The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-02-20
fHE WHEELING DAILY 1871

witness, rising to his feet and finging
both hands in air, exclaims: "My brother
James knew no more about that circular
"before It's publication than Judge HolT.
imam here, or Mr.. Collins, 80 help me
Godp
The spectators rise in wild excitement
The accused AZ the bar bursts into tears
and sobs conyulsively. The lawyers on
both sides bring their heads into clump
over a table and wag them cxcitedlv.
One Judge winks furiously Us he staras
at the ceiling. Another shades his eyes
with his hands. A third coughs and
pounds with his gayel to restore order.
The fourth graSps his pocket handker.
chief and blows blast that shakes the
dust from the CorniCes. Then the court
issuddenly adjourned. Virtue triumphy.
The innocent go Tree. The guilty =.
We give II up. We don't know what
to say about the guilty. Clearly the
priest % the guilty one, but should we
applaud him or hiss him? Ought he 10
be carried in triumph on the shoulders
oil u hu1zalng crowd, or walked of in dis.
grace between couple Of policemen
Disquietlng suggestions present them.
selves when we prepare to applaud tho
eIevating spectacle OF fraternal love.
Was II in accordance with the priestly
character TO ConcoCt and circulate an
Infamous libel 10 Evengc brothers sup.
posed wrongs? Was It fraternal act Of
the priest 10 allow his brother to bear
the obloquy and penalty Of his own act?
Was he telling the truth on the witness
stand, or was he taking his brothers
ofIense on his own shoulders, relying on
his priCstly garb TO shield himself from
the consequences? 1t is moral enigma.
Something fuller on the same subect--From the
Springfield Republican.
A'Jersey City libel suit had n very
dramatic ending Tuesday. Clerk Of Courts
Brann had been on trial for some days
for the alleged publication and distribu-
ton OF libelous circular attacking Pub
Usher Mullone OF the Jersey City argus.
The publication was denied, and the ar
gument for the defense had opened, when
Rev. DR.. BrHnn, pastor Of the Catholic
". Johns Church, near Washington
Heights, attended by the elder James
Gordon Bennett and Charles O'Conor,
BROTHER Of Defendant Brann, burst into
tears, and, at the close Of the argument,
eXcitedly asked to bc called as witness
Tor the defense. This caused sensation,
and the Judge suggested that the clergy.
man retire for consultation with his
brothers counsel. DR.. Brann consented
to this, after some urging, but soon ap.
pcared in the court room again persist.
ing in his demand to testify; the counsel
for the defense rose to formally pro-
test, when Brann stopped him with an
impatient gesture, saying, "No man shall
prevent me" The reverend witness then
said that he alone was the author Of the
libeIlous publication, being moved thereto
by love for his brother, who was repre-
scented by Mullone's argus newspaper Ms
u disreputable character. When the
newspaper story came out, DR.. Brann
went over to Jersey City to inquire about
it, and, finding his aged mother frantic
with grief and his sister wild with passion,
he wrote the circular in defense Of his
brother and had it printed in New York.
DR.. Brann said that his brother had edu-
Gated him, and he could not sec him ira
duCed, but added that the circular against
Mullone was disgrace to the county"
lie then said he was willing to suffer the
full penalty for his otlense, OF which his
brother was entirely ignorant, asked Null
lone's forgiveness, and proposed that the
court proceed to sentence. By this time
n great part OF the audience we're in tears,
and the judge postponed the case to digest
these unexpected developments. As the
Branns and Mullone shook hands and
made up" after the adjournment, it is
sale to say that this is the remarkable
end OF their libel suit.