New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-10

of triple brass, has tacitly admitted the full
charge and defied the people to find their
remedy. In the whole history Of modern
criminal prosecutions we doubt whether
similar instance can be found of q thief offer
ing no defense to the indictment, but moving
all the machinery of the law to defend pos
session of the stolen property.
The new action begun by his attorneys last
week transcends the insolcnce of all his pre-
vious devices, and is probably entirely with
out parallel in the records of any respect
able court. 1t is suit against his prosecutors
to punish Them for failure to recover what he
has stolen; against his accomplices who turned
States evidence to compel them to restore the
money of which he keeps possession; against
the city authorities and the counsel for the
people to force them TO prosecute their own
witnesses and in effect against the witnesses
to prevent them from testifying. Brought iii
the name of one of Tweeds bondsmen,
but by Tweed's counsel, its real purpose,
its fraudulent and obstructive character, are so
plain that 1t is a question whether any legal
subterfuge will give it standing i'll court.
The spectacle of an escaped c0ntumacious
prisoner using the law to harry the officers OF
Justice is one upon which the bench surely
cannot look with patience; and If this suit
should ever come TO trial it would be little
else than disgrace to American society.
Whatever may become of it, however, 1t
will he well TO note that the complaint makes
a series of admissions respecting the Ring
conspiracy which have never before been put
into words by Twecd's counsel. 1t is alleged,
as the basis of the action. that Keyser, Gar
vey, Connolly, Ingersoll, and Watson en-
tered into conspiracy to defraud the
city and county "by fabricating and
procuring payment OF pretended claims
such pretended claims being some
" times wholly false and sometimes grossly
"and fraudulently exaggerated" Now as
these are the transactions III which Tweed
was the central figure, and as the confessions
and other testimony which show the existence
of the conspiracy between these men also
show that Tweed was the principal actor in.
it and the receiver Of the lions share OF the
proceeds, the aclnowlcdgm ent, considering
the source from which it comes, must be re-
garded as insolence so stupendOus that II
almost rises to the sublime. Perhaps from
William NJ. Tweed this was to be expected.
But the decent, honorable portion OF the COM
munty will be curious to know by what code
of ethics Mr.. Field justifes his share
in the proceeding. We have him
now stating in open court that the
property in litigation was stolen from
the city by q gang of conspirators, while
Mt the same time he is aiding the leader OF the
gang to prevent the city from recovering that
property, and for this service he is taking his
pay out of the stolen money. If a leading mem
Der of the Now-YOIk bar can place himself in
such shocking position as this without losing
caste, the morale of the profession must
have fallen to a depth which few of III sus-
pect. The meancst criminal il entitled to the
aid of counsel in presenting whatever can be
offered in his defense, even in saving HIM, II
that can be done honestly, from mcritcd pun
ishment; but there is principle or profess
sional privilege which justiiics lawyer III
helping n confessed thief to retain procession
of the stolen goods.