The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-05
7 CONNOLLY ECONFESSES.
Judgment Entered for the
People Without Trial.
JUDGE DAVIS SCATHING CHARGE.
Carney and Woodward Chuck
ling Over Their Disgrace.
AN EIGHT MILLION DEBIT
The City's Chances for Realization on
the Judgment

The City's Chances for Realization on
the Judgment
preme Court, Circuit before 0hiei Justice Davis one
OF those remarkable which partake Of the
nature Of theatrical surprises will DO remembered
that after amount OF trouble struck jury was
obtained in the Connolly case TO try this cause
ctLbre, and yesterday was set down Tor the day OF
-.aL The defendant-who 10 still sojourning In his
beautiful chateau in Switzerland surrounded by the
somantic charms Of Alpine scenery did not think Il
worth while brave The psrils and dscomors OF an
ocean voyage TO contest The suit Why should hef A
chateau At vevey is doubt allurng In IT'S at
fractions than Ludlow Street JAIL even though the
latter abode be gracsd By tho prssepce Of William n
Tweed. And then the amount sued Tor only eight
and hall Millions mere trife Tor Connolly, as
every Will SEQ, ana scarcely worth defence,
and yet expected all along that Mr.. Connolly's
counsel would make ~ least snow Of defence, and 4
not until Monday night that il began to be whis-
pered about that Connolly would confess judgment
this known 70 only . few, and when Judge Davis
look his the bench and Mr.. Psckham and
Corporation Counsel Whitney we're present Tor the
people, exJudse Waterbury Tor the defendant, and
Others evidently waiting to DO called, the pubic
naturally expected that the trial would 90 on. The
jurors 100 who had been selected with such extraor-
hnary care looked though their courage screwed
up to the sticking point and ready for perfect ava.
ianchs OF testimony. All these anticipations were
dispellsd, however, when ex-Judae Waterbury rose
calmly and carefully the following elaborate
statement. which Connolly confessed judgment and
II the Same time himself upon the admiration
OF his countrymsn for his wonderful generosity In SO
DOING
Mr. wArEkBuRY's SPEECH.
shall not trouble the Court nor ths>jury nor my
learned friend who represents the people with the
trial Of this cause and will briefly state the
for my course. Tho defendant whom represent, Mr..
Connolly IL IN an unfortunate condition. Com Delled
TO be absent by circumstances TO which shall pres
emily advert ne is 70 some exlsnt 10 tho power Of
men who make no prctenson to honesty and are ac-
tuated toward him by hatred and revenge.
When, IN 1871, 1t became known that the people Of
this city had been wrongsd out Of large sims Of
hones. men, great pubic service BY placing the i'm.
parant Office that he held In the control Of ihose who
leo. The public interests ana punish The wrong .aosrs
His action WAS prompt and effective, and It naturally
Iccured for him the bitter snmisy or those who were
When, soon af.crwafd, the audscious robbery Of a
portion Of the vouchers IN the Comptrolers oics
planned to themselves from The effect Of Mr.
Connolly's action, made feeble attempt to duplicate
him In the crime; but Il soon became manifest that
he had no participation IL He, indeed, was The
injured by IT, because destroyed papers which, how
ever tanning 70 Others, q prolsction 70 him. II
was upon his complaint that u was Investigated.
cONNOLLY'S k8cTiTUDk tElt
Here desire to call attention 70 another important
have alluded charge has boon made against Mr..
