The New York herald., 1875-11-19
LONG ISLAND CITYs TREASURER.

MR.. HoRAN ON TRIAL FOR APPRoPRIATING coll
LEcTIoNs TO HIS OWN USE.
In accordance with the notice served upon counsel
for Mr. John Horan, Treasurer Of Long Island City,
by District Attorney Downing, the indictment against
that official called on for trial before tho Queens
County Court OF Sessions, Judge Armstrong presiding,
Wednesday. There was quite an array of counsel in
the and much interest manifested in its prog
ress. The indictment in effect charged Mr. Horan
with receiving moneys for taxes, percentages and in
tcrcst, which were not properly accounted for A
cepcd bill for paid to Horan by the executors or
the Edwin Hoyt estate, amounting, with interest and
percentages, to upward of 500, in evidence.
comparison OF the items of this bill with those entered
upon Horans books shows that while there is credit
allowed for percentages, tho entry for interest is
sidcrably below that appearing the bill
ceipted by Mr.. Horan himself There was no special
dHiculty in obtaining jury Mt. Covert, senior
counsel for Horan moved TO quash the Indictment for
the that the books and papers examined by the
accountants and from which their report was made
not submitted to the Grand Jury who found IL.
This objection however, overrued, and the Court
proceeded to take testimony, the first part OF which
merely tended 10 establish Mr. Horan's connection with
the Office OF City Treasurer.
r. l.. Fabian one OF the accountants engaged TO ex-
anime the accounts, testified at considerable length
to his conclusions and the rendering OF his report
digest of which has already boon published. He gave
evcnce the apparent shortncss of the Tcasurers
bank account also OF the the matter
of the Hoyt estate. He examined closely.
Ex-Mayor Ditmars was then called. His evidence
cupied the remainder of the day, and continued
yesterday He testified that the relations between the
defendant and himself friendly and that he firmly
believed Mr.. Horan to be honest
Mr. f. NJ Martell one OF the Police Commissioners
Of Long Island City, corroborated Mr. Dtmars tcst-
mony, and further testified to putting Mr.. Francis
Boomcr in charge of the Trcasurers Office by authority
OF the Mayor.
Counsel for defendant offered show by an instru
ment drawn by John B. Madden, at the timo Corpora
ton Counsel of the city, that the Treasurer author
lied to deduct certain proportion OF the percentages
but tho testimony was not allowed.
Francis Boomer testified to having seen one of the
clerks put a book behind the safe in tho Office which
was afterward pointed out TO Mr.. Marte by witness;
the book in which the tax accounts kept
The prosecution then rested.
For the defence John McKenna testified to the sigma
turc of John u. Madden attached to instrument CIV
ing opinion justying Mr.. Horan in taking the per-
centages and the deductions made by him in the inter
est moneys and Alvan Payne called to testify that
he had with Horan the subject OF his
tanning fees and percentages There also offered
three resolutions passed by the Common Council OF
Long Island City authorizing the Treasurer to collect
ward taxes OF 1871 still uncollcctcd, and providing for
the payment OF city and ward taxes yet uncoected,
and appropriang allowances to the Treasurer Tor the
collection Of taxes of 1871 ~ and '7a
=. Porter Sumner, public accountant testified that he
made an examination OF Mr. Horans books, and he
found that the city was indebted to Mr. Horan nearly
So 900 Mr. Sumner was examined at great length and
very mlnutey to the in which he arrived at
his conclusions. He was asked whether hc had cx
amincd Mr.. Fabians report and he said he had and
found that Mr.. Fabian brought Mr.. Horan largely in
debt city. AT the rising Of the Court this witness
still upon the stand.