Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-03
GRANTS JEFFREYS.
Rich Developments i'm the Durell
Investigation.

A Judge who Openly Asks 100000
and Certain Corner Lots for Judi.
cial FavOrs.
From the New York Herald.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-New and
unexpected developments were made
to-day in the case Of Judge Durell, be-
fore the subcommittee of the House
Judiciary Committee, in the examina-
ton of Mrs. Myra Clarke Gaines, of
New Orleans. 1t appears that Mrs.
Gaines called the attention of Mr..
Bingham, while chairman of the Judi
ciary committee four years ago, to the
venality of Judge Duren and his asso-
ciate in the alleged corrupt conduct of
the affairs of the court, E. E. Norton,
Assignee in Bankruptcy. Judge Bing-
ham proposed to investigate the case,
and Il the testimony warranted to pre-
pare articles of impeachment against
Judge Durell. They were to have been
reported to the House. Business IN
expectedly called Mrs. Gaines from
Washington, and the matter was drop
ped. This fact having bee1i presented
to the subcommittee appointed to take
testimony in the Durell case, Mrs.
Gaines was summoned before them to-
day, and was examined at length by
Messrs. Wilson. Cessna and Eidridge.
The testimony of Mrs. Gaines
was substantially as follows, and
is regarded as of such a character as
TO require the prompt presentation of
articles of impeachment: Notlong after
Judge Durel was appointed Mrs.
Gaines, who had known him for years
as member of the New Orleans Bar,
called upon him at the Fifth Avenue
Hotel, New York, to congratulate him
on his elevation to the bench, two other
witnesses being present. Mrs. Gaines
said: Though you are opposed to me
as trustee of the Union Company,
which bought one-half of a Judgment
against the estate of my father, which
was fraudulent, you see l am sincere IN
my congratulations since thus call on
you in the face of that state of facts. -
To which the Judge replied: ''ThaJ ap-
pointment is merely nominal. have
no interest whatever init, and therefore
can sit in your case" When Judge
Durel went to New Orleans afterwards
he carried out the mandate In the Hen
ming case, resulting in the sale of two
lots, which showed that he was disin-
terested. A few months afterwards
Mrs. Gaines wrote to her agent, Mr..
Stone, asking to bepermitted to have a
receiver appointed to collect the rents
of her estate, to be deposited In Judge
Durell's court for safe keeping. Gen.
Hood, late Of the Confederate army,
was recommended and had the requi-
site and very large sureties ready to
come forward, but Judge Duren re.
fused to appoint him. To her letter
Mr.. Stone replied, shortly, Judge
Durel cannot sit In your case, as he Is
interested against you" This greatly
surprised Mrs. Gaines, who, on her re
turn to New Orleans shortly after, saw
her lawyer, Mr.. Stone, IN his Office
with whom the following conversation
ensued: Don't you think, Mr.. Stone
that Judge Durell's conduct is most ex
traordinary and inconsistent? HetolC
me in New York he had no Interest
whatever, and Eow, though occupying
the same position, he turns round and
says he is interested against me.
Stone replied: He will sit upon you
cases and decide IN your favor upOI
certain conditions, which are: Sheriff
Parker retains In his hands sd ,00(
for making streets In the propert!
litigated for by the Union Company
the heirs of Cavalier and Davenport
and Mrs. Gaines. Durell can arrang,
it if you viii give him $4,000. Mn
thousand dollars you can have. TIL
remainder is to be given to the allow
named heirs, and every other lot in tw,
squares designated is also to be giveI
to Duren." THAT would be bribin;
the Court responded Mrs. Games
and Stone said, "What of that" Il
which she replied, ''Tnat is a crime;
when the earnest attorney asserted tina
If it was, no one would know it; tina
she could do nothing, as she was with
out q dollar; that she did mot know whel
she would have Circuit Judge in New
Orleans, as Judge Wayne was sick an
no other appointment could be mad
while he lived, and hence she would b
compelled to do it, To this she re
sponded, "She would starve before sh
would" The following day Mrs. Game
returned the visit of Mrs. Norton
wife of the assignee In bank
ruptcy, who is charged with benz
the henchman of Durell, an
while there Judge Durel wakes
into the parlor, to whom Mrs. Game
said, Judge, why can't you sit in m
cases? Your position is unchanged
and l wish you would try them" I
, this the Judge replied, Il refer you
Mr.. Norton" In going into the pa
lor of the ST. Charles Hotel, immediate
" after this, she met Mr.. Norton an
repeated her conversation with Judg
Durell, stating that he had referred ht
, to him. Norton answered that if ST
would consent to the proposition mad
to her by Mr.. Stone, the day befor
; Judge Durell would sit in her case
} To this she said, Under no circun
, stances, sir, will / consent to that, y an
, abruptly left the room. The commi
: tee regard this as the connecting lin
required In the testimony to prove Il
: completely of Durell with Norton in Il
: corrupt schemes of plumber which, vii
, increasing force, are being brougl
home to those who show system
1 gigantic spoliation and official d
1 pravity rarely excelled, if equalled,
the country.