The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-09
RING RULE IN wESTCHESTER.

TRUSTEES DIVIDING AWAY THE TOWNS PROP
EnTY-THE DEEDS SET ASIDE AND THE
GUILTY PARTIES INDICTED.
How the Ring thieves OF wcstchcs,cr were made to
disgorge the property pundered from the town OK
cmpfed in suit In tho Supreme Court. held by Judge
Barnard at White Plains. tho town OF Wcstchestcr
being the plaintiff and William Cooper, John Tigbe
Jonn H. Davis and othcrs the defendants. The cause
OF action is set forth at large in the plaintiffs
plant and, from the statements therein set FORTH IL
appears that the town OF Wcschester and the Trustees
OF the OF Westminster owned and in the pos
sion Of certain valuable real estate situated In the town
and that this real estate was held by the town Of West
chester for the purposes Of supporting the free schools
and maintaining a causeway and mill for the of all
the inhabitants Of the In the spring of 1874 the
defendants John II. Davis and John Tigho. together
with Daniel McGrocry elected Trustees Of tho
town. McGrocry, not reshng the programme laid out
by his two fellow Trustees resigned his Office and would
have nothing do with them. The vacancy occasoned
by this resignation never was filled, but the
remaining Trustees Immediately constituted them
selves into q corporation and called themselves 'rhc
Trustees OF the town Westchcser composed OF only
two persons themselves and no more showing total
disregard OF the somewhat familiar rHc that three In
number requisite TO mako corporation aggregate.
Davis and Tghc Immediately proceeded to business.
They went out Of the town Of Wcstchcstcr, although
the law requires that their meetings shall be held
the Town Hal Of Weschcstcr to their attorneys oicc
In West Farms, and IN night they conveyed and
decided avs ny all OF the lands and property belonging
the town thor few select friends relatives The
consideration expressed In the deed mono having been
ever actually paid, was merely nominal For
example. they decided and conveyed the prop
crty known as the Mill property and ali the
right to tho Westchester Creek 10 their coieicndant
loaned TO the grantee $1,000, when, in fact and in
TRUTH the same property was worth with the mill and
these woud.bc Trustees part Of what is known as tho
Bridge Hin property was conveyed Tor the SUN OF
500, when, IN iact the property was worth $4,000
This nephew took possession Of the property,
but his uncle, John Tghc OF these very Trustees
did clearly showing the fraud that the Trustee sold TO
himself and to the nephew, and in this manner
these two Dromos OF westchcster managed in ono
night to divcst the town Of all its property.
Mcssrs Waters. Mapcs and BaisIcy, three reputable
and honest frecholdcrs-and, as tho saying is, they
SIR, ppcd aud went Tor DAVIS and TIghe aud their
grantees named in the deed. The town officers
promptly took measures to punish these fellows. The
mstter was Immediately placed in the hands OF Edmon
Blankman and Jackson .. Dykman now Judge Dyk-
man. These gentlemen AT once nled bill in equity
against all these parties TO have the dccds OF convey
SPECIAL Term aud afterward al General Term before tho
full Bench, who heard the arguments presented by
Edmon Blankman IN behalf OF the town to have the
deeds declared void The defendants represented
by JUDGES Clifford and Hunt The Court, after hearing
both sides promptly rendered ITS decision declaring all
these deeds bsoutely void and directed judgment
be entered Special Term conformity with this do
cison Yesterday at White Plains, tho Supreme Court
all the defendants and directed the Register OF Deeds
for the county mark the record OF these fraudulent
convcyanccs and deeds, Cancelled, void, aud OF
force etcctn The judgment also directs that the
defendants shall pay costs and extra allowance, and
that they forthwith account Tor tho cnts issues and
profits arising said property, and that the lands
and property DO forthwith returned 10 tho town Of
Wcstchcster, thus setting an example 10 cvildocrs.
Tho Grand Jury Of the county have also found
bill OF md against these would DO Trustees
cause of their misconduct in office in making these
fraudulent convcyanccs and for frauduent'y appropri
ating the money and property OF the town, and they
will now be tried upon this Indictment.