The New York herald., 1879-02-12
THE COURTS.
More Litigation About the Empress
Eugenie Laces.
SUMMING UP In THE ARSON TRIAL.
Cost of Administration of Justice IN a
Criminal Court

The laces that formerly comprised portion OF the
wardrobe Of the Empress Eugenie-or. rather. por-
tion OF themwas the subject OF litigation yester-
day in the Supreme Court 1t will be remembered that
it was charged that these laces smuggled with
q view to avoid payment Of Custom House duties and
that they seized by the Custom House authori-
ties. which seizure resulted In lengthy litigation In
the United States Court and finally terminated in q
dismissal of tho proceedings aco dress and q laco
shawl. forming portion of the laccs In question:
came into the possession Of j. Warren Lawton. who
through Colonel Townsend as agent. attempted to
sell them. 1t is stated that effort was
made to induce various prominent ladies on
Fifth avenue to purchase tho same and
donate them to tho metropolitan Museum
of Art that this project fell through and that then it
was sought to have them put up at rattle at the late
fair at the Cathedral. This latter scheme. it
seems. also failed and then followed assidnous
efforts to dispose OF the laces at private SALE This
brings us to the present suit. Mr.. Lawton claims
that the laces sold to Miss Ann Leary for $4,000
ment; that tho laces then sold to A. T. Stewart
Co. for $3,250, and that he Is entitled to $1,000
fS% Se for they wers o to Se
and tho price for which they were sold to A. I.
Stewart & Co. and $3.50 expenses incidental to the
occasion brought into the court room an
sd-sH society in this city rarely witnessed in
our courts. Colonel Townsend was the principal
witness for the plaintiff He testified that he re-
ceivcd . notc from Mrs. General Thomas Francis
Meagher. stating that she had purchaser for the
laces. which purchaser was Miss Leary that after
various negotiations he sold the latter the aces for
which she agreed to pay $4,000. Mr.. Libby of A. 7.
Stewart IL Co.. testified to the sale OF the laces to
their establishment for $3.250 Miss Leary was the
leading witness hor own behalf. She denied
most positively the purchase OF the laces. Tho
goods, she said. sent to her residence
just she entering her carriage and
wcre left there simply for her inspection,
and that not proving satisfactory she did
not buy thon.' In tho course of her testimony
quently her in regard to tho mattor and that
finally sho had refused to sec him altogether. She
stated that she told Mrs. Meagher that she
would pay $4,000 for tho laces and authorized
her to maze such statement to Colonel Townsend.
Mrs. Meagher being called to the witness stand
Miss Leary.
Mr.. Arthur Leary was also q witness. His tcs-
timony simply to the effect that effort had
been made to induce his sister to buy the
laces, but that she had refused to purchase
them. Tho fact was brought out on the
trial that Colonel Townsend received letter OF in
PRODUCTION to Mrs. Meagher from Mrs. General Frc-
mont At the conclusion OF the testimony the
spective counsel-Mr. Edward II. Hawke appearing
for the plaintiff. and Mr. John Berry for the defend
antsummed up the case at considerable length. the
former contending that 1t was plain case OF sale
and that his client entitled to recover the sum
sued for and tho latter urging that there had
been any sale Of the goods to the defendant, and
therefore that sho could not be held liable to pay
anything. very brief charge was mado by Judge
Of the of the evidence to decide to the
question OF fact, whether the goods were not
Sold as alleged, to tho defendant The jury. after
brief Absence brought In verdict for the defendant