The New York herald., 1878-03-31
THE COURTS.
Final Adjudication of a Bitter City
Railroad Litigation.
ROUNDSMAN SLAUSON ACQUITTED,
Settling important Legal Points in a
Bankruptcy Case.

decision was given yesterday by Judge Van Worst
in the suit recently tried before him AZ Supreme
Court Special Term Of The Bleecker Street Railroad
Company, the Christopher and Tenth Street Railroad
Company aud the Twenty third Street Railroad Com
pany against the Central Cross Town Railroad
Company. Tho principal questions raised were
TO the validity Of the lease OF the
Bleecker Street road to the 1wenty-third
Street company, and as TO the right Of the first named
ond to complete It's extension in Fourteenth street
ana TO the Chrstopher street Jerry When the tracks
were sought TO be laid IN 1876 at Cnon square tho
Cross Town road officials secured tho interposison oi
the Commissioner o Public Works and the Police DO
paftment to prevent the work. and suit was brought
Ia the Uf Lho people Tor the purpose Then
The Bleecker street, Christopher and Tenth street
roads the city and the Cross Town road Tor the
purpose Of asserting their rights Judge Van Worst
declded IN favor OF The bleecker street, Twenty-thrd
street and the Christopher and Tenth street roads
upon all points, indorsing the decisions heretoors
gwen by JUICES Brady and Sanford Ia other suits 10
tue me elect In The peoples suit 1t Was aenied
tnat the BeecKer street lost forfeited its
rights under the statute oil 1873, granting The extern
sion. oy non-user ana that the acts Of 1873 and 1879
affirming these rights unconstitutional.
Judge Van Worst atIrms the conclusion reached
Ly tho other JUDGES as TO me va. va,
referred holding that the assent OF the stockhoid
oil the Beecker Street road to the lease was not
holders csled Tor the purpose but the assent
p PERSONS holding the majority OF stock was suihcent
The OF the c;ty au bores neid TO have
been unwarranted but the judgment as TO them is
without COSTS. These MtgdtlUn-, 10 wei! Known,
have been IODg bitterly contested, The preseut
Iudoia determination as TO the respective rights oil
ihe contesng parties rs likely to terminate Inns con-
troyefsy IN the courts
ROUNDSMAN oLAUSON ACQUITTED.
The continuation yesterday before Judge Daniels,
holding the Court OF Oyer anu Terminer, OF the trial
Of Roundsman Edgar s. Siauson, OF the Fourth pre-
cinct, who with two other officers, was indicted ior
manslauZhter IN the fourth degree for the alleged
clubbing to death OF Timothy Lanahan on the 25th OF
August last, attracted u very large crowd. Among
he crowd good many policemen in uniform
Assistant District Attorney Herring conducted the
prosecution and Mr.. William F. Kintzlng ap-
'eared tor the prisoner, who, together with the
nncr indicted officers. sat behind him. Deputy
Coroner Miller who made autopsy OF the deceased,
stated that he found some bruises on his head which
mgut nave been produced BY CLUB The cxamna-
Ton, however, revealed diseased condition OF The
heat aud liver He gave 1t as mis- opinion that death
caused Dy the shock received from the injuries
Ia, bad sustained On crosse examination, however,
be admitted that he iound no wounds peces-
sarily iatal. The prisoner, on his own behalf,
stated that he mad been eight years menu
Der OF The police force and that he found
Lenahan IN dying condition, when he mad him re.
moved to the station house He was corroborated in
This latter statement ny Detective Carr anu Patrol
men Sparborough ana Fisher Inspector urray and
Captains Ward, Davis, Williams. Pclty, Eakin and
Mcdonald, under whom the accused had served, ali
gave HIM good character. This ter,p mated the
evidence, after which Mr. kintzing summed up at
great length, insisting that the testimony was not
the accused, and he stated IN The course of
remarks thai this simply
effort Of Fourth ward gang ruin
the accused. He was followed by SMr. Herring, VINO
insisted that 1t was clear OF most brutal aud
cowardly clubbing 10 death OF an inolensive ctlzen
by inucted officer ana he asked tue jury TO make
example in this and rid the police force OF
brutal officer. Demonstratonsof OF applause were made
IN the back part oi the court ut the conclusion
OF his speech, when was promptly rebuked by Judge
Daniels with ntniation II repeated he would clear
the court room. Judge Danies gave very clear aud
impartial charge, reviewing ,he facts and ex-
p.aning the law applicable TO the case. When
The jury, alter brief ABSENCE came into the court
rOOn Judge Daniel anticipating, doubtless. demon
raton, whatever the verdict might be- stated that If
any attempt was made by any persons TO Interfere
with the decorum OF the Court, he would Immediately
have the doors closed anu such persons committed
to the 'TomDs. This had the desired effect,
aud as the foreman announced the verdict
OF mot guilty." everybody renamed silent.
The accused however, considerably Affected and,
accompanied with the shedding OF copious tears,
thanked the jury for their verdict crowd oi po
hcemen f9nged about him and extended 10 him
IN congratulations. Meantime the other indicted
officers bail aud 1t is understood that, follow
ing acquttal OF slauson, they VIII probably not
DO brought 10 triai, unless possibly some new and
stronger evidence may be obtained against them.