New-York tribune., 1872-06-20
TO TRIAL At LAST.

If the trial of Stokes for the murder of
James Fisk, jr., had followed promptly that
startling event, it would have created pro-
found sensation. -Four months ago il was an
tcipated as thrilling revelation now it has the
tame aspect of Renaissance. The assassination
itself was looked upon as the consequence
of an infamous career of wicked personal in
trigue and commercial depravity, marked by
fragrant robbery, revolving debauchery, and
widespread corruption. The trial was at first
expected to reveal all this infamy and scandal
and the doubt then was whether the general
indignation which the developments were ex-
pected to arouse would tend to hang or acquit
the murderer. That which cOnvulsed the pub
lie then agitates it no longer. The Ring which
was to have been exposed no longer hourishes
to avenge Indignantly the killing of its favor
ite, but hangs inactive together i'll lame de-
fense of its once potent leaders. It's power for
evil suddenly destroyed, the busy world which
once dreaded it, absorbed i'll yaster projects
forgets, if it does not forgive, the wickedness
no longer to be feared.
The defense in this important trial must
therefore, trust to hard facts to save the
accused. John Graham's delays have cost his
m ight have hoped from revelations of how
the Ring seduced him into swindling enter
prises that it might rob him, and then
pursued him relentlessly as it did better
men who were its enemies. There was more
of sympathy for Stokes a week after his crime
startled the community than there is to-
day, in spite of the efforts which Fisk's
friends put forth to manufacture indignation
against him. Public feeling is reduced to sto-
ical indifference which will all the better
serve the true ends of that justice which is
above all considerations of hate and sympa-
thy. This much we owe to the delays which
Graham conquered before his abandonment of
his Client aud for it he is heartily thanked.
But if Graham has mistakenly deprived
Stokes of sympathy, equally laundering friends
of the murdered man seem bent on creating
it anew for him. AT the same time, they
threaten to embarrass the course of justice, and
this is q serious offense. The Court had no
sooner assembled, yesterday, than Mr.. William
A. Beach and Mr.. William Fullerton, long
identified with the old Erie legal service.
made their appearance at the Bar along with
the public prosecutor. Inquiry revealed that
neither the District Attorney, the Attorney
OcucIdi1 uoI tno ldnllIy Oh In6 ueau man
had retained them, but that they had in
formally associated themselves in the prose
cution as "old friends of the murdered
"man." Mr.. McKeon denounced this
as "a horrible spectacle and the pub
lie, not accustomed to such remarkable
evidences of posthumous friendship, will look
upon the action of the two lawyers as perse-
cutiOn, not prosecution. They will be half
suspected as appearing there rather to con-
ceal the truth about the old Ring they
served than to develop the facts about
this murder. At any rate their conduct
tends to revive old animosities, and after the
long delay, during which passions have partly
luled we hope to see this case tried on its
merits. Mr. Beach has been for years closely
allied legally andl personally to the Erie Ring
and the man whose concerns and character are
to be protected from exposure. Mr.. Fullerton
was once the counsel of the man he now seems
eager to prosecute, and is suing him at this
time to secure disputed foo. Common deoency