRY society They were put IN IN reply 20 Ve 70 u Show v
the grounds for his examination; ..,.,o, How
DR. Lsnahan's motives have been questioned HOW
coud he have any but the purestf why should
he wish to stir up any trouble IN the BOOK Concern
Why should he wish 70 go INTO court has ne any s @
ftrff php UlO
entire confidence in the soundness OF TINS mouse tat any
man who gIer TSa S asanSs IFtb wants to Know
about these charges against the Concern. Ihey
dSRt aaaap GIS amy farther than they concern the in
tegrty and honor of the Book Concern. have known
Dr. Lanahan well for two years have seen MS @ neart
man but lawyer can see his clients heart ana
pies. He is man willing TO go TO the STAKE ioF ms ms
honor. / don't believe to-day that lac repents OF his
S@ Chance ne for ' full Investigation before
you place him In position Where to1,t ne can, tjdG
ali should be found to be right, believe he viii be CON
and rejoice in the result If You believe human tes-
mOny how can you say that he did not take the step IN
good aith commit to your Keeping the Onelal posi-
ton OF Dr L91ahan ana cnGt see see nfT % S you tS g ne
General Conference shah meet There Is nothing IN me
staying disruption OF these relations viii cause an
agitation in the Church.
The Court then took a recess TIL 1870 p. m.
The closing argument for the prosecution was made at
the afternoon session by Gen. RunyOn who said
Mr. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE:
The magnitude Of the case before you which now near
which may offer Dr. Lanahan is arraigned for breach
OF the Discipline and disregard OF ms oicai duties lie
has committed an act which disgTaces the Book
Concern; he has, still further, COMMITTED COMMITTED
an act which has agtated the Christian
world and which has injured the best interests
OF the Methodist Church His counsel claim that this act
should separated from all Others except as II may be
reach the truth. The respondent was appointed an
assistant agent Of the Book Concern III seems pOss
be that there ever could have been question as 10 the
relations Agent and Assistant Agent The character
of the Office sgnaly designated by the term assistant
A. that Of the VicePesdent OF the United states Is Dy
the word Vice. which means that ne Presldent III the
absence of the President 50 the Assistant Agent is not
the Agent and by the term itself he Is not cOequa WIN
the Agent. when the Book Committee met ON FORMER
occasion and passed resolution defining the relations
II the Agents General Conference reDuked then IOr
IL or denied the truth of their assertions. Dr. Lanahan,
being appointed Assistant Agent eVlnes " s
He cordially received by Dr. carton, and lhueeI
would be unlike Dr. Carlton TO receive him IN any other
way. He to house which had been presided over
y man. since 1852, who had served with such satslac-
tou TO the Book Concern and TO the Church at large,
that il has said here to-day that there never was
man in the Methodist Church trusted Thomas Carl
ION And today notwithstanding the assaults made
9ganst him. his character stands impregnabe as II
ever did before the Church and the world.
He 1. "A man who understands the whole
business Of the Book Concern, and he to the
conner and offers him a choice Of the duties. Thus DR..
Ianahan entered upon an office OF nigh honor In the
Church-an Office whore the Church looked 10 him 10
rnc and care for the interests OF the Book Concern
How did ne wOrkl For while nothing was heard
of him. All went well, until one morning. on the wings
OF the secular press. the startling announcement
that the Book Concern had become instead or the pride
IL had ever been, source OF morncatOn anu hullia-
ton 10 the Church Every man VINO Ioyed nai concern
and had glOried in its strength, although ne knew not
who made attack, said, An enemy hatn done lhls
l. tbe charge against Dr. Carlton no 1t Is against
nnbc papers and il Is brought by mail TO door and
the charge that the Book Concern rotten TO the core
What are these charges once wheh you were in SSs