New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-11

great many very respectable people, Among
DR.. Schiefferdecker's patients have been some
quite prominent in New-YOrk society, ana
there is no doubt that many OF our
best citizens have believed in him ana
his methods. Without venturing to men
ton the names of people In private
life, wo may perhaps without improprie'y
saw that, besides some others noted in htera-
ture or on the stage Miss Charlotte Cushman
is at present one of his patients, ana Is an
earnest believer in his skill. The proceedings
before the COroner's jury do not seem 10 nave
been entirely free from the ascerbitles OF pro-
fessional jealousy. Enough, however, appears
70 have been proved to make the case seem
an exceedingly serious one for DR.. Schlener-
decker. and to leave upon him the burden OF
proving that his establishment is not one
which ought to be promptly suppressed.
The Grand Jury having declined to take one
Wow of the facts of Mr.. Dexter A. Hawklnss
employment by Controller Green as the basis
of an indictment of that officer, is now asked
10 look at them in another aspect III
was first alleged that the Charter of 1873
forbade the employment of legal advisers Dy
the Departments; the answer was Ilao w.
Hawkins was retained under clause OF lhc
Charter of 1870. Now the allegation Is thao
Mr.. Hawkins did not do service as legai au-
wiser but as a lobbyist, his whole business DIS
shown by his bill of details, being to oppose
the massage through the Legislature OF DIS
which were obnoxious to the Controller. This
charge has more serious look than the first.
Mr.. Hawkins certainly gave the city no legal
service; he charged a very exorDltant sum ior
the questionable service which he dd render;
and if the services were not clearly legal theh
there was no authority for his employment
Rut If seems to lis a more sensible and brlefer
method of setting all this wrong right would
he to sue Mr. Hawkins to recover the money
which he seems to have obtained under false
pretenses of serving the city when he was
simply lobbying to defeat legislation that
Mr.. Green did not approve.
One skeleton in the Beecher closet has at
last been fairly forced to the light; and GER
tainly it is grisly enough to explain some OF
the mysterious features of Mr. Beechers con-
duct One of his sisters appears In the hght
of a convert to free love doctrines, dev0tee
of Mrs Woodhull's, an absolute believer III
that persons stories against her brother, ana
bitterly resolved to force him to further the
cause by confessing! DR.. Edward Beechers
letter to her on the subject is published,
and it makes as sickening a revelation
as has been seen for many day. 1t has long
been limited that the warfare on Mr.. Beecher
had its origin ID the anger of free love wing
of the Woman Suffrage party in New York
but few really believed that his own sister
could be the instrument specially chosen for
his torture The woman seems to have really
supposed that the pastor OF Plymouth
Church was guilty of criminal init
macy with one of his parishioners,
that he could confess it TO her before the con-
gregation in some theatrical fashion in which
she had devised n prominent role for her
self and that then he could go on preaching
as usual Of course all this horrible stuff
amounts to nothing as proof, on either side
but it does suggest the prOprlety of suspend
ing further inquiries into alleged insanity IN
the T ltOn family. Moon struck madness III the
Bpecher family would be better present sub
joct of investigation.
Mr.. Moulton's testimony is unwisely with
held by the Plymouth Committee until to-
morrow. Hints and surmiscs lead the report
ers to believe that it is less unfavOrable to
Mr.. Beecher than had been expected; but
large part of the guess-work being based
upon the cheerful faces of committee men,
and glum looks of the witness, must be taken
for what it is worth.
TOUTcJ1N5 JURNING OYER A NFU TF4F