New-York tribune., 1872-06-06
THE DEFENSE OF THE RING.


Tho decision of Judge Hogeboom in the
cases of Tweed, Connolly, and Fields yester-
day announced is one of the most important
successes gained for the people in their deter
mined crusade against the Ring 1t is par
ticularly encouraging at this time, since it
sipnalizes the renewal of the prosecution OF
the Ring rogues, which many people had begun
to fear had been abandoned. 1t is clear that
the Ring, after all its bravado and boasts that
il had an ample defense. has no mind to be
tried if delays can possibly prevent 1t, unless
it be in courts under its own control and under
prosecution by officers of its own creation.
Happily all cannot avoid the issue by resign
ing as Judge Cardozo did, or by running
away az Connolly and Woodward and the
lesser burglars Of the Controllers Office have
done; and some day there will be conclu-
sion to the suits against Tweed, Connolly,
lngersoll, and Fields, just renewed at Albany
Much legal verbiage in the reports OF the
hearing of the demurrer, which in lieu Of
their "ample defense y the Ring criminals
have presented, serves to compllcate the Issue
lust tried, and it is not so clear as 1t should
be to the general public what singular claims
the Ring has set up. We endeavor to make
this plain to all.
The fight Just ended was upon the point
whether the Ring criminals shall be prosecuted
by the Corporation Counsel of this city, whom
il is notorious they own. or by the Bureau OF
Municipal Correction, whose counsel have de-
tected and indicted them; and whether they
sball be tried in courts whose Judges the
Ring created for its own purposes, or in those
of districts in which the baneful political infiu-
1. - 10 fo1f ba
presented was whether Richard OGomans
sham suit or the earnest one OF Charles
OConor should be tried. The ground was
boldly assumed at Albany, and we suppose, In
spite of this reverse, will be reiterated in the
Supreme Court, that the State has no interest
in recovering the stolen money Of this county,
and hence that the Attorney General of the
whole State has no right to institute proceed
| jngs in tho name Of all the people to recover
millions filched from only part. In this ex-
traordnary claim, which common sense re-
pudates, whatever common law may decree,
the Corporation Counsel himself concurred,
and somewhat intrusively demanded from the
Court that the right of prosecution be con-
fded absolutely TO him. If he had appeared
at Albany as Tweed's counsel he could not
have done better Though happily ineffective)
service to the man he seems anxious that only
he himself should prosecute. Thus every in
fluence that Tweed could command, as well
as every argument that his counsel could adj
vance and every quibble they could devise,
were employed to transfer these suits from
the hands of O'COnor to those of O'Gorman,
and from courts where Tweed's influence is
not felt to those in which his nod or frown
affects every decision.
1t is easy to see that The whole people, who
are really the prosecutors in these suits, would
decide with Judge Hogeboom that this brazen
demurrer to avoid o plea and trial was to-
tally untenable; and there is no doubt as to
which Of the two men they would prefer to trust
with the conduct of The cases. To be plain, all
New York recognizes that any prosecution of
Tweed by Mr.. O'Gorman in any court of this
county or district would be legal farce-an
insult to which the people and press ofNew-York
would not patiently submit. Of course the
suits will be carried by the Ring to the Su-
preme Court, and perhaps thence to the Court
of Appeals, with the object of gaining time it
nothing else. But how delay is now to help
the defendants is mystery and they appear
to fight for it with no wel-defned purpose,
trusting, apparently, that something will turn
up Unexpectedly to save them. Twenty days
are given them to answer the complaints or
appeal. We trust they will be promptly pros
ecuted whenever they consent to try issues of
fact. In the mean time they cannot hope for
much relief from the Supreme Court, TO which
they will now, doubtless, appeal.