New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-29

the lawyers yesterday, and curiously examined
by counsel for both sides. Mr. Beach, discovering
that the matter contained in the pamphlet had been
copied from THE TRIBUNE and enormously sup
posing that it was published by The TRIBUNE,
called the attention of the Court to the
fact that it claimed to be an official
as we'll as verbatim report. He asked that
the Court declare it not to be Official and read not
from the proceedings of the case but the matter in
troductory to the proceedings, certain passages
which he claimed should not appear in an official
report This pamphlet is issued by awell-known
firm of law statiOners and except that they have
with great good sense adopted both the reports and
the descriptive introductiOns they appear in this
paper, The tribune has nothing to do with It,
OF course the introductions. which each day sum
Marie the evidence for the readers of THE TRIBUNE
who have not leisure to read the full report of the
proceedings form part Of the verbatim report OF
the trial They are intended to serve the needs Of
the busy and Of those curious to know how the per-
sons in this great social drama appear. act. and
speak. They have been written with care and
ability, aud with all possible impartahty
In a community which may be tfuthfully said to be
divided into clans this question, really fair
description Of the courtroom scenes could fail to be
little dstasefu to one side the other, and it is
guarantee of the general correctness and fairness
OF THE TRIBUNEs introductions that both sides
have been alternately pleased and dspleased with
them. Possibly some of the witnesses and speakers
have been offended at illusions TO them, which were
nevertheless true descriptions.
As far as the stenographc report Of the proceed
ngs is concerned, THE TRIBUNE publishes precisely
what is said 1t is verbatim report, not word or
document being omitted; it is printed with great
care and the best evidence of its almost absolute
correctness is found in the trivial character of the
errors that have been detected in it. On one occa-
counsel for Mr.. Tilton called attention to the
fact that in a report which filled fourteen columns
of that days paper the word AS" had been omitted
Mr.. Shearman. of Mr. Beechers counsel, while bear
ing testimony for himself and associate counsel to
the general excellence of The TRIBUNE reports and
to their appreciation of the rapidity ana accuracy
with which these reports have been prepared"
complains in note to The TRIBUNE, that
in the examination of Mr.. Moulton (which
occupied about 40 columns OF HE
TRIBUNE, the letter 1T" was omitted from
the word cant" and that single sentence was
divided into two sentences. thus destroying Its
meaning. Judge Nelson on Tuesday last, in allud-
ing to the great accuracy of The TRIBUNE's report,
recalled only one error-that of printing com
pleteness" Tor complexion" Of course a great
many other errors exist but where those specially
complained of are so small it is safe TO assume that
the remainder were too insignificant to be noticed.
Some mistakes are unavoidable in transcrbng and
setting hastily such great mass of matter as TnE
TRIBUNE daily gives Of this trial.
TIE TRBUNE's reports play an important part in
the trial. Tue lawyers on both sides cut the re-
port of the proceedings from the paper and paste
them in scrap-bOoks. Large margins are left for
notes and for references to pages which the same
subject is taken up Authorities also marked on
these margins. The books are carefully indexed by
euce whenever in the heat of discussion it becomes
necessary to turn to proceedings of the previous
DAYS Each of the counsel on either side keeps one
of these books. On Mr.. Beechers side there six
of these books regularly entered by the clerks OF the
counsel and brOughinto court, where the Junior
counsel, during an examination debate, almost
constantly refer to them to detect differences in
nations. or to point out Interpretations by opposing
counsel In ordinary trial the notes of the Off
cial stenOgrapher of the court would be ap
paaed to; and in a trial of the length of
this much time would thus be consumed.
The scrap-bOoks supply this defect, and facilitate
the conduct of the case. No such use is made of
any other newspaper report, and thus THE TRIBUNE
comes to be cited the official report. This claim
THE TRIBUNE has left to the counsel and Court to
make. 1t furnishes verbatim report, which cOun-
sci both sides have agreed to consider the Off
cial report, and have SO announced through Mr..
Beach.