The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-13
THE RING INVESTIGATIONS

TESTIMONY OF ME-. WHEELER H. PECKHAM DE-
FORE THE ALDEnMANIo coMMIrrEE-vALUE
| OF THE EVIDENCE OF CARNEY, KEysER, IN
| GERsoLL AND wooDwARD-PETER B.
| swEENY's SETTLEMENT AND CHARACTER
| In the Aldermanic Chamber yesterday morning an
Other phase Of the Ring reached by
the lengthy examination OF Of the principal
sol Tor the people, Mr.. Wheeler Il Peckham. Ono Of
the special committee OF the Board OF Aldermen, Mr..
A. Lewis took the chair shortly after eleven O'Clock,
number OF spectators having assembled In the ex-
pectation that some new and startling Developments
IN the famous operations of the Ring would be dis
closed. In this. will be seen by the following re-
port they disappointed, yet for clear and con-
else statement OF the settlements arrived ut by tho
city and the worth Of the testimony tor the ople OF
| Carney, Keysa, Ingersoll ana Woodward. and their
aid in the ultimate arrangement by which Peter b.
Sweeny restored very large sum Of money, Mr..
Peckhams testimony was very valuable. Assistant
Corporation Counsel O. Cole conducted the examina-
ton. After the witness had been duly sworn tho
question asked:-
You have been connected with tho Ring suits ever
since the beginning, have you not2 A. Yes, air. l
was employed in 1871 by Mr.. o'Conor In connection
with Mr. Evarts previously there had been some
action taken by the Committee Of Seventy.
Q Tell the committee what proceedings, II any,
have taken against the city officials and others
engaged In the Ring fraudsS A. A suit against Tweed
brought order OF arrest and after repeated
motions and arguments II was discontinued and an-
other substituted, which finally resulted in judy
ment. There also suit begun against Connolly
In 1871. He gave bail and ran away.
coNNoLLYs BAIL BOND.
Q. What became OF mis- bondf A. Well, II WAS OF no
avail under decision OF tho Court OF Appeals
Tweed case; another was commenced against
hun xuhi ch utad IN n iudU me M 4 ha hard
q How about the case of Peter d. sweenyY A.
There was sufficient legal evidence to commence
action until 1875, when an action was brought
which resulted in q compromise.
@ Please state the reason of the failure to com.
mence an action against Sweeny before 1876. A. He
public officer, he had nothing TO do with the
pubic accounts, and although there evidence that
he was morally guilty at in legal WOW II was not
sufficient to convict him.
= Was any action taken against A. Oakley Halla A.
/ was time directed TO prepare u complaint
INST that gentleman. which did, but was never
served.
O. How about the case Of Il. A. woodward9 A. He
disappeared early tho action and We had numerous
ncgotIationsNwitn parties TOR him and until no
arrested IN Chicago in 1876; he was brought hero
and SUIT was commenced against him, but finally CON-
promised.
$50, 900 IN a note, which deposited with
tho Uuion Trust company when tho settlement was
thought could get sI6o, 600 out OF when should
cnarge So QUO Tor my services. The Attorney General
and tho suit settled that basis.
q. When this settlement was made was there
account or showing made OF his property A. HIS
counsel gave me list OF IL ana knew about 1t
O. What did his counsel say his entire property was
WORTH A. II was valued higher THAN thought 1t
worth took lien upon IL and considered n
he gave The sum named and his testimony he would
pay quite a large SUN.
q. AT that time II considered that testimony
would DO vauaOel A. Yes; because the Of
sweeny and Connolly were pendlng anu we aid not
know what turn affairs might take
Woodward
sides yourseilY Mr. o'Conor, Mr.. Townsend Tor
Woodward, and myself Tor the CITY.
O. How about the case OF WatUn2 A. Mr.. Watson
dead when the proceedings commenced and "a
WINS begun agaias. his estate by the people; good
deal OF Dogotiaton went on, and HnaIy got Judg
ment which was paid TO The city
q. Can you tell what time the Attorney General
might have outaincd The money! A. A decree
entered in the Surrogate's Couri directing check
be Issued by the United states trust Company pay
mt OF The money
Y Why in that suit was a smaller sum taken than
the amount OF the judsmentY
what mIght bs called u lawyers reply. A. inc Judg-
ment was not Tor very much larger there
decree OF the surrogate, however. awarded US the
amount that the Trust Company pad us.
INGERsoLL AND kEysEK
O. How about Mr. lngcrsoii3 A He ran away and
came back the city under safe conduct: his man
nor does not impress me; we gave hlm notice to that
aud he sent to state Prison tho civil SUIT We
to the Court OF Appeals and ,ncy decided against u;
don't know what has been done iurtner Tue matter
finally went TO see him IN PRISON anu AT the socita
OF Mr.. o'Conor and others pardonci SINCE
that time he always been ready TO testify Tor tue
people ana Is now
4. Why hns no action been commenced against him
! sinccY A don't know, but tnuk on the advice OF
Mr.. O'Conor.
q As 10 GarveyY a. We'll, Carney away and
came back; used hin as witness on the first traI
OF Mayor Hall, aud he proved himself very reliable
accurate ono-
= O How aDoul KcyserY A. he was the nrs, man to
make u break and did not tax much 10 HIM no
acted with Mr.. Jacxson 3. Schultz anu GeBera Bar
I@w: ono day | was taking with Mr. Green wnen no
was Deputy Collector, and Governor iden came IN
the question arose as TO Tue abiIty or the troadway
Bank Tor the payment Of vouchers which Keyscr
claimed TO be fraudulent; arr Palmer, the president
OF the bank was sent Tor and this phase OF the case
placed before hin; he seemed asonished and said DO
would do all IN power to help us this opened tho
books OF the BANK us and enabled us to complete
our evidence; keyscr may have been rea0e 70 GER
| tain extent, but his memory was poor.
! q. State what you know about the Schultz assign
| mont and the Of MoBrioc Davilsou George s.
4 M nndH IA A. L Consulted