The New York herald., 1874-11-25
BROOKLYN COURTS.
SUPREME oouRT-cIRouIT.

Black Diamonds; or, New Way to
Pay Old Debts-A Remarkable Coal
Stock Litigation.
Before Judge Barnard.
The second trial OF the suit of Aaron Degraw
ys. James A. Elmore to recover $4,000, was
commenced In the Supreme Court yesterday. Both
plain tiH and defendant are rich men and are en-
gagged in business in New York, and for several
years were warm friends, until misunderstand-
ing arose between them upon the right principle
OF conducting business affairs. They resided at
Jamaica, L. L, and were partners In the construc-
tton OF horse railroad running from that town 10
East New York. during their intimacy Mr.. Emore
some way became indebted to the plaintiff to
an amount between $4,000 and $4,000. On the
lst OF March, 1865, the defendant came into the
ONCE OF Mr.. Degraw, in South street, New York,
and told him OF q coal company In wnicn he was
interested-the Mahanoy Coal Company; in fact,
he said he was president OF that corporation.
Having praised it TO his friend. the plaintin, he
told him that he knew man up the river who
held three hundred shares In said company, but
being involved in financial difficulty at that par
ticular time. he was anxious to sell those shares.
They could be bought for sixty cents on the dollar.
Elmore claimed to own half the stock OF the COM
would. he doubted not, pay q dividend within
sixty days from that tine Mr.. Degraw, upon
nS IL P ,ooK
half the shares OF the man up the rlver'' at their
accredited value, $4,000. When several months
mad rolled by, however, and no dividend was forth
coming he began TO be suspicious as to the paying
value OF the Mahanoy coal stock. HIS iears upon
this head were strengthened one day soon after,
while en- route to the city, by the assertion Of q
gentleman, who told HIM that 1.-The man up the
riverr was myth. 'There amt no sucn person
as Mrs. Harris, the remarkably bold but patiently
truthful words oil the redOubtable Betsey Prlgg.
Mashed across the minds eye OF the plaintiff aud
ne determined upon solving the mystery forth
with. He thereupOn repaired to the office OF the
Mahanoy Coal Mining Company, and upon his ap-
proach defendant disappeared from the place,
Mr.. Degraw proceeded to overhaul the books and
accounts and discovered that "the man up the
river" and the defendant were one ana the same
person: The company instead OF being free
go, 600. subsequently plaintlr met Mr.. Ell
more on the street, upbraided him Tor
dupllcity, wanted him to take the stock
back again and give him the $4,000. THIS he de-
cllned to do. telling MIN IT was as good as gold.
and having bought the sha res he must keep them.
seven years ago suit was first brought to recover
aud resulted IN verdict he rendered Tor plaintiff
in the lull amount claimed. The case was ap-
peaed to the General Term ana confirmed. An
appeal was next taken to the highest Court.
where q new trial was ordered on the ground that
no money transaction was shown to have taken
place between the parties. The trial was CON-
menced yesterday to satisfy the Court that 1t was
q money transaction, the stock having been ac-
cepted in lieu OF the money which was due the
The case Will he given TO the iurv TODAY.