The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-20
A CRIMINALS LUCKY ESCAPE.
Progress of the Legal Fights
Against Rapid Transit.
JUDICIAL MPECUNONTY AND ITS SAFEGUARDS
Religious Institutions Not To
Be Taxed.

end remove from the hands Of the present receiver
The Of Jacob Sharp, which had not
been concluded Saturday last was continued by Mr.
AIxornon s. Sullivan on behalf OF the receiver. He
lcstined In answer the questions put to
him. that he could give why the bill to lease
Tho Dlceckcr street road drawn 10 confer its
powers the directors OF the Blocker Street and
Twenty third Street roads instead OF the bondhoders
that time had Of 100 shares the Blocker
Street and his business what interest no
had IN tho Twenty Street road he did
Der II he present at . meeting held in 1873
when he was appointed one OF I committee confer
with directors Of other city railroads tho question
or leasing the Blocker Street road 10 some Of
them ho did not the Of the Blocker
Etreet road at tho timo OF that resolution, nor did
he know the amount Of its indebtedness outside its
bonded debt at the time he ceased TO be its president
1t tho he director OF tho road he did know
from Inspection OF the books how the compapy's
financial affairs stood he believed he present at
meeting the Bleeckcr Street directors 1873 when
favorable report received in relation to renting tho
snamproved franchises OF the road tho Christopher
Btreet road the bong SIS, 900 cash down aud
ninety nine years; he did remember II lease
to that effect agreed TO then by majority Of tho
directors; the Blocker Street road was built before
the present company organized; he did not know
what Il cost, but no thought George Law did, IRON
Ill his experience in building CITY roads he could
not then say how much II cost mile to build the
Blocker road no could give the tact however
that tho road could not be built without money, and
It's numerous curves would increase the cost OF
rucon tho first owners stocked the road with about
fourteen fifteen and then the present company
was formed; part Of the expense N hitting up WAS tho
horsos stages and harness of the Knickerbockcr and
Beecker Street lines OF stages which they took; both
stage lines belonged to companies and he did not rcco
cct what paid to either one; he did not remember
II $I65 600 In bonds OF the Blocker road
amount paid TO the Knickerbocker company; both
companies were paid IN bonds; on reflection Ne did
about IL; ne believed the minutes were correct 10
stating that $4,000 wns the consideration paid
.tagc line; in both CAGES no thought he had
made good bargain estimating the bonds at par as
70 The value the franchises OF tho Blocker Street
Railroad Company, he believes them be vaua-
bic to The Iwentythird Street Company than 10 any
one else that company could run II at the rate OF
$50 600 year less than body elsc and would be
able 10 portion OF II different from anybody else;
the Blocker Street road by ITSELF he would not
take 1t as gilt and pay the interest on the bonds;
whc director he dId not push the road 10 the Twen
-thrd street ferry, because the additional expense for
Twenty bird Street road has already depot-the prn
cipa expense Of the extcnsonand they could ths
road without This additional expenses Il would be still
advantage of the Twentythrd Street line,
In running the Blocker Street extension II the
formers depot at the OF Fourteenth street
and Tenth avenue instead of whore 1t
1t the foot of Twenty-thifd street. would be
the advantage Of the Blocker Street road 70
get lease OF tho Twenty third street road than 10 be
leased It. provided tho Blocker Street road had the
money TO accomplish that cbjcct be had nothing TO
do with the leasing OF tho Gansevoort property from the
city for the Beecxcr Street road the lease taken
by the Hudson River Company and then obtained by
tho Blocker street Company for the Beecker Street
&40O 600 bonds it given for all the road then
had including its equipments; Of these bonds he got
about forty. and about zoo Or 500 shares
neglect 10 build tho Blocker Street extensions
with view depreciae It's stock that the Twenty
third Street company might lease ii on tho contrary,
they making every effort 10 raise money TO build
The extension; no could give no explanation OF the
protection account which appears IN the books other
Than that he $500 Of the amount 10 pay his expenses
10 Albany he know nothing about four notes Of the
company made IN ArriI, 1874, anu Endorsed by Como
yer, amounting In all 10 $4,000; the Twenty third
Street road has paid dividend It ran, and
when the dividend Is due there will DO Sc, 900
hand to pay $24, 0O0 the company does not owe dol
lar Of debt tho added and It's business is
A. this point the examination was adjourned 10
"Wednesday next
ONE YEAR FOR A LIFE.
