The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-18
WAR ON THE STENCHES.

THE BOARD OF HEALTH PROSECUTING TIN
PROPRIETOR OF FERTILIzING ESTABLISH.
MENr-soURCE OF SOME OF THE FOUL DOORS
THAT SWEEP OVER THE CITY.
A trial OF considerable interest and importance To
the community was commenced yesterday In Part 3
OF the Cour. of General Sessions before Judge Glider
sleeve 1t was brought at tho instance OF the Board
Of Health, tho defendant, Mr. Enoch o. Coo, the pro-
prietor OF q fertilizrng establishment NJ Newtown
Greek, L. l.. being charged with maintaining
nuisance in violation Of the statute. Among those
in attendance yesterday were Professor Chandler.
President Of the Board Of Health; Commissioner
Janeway, DR.. Rufus L. Wilder and Professor Elwyp
Waller, chemist 10 the Board Assistant Distriss
Attorney Bei with Colonel W. P. Prentice, counsel
TO the Board Of Health, appeared for the prosecution.
and the accused defended by Colonel J. 4. Eel.
lows.
Mr. BELLS REMARKS.
In his opening Mr.. Bell called the attention Of the
Jury 10 the important character Of the case He
alluded TO the poisonous vapors that loated tho
East River 10 this city, causing much discomfort
and SICKNESS and said he would show tnat they ema-
natea largely from the establishment Of the defend.
ant. Uptown residents oil the city were compelled az
close their windows. cven IN tho hottest pars
oil summer 10 essape tho psstcnial doors that came
from the vicinity OF Eswtown creek wh.n tho wind
was IN An snsterly direction. Tho rcspon.
upon some one, ana accordingly Mr.. Coo and
others were iadic,ed Tor tue offence alleged
That inoic,ment was found under the statute
OF 1851 which ortn that the counties
Of Kings, Westchestcr and New York issuing IRON
any factory near these boundaries might be proceeded
against aud us proprietor indctcd. Mr. Bell pointed
out great necessity OF abatng the nuisances
planned OF ana hoped tho responsibility would be
pRoYksson wALLKR's TESTIMONY.
The FIRST witness called was Professor Waller who
nufactory, which Is nearly opposite Forueh stree.
He there Witnessed the process oil manu TACT re-
Scraps ona refuse bones orisd nsh were reauced IN
large tubs By the admixturc Of proauct known
siuage acid This s,udge acid Was sulpnuric
acu agtaled with petroleum for its purihcaiion aud
retains all he impurities Of the oil whcn u retines.
wnen epargted from the oil u 10 black oui sme-
ing and becomes intensely so when It comes
ta,t with substance win WHOM II may chemically
comb,ne. Tns witness went 10 state that he had
smelIed ths odor ~ THIS city, and particularly al
Bellevue Hospi,aI aud other points aloug The
East river where there wero buildings
between him ana Hunters Point. and always whom
the wind In easteriy direction. Wnen went
to the manuactory on one occasion the foreman told
him he haa been directed BY air. Coo not 10 admit
the stencil when he had traced from New York had
us source h Mr.. Goes establishment IL could DO
sineiled at he distance Of milo lie said he had
verscd viii Mr.. Cos on previous occasion, whom no
kept iert'zing mandatory al tho foot Of Eighth
street. Williamsburg.
M Feiiows objected, stating no supposed that II
the mention oi the prosecution 10 Introduce tho
TACT that Mr. Coo had been previously irdcted Tor
similar offence, although the lnuictmont had been
| abandoied. Mr. Bell replica by saying that the IN
dlctinci had quashed because Mr.. Coe agreed
remove his business wDicn NO did only, however, 10
renew at another place.
Professor Waller continued to testify that te parts
OF Mr. Goes factory Tor turing pur.
poses nlled with the materials for u upd
suits the The latter. he said, retain Tor
| a long lime the offensive smell he never smelt
simiia stencil from any other establishment tnis
Guy.
| fhewitness then proceeded TO detail tho several
JOURNEYS he had III ade IN tracing tho stencil TO Mr.
| Coos man uiac,ory.
rnE LSK or DKyKScE.
In ross-examnation Colonel Follows questioned
him to the mater ias used at fertlziug establish.
mcntbu tins slide OF the rivcr and Mr. Bell objected
Mr.. Nows said tho defence proposed TO snow That
preciGly The Same odor emanaled from several estab
lisnmnts along Tue East River within the limits Of
the csy and between the most thickly populated
ton this city aud Mr.. GOES establishment rho
dciene, to establish this, would call large number
OF exerts ana members OF the citzens' com nit
| tee tat visited these establishments. Furthermore
that nese establishments were licensed ny tue Board
Of Hath Of this CITY, ana that tne present prosecu.
ton vas Instituted 10 save That body the consc-
quencs OF the reformntory movement, suggested q
| few dys since by Recorder Hscketi. Counsel con.
tendel that the defence should DO allowed TO show
that he stencil complained Of came IRON other
source than Goes factory.
Alto some argument this point the further
| nearilg OF the case was adjourned until Monday.
IL Wis stated that the Grand Jury spent tue session
ycstcrsy III investigating tue sources Of tho uptown
| stencils. The utmost secrecy was observed. but a
| was unerstood that several uptown residents mad
| been sDpWnaed 10 tho District Attorneys ofhco