The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-02
BosTON's SOCIAL SCANDAL.

WITHDRAWAL OF THE nfcE-cooLIDGE SUIT
FROM coURT--rHE EVIDENCE TO BE TAKEN
BY A BOARD or -DIsAPpoINTxEsT
OF SENSATION sEEKERs
[Dx TELEGRAPH TO THE HRRALn.1
Bosrox. June !, 1871
What promised 10 be prolonged aud exciting sensa-
ton was unexpectedly nipped in the bud day by tbs
withdrawal OF pending scandal from the Supreme
Court and turning It for hearing and decision to
board Of referees. Tue case Is one locally known
AS the "Rice and Coolidge case' and for months
tho community has been on the qui uice for
its trial. with lis expected developments OF
debauchery In high lie. The nature Of the action,
with the names OF the parties, &c. we've detailed in
the HERALD to-day. The was 10 huve been com.
inenced in the Supreme Court this morning. on which
occasion the hall OF justice crowded at an early
hour II was noticed that several OF the counsel en-
ploycd in the engaged earnest consulta
ton'in 4 sdo room, and before long 1t began 10 10
runored that the trial 10 be broken on, Eotwith
standing the tact that Hon. Richard Ulncy OF counsel
Tor the palnt was In court aud ready 10 proceed with
hts opening. The Court came In at half.past nine.
when Judge Sone announced that u had been agreed
referees consisting OF Mcssrs. Charles s. Bradley OF
Providence, ex-Chiof Justcc oil Rhode Island, and
now Of the Harvard Law SCHOOL, Hon. Charles +.
Choatc, Of Salem, and Hon. Theodore H. Sweetser, Of
lowell The case was therefore taken from the jury,
md nothing else being ready the Court dismissed the
jures tor the term.
EFFECT or THE REFERENCE
This action stops huge amount Of scandal from be
coming public, but II disappoints great many per-
sons. even those closely connected with the case. The
trends oil some OF the regret the STEP because
the allegations Of the plann havc boon pu0ishcd and
there Will never be opportunity to meet them
publicly. IL 10 runored that even Hon. Richard II.
Dana regrets the suspension, Tor his plood was up
Hc had become Intensely interested In the case and
had hoped TO make the defence VI Mossrs Bsker a.
Knight, his clients, the chief effort OF hts life, oven
cclpsing the fame won and the ability displayed by
MIN Ia the celebrated Dalton divorce case Tho PLAIN
ts counsel thought the proper place for their clients
was before jury, while that ssmo jury and the
spectators present longed to hear tho
donce IN the case, even in tho heat VI midsummer
THE NEGOTIATIONS.
The reason for thus removing IRON tho public gaze
scandal which could produce evil results in
OF families. that tho deliberate judgment or the
counsel prevailed over their feelings ~ the matter.
The counsel for tho defence have always been ready
the trcd before referees, but the painful
steadily refused for reasons stated above Recently
formal negotiations were opened toward the same OBJ
ject, and few days ago thcy seemed likely to be sue
cessiu when disagreement arose IN relation 10 the
members OF tho board OF referees. although the
suggested by the two sides included the present list
and dozen others OF equal cnlnonce, and II was
nounced pretty generally that the Case would be tried
by jury. Slnce last night, however there have beon
new conferences, and at last with SUCCESS. Tho
scnnduxe of families who little dream that tho
names OF their members connected with transac-
vi very questionable II not criminal character.
Gcnemcn aud ladies alike from the nrst families OF the
town would DO implicated, anu the whole OF Boston
society would DO shaken TO tho foundation by the
sworn OF witnesses ana tho Official reports Of
detectives to their employers. In consideration oil
these counsel ho1atcd TO force public trial and
10 reference rather than DO responsible for OF
corruptng publications and stories which would dtsn
icRraie families by the dozen, and which they knew
must be put IN evidence auring the trial.