George knight placed at tho bar Of the Court Of
General Sessions before Recorder Hackett yesterday
for trial upon an indictment for murder, for having
taken tho life Of Joseph Bennett upon the 9th of
last April at No. 265 Stanton street. by stabbng him
In tho neck with knife Assistant District Attorney
Russell prosecuted for the people, aud Mr.. William r.
KNITTING appeared for the prisoner. Mr.. RUSSELL in
opening tho case briefly rccaptulatcd the facts and
called Horny vonbosburgh, an ego witness OF the oc-
currence, who testified that The deceased had been
drinking, aad that words OF an angry character passed
between the parties, when Bennett struck knight
she chest with his hst, upon which knight stopped
down and picked up knIic and made thrust NJ Ben
De.s meek me mex. .nns ~,.hess e wrs o'Ooa
ward he expired The witness was rgidly cross
examined by Mr. Kintzng, but the cross-examination
failed to shake bis testimony. Other witnesses cor
roborated the testimony Of vonbosburgh. Deputy
Coroner Goldsmith testified thai he made the post
norton upon the body Of the deceased and found the
Az IA
result Of internal hemorrhagc
Mr. KNITTING, in opening the case Of the prisoner,
claimed that the done scfdefcnce, the de-
ceased insisted, having assaulted the prisoner,
who, being apprehensivo that II was tho formers In
tention do him great bodily injury inflicted the
Jury that caused death Alexander Stanton testified 10
having been present. and that he Bennett strike
Inc prisoner n asr rn mnJ NJ made
IN the neck He testified, also, that he blood
coming from the wound. numser Of witnesses
sailed who testified 70 the prisoners excellent charac-
Ter for peace and quetncss. Both sides then sub
United tho to the jury, under the charge OF tho
Court
The Recorder charged upon the law applicable to the
case defining what would justify the taking OF human
Life, and stating that while tho law justified the taking
OF human HE 10 save ones own lfc, whore there
danger OF tho innicton OF great personal injury,
u did not justify where blow was inflicted with the
naked hand the blow by the use OF deadly
weapon. The Jury ailcr hours deberaton, re-
turned Acquiring Of murder and convicting OF man
slaughter in the fourth degree Tho Recorder then
sentenced the prisoner 10 imprisonment OF one
year In the Stao Prison The prisoner bowed TO tue
Court jury IN recognition oil the mercy that had
been shown TO him, alter which he was handcuncd and
taken back TO the Tombs.
THE ANTI-RAPID TRANSIT SUITS.
An interesting stage was reached yesterday in the
vial OF the SUIT OF the Sixth Avenue Railroad Company
against the Gilbert Elevated road. resumed before
Judge sedgwck, in Superior Court Special Term. The
aking Of testimony for tho defendants began. RUFUS
H. Gilbert the inventor OF the plan OF the Gilbert Elc
vated Railway, WIS the first witness cailed He cx-
planned al length the nature OF The Invention, and
stated that the plan was materially changed before the
bill Incorporating tho company passed by the Leg
islature. Considerable Objection no added was made
~ some OF the Legislative committee the atmospheric
DIan, the feasibility OF which they doubted. ard they
animated that he altered hts plan admit the
cam they would approve ii; he accordingly prepared
bhc present plan tor steam locomotives and Ii only
differs, approved, from The present ono in hav-
Ing Tor support arches instead OF upright
pillarx w. L. Wallace the Vice President
OF the road, who lives Tarrytown was next exam
ncd In his examination the fact dcv elopcd
that he owned property IN Tsrryiown and was nicr-
aeted n rapid