New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-08
THE COURTS.
THE BROOKLYN RING TRIALS.

IHE hlNU lnlAI"-'
GEN. TRACY's OBJECTIONS wARDKD OFF BY AN OLD
sTATUrE-THE DEFENSE OF THE COMMISSIONERS
OF CHARITIES OPENED.
The trial of Messrs. Powell, Ferguson, Gun
nngham and Wills late Commissioners of Charities
OF Brooklyn, was resumed on Saturday morning. The
Courtroom was crowded many were anxious TO hear
the decision Judge Daniels the legal points in the
case which had raised by the counsel Tor the ac
cused the preceding day, and which 1t was generally
supposed would put an end to the proceedings Al the
opening of the court Attorney wnslow argued
that the law OF 1874 abdging the powers OF the Com
mssoners of Charities did apply TO THESE cases He
referred TO the 9th and It'll sections OF the Jaw OF le
q Revised Statutes), as follows;
: no sa. S1 =. a s ,S.s cI auiS .
nsated puHhmeu shall BE- applicable thoagh the oae wa com
rsps shall be .see;ed b IT, except proceedings aer
the statutes these
The Dstrict-Attorney cited the OF Morgan agt.
The People q N Y Supreme Court Reports). The case
was taken to the General Term where the decision given
at Special Term upheld. Gen. Tracy in reply stated
that was remarkable that the Court OF Appeals and
the Supreme Court Of the State had not discovered the
application OF the law OF 1923 before this. The Court
sustained the Attorney but deferred the matter
to ave the counsel for the accused an opportunity for
examining further the statute IN question
William T. To wnsend testified that the wine shown
him was worth from 81 10 81 Is IN gold, per gall on anu
(
T. Galley, Assistant County Treasurer OF Kings County,
identified cera checks paid in 1873 10 Thomas Mullen,
OF whom the Commissioners had purchased supplies:
not been advertised for IN the corporation newspapers
Anthony Weber the last witness called for the prOsecu
ton, who has supplied the Commissioners with crackers
fOs the nine years testified that ne had not manu-
featured the himself but had purchased tlem
He had VI business II 1878 Wle supplying the
Commissioners.
Gen. b. F. Tracy opened for the defense, asking tue
District Attorney his election as TO the articles
OF the indictment upon which the defendants were 20
be tried He asked the Judge 10 direct an acqltta on
the ground that the thing proved against the Com
mssIOners that continued the regulations IN
force the superintendent OF the Poor III regard 10
the classes OF articles purchased by contract and III
open market. Judge Daniels said that the election by
the District Attorney Of articles which 10 try the
accused would better be deferred until all the evidence
Tracy exception the decision the question
OF acquttal. After some remarks by Gen Tracy
70 fury which he claimed that the Commissioners
mad at the utmost only been proved guilty OF not adyer
Using the corporation and that evidence had
been % show any corrupt motives on ther part
Ex-Oy Lowe addressed the Jury behalf OF John Gun
bingham, OF the accused. This Commissioner, ne
claimed opposed TO the system OF purchasing sup
plies by contract, and had refused TO sanction certain
contracts the articles needed were not deemed
necessary by him.
testified as 70 the which supplies were OBJ
testified that had begun his duties on JAN 1873
He received brides, aud stated his
opposition contracts OF Campbell, mentioned by
his rne trial will be resumed to-day.