The New York herald., 1874-12-26
CHEATING A RAILROAD.
CONDUCTORS AND HOTEL KEEPERS INDICTED
FOR AN ALLEGED CONSPIRACY TO DETRAUD
THE ERIE RAuLoAD.


GOSHEN, n. y. Dec. 25. 1874.
This usually quiet town has been In o great state
OF excitement over the Erie conspiracy trial tnas
began here on Wednesday morning The hotels
ana lodging houses nave been unable to accom-.
modate the people, and. although many OF the
guests OF the dierent no.els were obliged to sleer
on the sofas and on chairs, still large numbet
were compelled to take the cars TO Middlerown,
six mlles distant, order 10 secure bed for the
night. The particulars Of the as j0llows:-
Last March number OF Erie conductors and
citizens OF the town OK Port Jeryis we're indicted
for Q misdemeanor In violation of the statute
passed BY the Legislature In 1857 and amended N
1868. in relation 10 selling auduient tickets. or
genuine tickets unlawfully obtained. The con.
ductors indicted were Ball. StoweL Green, Swally,
Benson ana Quick; also the following merchants
and hotel Keepers flames II. Bowman. David Stoll,
James Wyker and Levi Brink District Attorney
L. E. Carr, assisted Dy Q. H. Winfield and General
Burnett. the Erie counsel, appeared Tor the
company, while William A. Beach, Of New York.
assisted BY Thomas ]. Lyons, John Lyons and
Edwin Vansyckle were on hand for the defend.
ants. The prosecution opened the case on
Wednesday morning. Judge Suferu presiding.
The case Of James II. Bowman was Grst ON ras
list. A very tedious time was had IN securing y
Jury, and alter exhaustlng the panel with only ten
irom the people present. from which the remain
ing two were chosen and accepted, :, = o,o.
ticket agent At Port Jervls, as frst witness. He
testified that there was no other authorized p ace
IN Ii sne depot. he knew Mr.. Bowman but could not
swear positively that he Kept hoseii nad an idea
that ne dlu. ,rvvs,
was Minor Fisher. Tho indicted parties claim
that Fisher is . spy OF the Erie company, under
said he purchased ticket from Bowman to 70 TO
susausllanna. paving MIN s2 co. the regular rare are
ticket. which was only common pasleooard, writ
Ten on with lead pencil, "Port to susquenanns.
se III n Ss ana
ticket and write the pass. Witness then Iestinea
and cut the ticket.out, and then took o pen ana
INK and wrote the pass and signed his name TO it.
With a steel pen. He described the pen a' and the
INK bottle. M Beaca then had him write Bow
astsv ~ % m on se nry Srss sa
faction, as 1t was quite evident or &C least looked
az though one man had written both Names
pass made with with pen ana Ink. Nj. Beacn put n,@
through most rigid examination, having him on
:. Mr.. Brown. 0. Butralo was the next witness.
He also testified to having bought ticket oi Bow.
snns g:
until the day OF the trial now pending was sure
he was ;e ne same man; knew MIN BY his wnlskera!
same now as when he bought the
ticket. But In this he made mistake, a. Bow.
mans lace 10 now covered with whiskers; o. the
time he swears to having aot the ticket OF him NJ
simply had q mustache. Brown was kept on the
stand for An hour, when he was excused, for Petel
frost, who also swore buying two tickets OF Bow
man, but did not produce them. He SAID the con.
ductora had taken them up.
WITH KISSES PAID F0R sRBvIC1s. 81.
John L. SCuihard, claiming to keep hotel Or
saloon in Jersey cry. was tue mex! wlInsss. BE
tickets The dinerent witnesses testified chat tues
were paid Tor ther services. getting Sa6 per week
ana expenses FOR endeavorlng TO trap the 30 called
c0nspirutors. The Dlstrtct Attorney rested hio
case yesterday afternoon, wnen the Court al.
Journed until wednesday. The defence have about
Iorty witnesses, and expect TO show themselves
innocent OF the caargs Tor which they were an
uicted.
Mr. samuel ]. Swaliy, one OF the conductors In
dicted, hai SIN ce been elected Chief OF Police 81
the town o Port Jervis.