Connolly. His administration OF the Comptroller's
ofce has boon subjected during tho last SIX years to
tho rigid scrutiny, in various ways, but dts
honesty in It's manage has been shown. On the
contrary, every account has been found correct and
= Tue active perpetrators OF the dishonest act TO
which have referred are now known to have
been Watson, woodward, lngersoll and aarvsy. Wat
10 doad and shall make no further reference 10
acquaintance nor, TO his remsmbrance, any inter-
course. He mad any intimacy with either lnger-
coll Garvey, hut knew them az applicants Tor pay
The last three OF them, nanfssty influenced by the
most intense animosIty toward Mr. Connolly, while
testiiying to their iniamy, have made the most
reckless and sxavagant charges against him-chxrges
whch rest solely upon the unsupported GA his Of these
degraded men and their accom- plicos. No sane man
would place reliance upon the uncorroborated tes-
umony or any OF them.
m Devsrtheless though vergng upon The age which
the Psa mist the ordinary limit OF mans
snce bowed down by The suffering inev,tabe to man
fond OF his home and his country. ioSced INTO exile BY
lie condemnation, aud out By the pain OF in
durable disease likely ut any moment TO be fatal from
Ions H. under nces he SHOULD undertake
nnd survive q journey TO this city hecoud accomplish
named as could be investigated in this action he you'd
onjy oppose bis testimony Tor they limit all knowledge
OF their statements affecting him TO themselves and
their accom- pces, al OF whom are only hostile TO
hum bul desire 70 be rsvenged because he would
allow his Office 10 be Tor their protection. Thor
Which outside parties can testify. Mr. Connolly can
prove by testimony tho lastly of other state
mens sworn 10 by these men, such as, Tor instance,
that a house was built for him with money stolen
from the CITY, out such evidence not being relevant
NOR can il be given In any available manner 90 as 10 be-
passed upon by an impartial ana competent tribunal
No result, therefore. beneficial 10 Mr. Connolly, he
h. tn mt ho
by his return TO this city.
xILLoS OR 40 DON'T xArrKR.
With these preliminary remarks proceed to state
why consent that my learned adversary may have a
verdict Tor the amount he CLAIMS II has been ad-
act Of 1870 the bills when the then ted
by that wnom Connolly one) certified TO be
sorrecs the officers guilty Of neslect are liable ASIDE
therefore, from any question as 10 his receipt of
part Of any money whatever. q Judgment upon the
technical groand ! have stated must pass against
Mr. Connolly IN this action for over $6o0o,o00 There
IL also claim another million included In this
action. There but few men to whom IL Is OF auy
importance whssnsr or not another million may be
ADDED 10 n Judgment Tor over six millions, and my
cient Ii not one Of them. Besides, tue same rule Of
LIABILITY for not faithfully performing auly Imposed
by law would probably DO also applied 10 that million.
lshouid state as part oil his case that Mr. Connolly
denies that he knew bat any bill was raised In amount
VI was fraudulent or mat ne received the large sums
INmonoy sworn 10 by The mcn 70 whom have re-
ERRED or that he had any knowledge OF their fraudu-
lent proceedings, though he realizes that he must
ABIDE the oil allowing himself 10 be tneir
victim. They may have received the money they
Nate, but they did only small portion Of II ever
feacheu him. II truo that various amounts wpicn
passed through his hands spent for CORRUPT pur
poses In respect 10 legislation At Albany affecting the
CITY government IL must not be supposed That
make this sa,e ment without deep Of the enor
nifty Of the offence II 10 ouy made 70 indicate the
way In which the money was expended Tuat is gone
~ completely as though II hau been used Tor good
purpose, aud cannot De followed beyond .hs rrsspon.
bbie agents 10 wnom u was paid.
RFN mr.. PxckHAxs VIEWS ov THE JUDGMENT
The last sentence OF the address Of Mr.. waterbury
10 the Court. in asserting entry OF judgment
against mis- client, scemeu Intended convey im-
preston that Connolly proposed TO do someth ng
seward at least partially satisfying tue judgmsnk Mr..
Wheeler II. Peckhan, counsel Tor tue people, on be-
Ing Questioned on ms point saiu the only PREPARATION
he knew oil TO which Mr.. Waterbury coula have re-
crred connolys assent to the entry OF dgment
against him. This, Of course, saved CON.
siderable time ana labor Tor the prosecution
and some expense to the county. Beyond ux,up tbe