The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-22
JERSEYS BROKEN RING.

ness OF the mines indebted to the cornish panS.
JERSEYS BROKEN RING.
ANOTHER OF IT'S MEMBERS IN BAD pGEDIcA-
MENr-FRANcIs M'DERMorr is FOUND GUILTY
OF STEALING CoUroNs AND AREAIoNED ON
ANOTHER INDICTMENT CHARGING HIM WITH
CoNspIRACY-ooNTRADIcTo TESTIMONY
HUMoRs OF THE TRIAL.
EELvIDERE. N. j.. Jan. 81. 1879.
The city OF Phillipsburg must have been almost
depopu,ated to-day. because il seemed though tho
greater portion of the inhabitants were here. The
hotels. saloons and streets wero crowded
with strangers. The court room, the galleries
and the Hobbies of the Court House
of course crowded to excess with IN audience about
equally divided in sympathy. The interest in these
Phiipsburg is very great and constantly III
creasng. There are some fifteen or twenty indict-
mcnts against of the most prominent citizens
OF the city. and they comprise conspiracy, larceny
and forgery. District Attorney Henry S. Harris.
Counsellor Roderick Byington. Attorney General
John p Stockton and Counsellor J. i. Dumont up
pear on behalf OF tho State and the phillipsburg
"Citzens' Committee of Safety and Reform" The
counsel for the defendants Judge William FL.
Morrow, j. G. Shiplnan and S. G. Smith.
THOSE STOLEN COUPONS.
Tho case against Francis McDer1nott. ex-,nember of
the Town Council of Phillipsburs. continued ut
ten O'Clock this morning. The outline Of tho case
was given in the HERALD OF to-day. II will
be remembered that the prosecution charged that
Francis McDermott stole some coupons from the
Office of the Clerk of the Board and presented them
to Jesse Il. Carhart, the City Treasurer. The bonds
from which the coupons were taken had been re-
deemed and were consequently worthless. Notwith-
standing this, however, the Treasurer paid McDer-
mott one-half the amount called for by the coupons
and kept the other half himself He paid McDer-
mott by q check.
A number OF witnesses were put on the stand by
the prosecution to prove McDermott's Endorsement
of the check. AIcDerrnott then acknowledged his
signature bnt claimed that he got the check in
return for an order which he had given the treasurer
He had purchased the order from Mr.. Brakey.
druggist Mr. Brakely swore that he had often
sold city orders to Mr.. McDermott and that he had
sold the order which McDermott claimed he had
For this he brought with him his account book, but
was unable to find any entry that exactly cores
ponded with the amount of the order.
OPINIONS THE CITY TREASURER.
The defence then introduced Witnesses to prove
the bad character Of jesse F. Carhart the principle
witness for the State. The first witness, whose
name was Norman Frontz, i'll response to Mr.. Ship
mans question of what was Mr. Carharts reputation
for truth. said Every bad"
The next witness. i'll response to the ques
ton, said, Very damaging"
Joseph Pierson. who seemed to have extraordi-
nary respect for the democratic party, said, very
solemnly, Several good democrats speak very dam
agingly of him." Great laughter) This wit
ness. when asked if he could name many persons
who had spoken Of the lack of veracity the part OF
Carhart, replied :-"Wel there is John Wilson, a
%s% ot
The next witness said that in his opinion Carhart
was rather slippery" and another that he knew
Carhart would cheat the town when he was elected
Treasurer, and" he had told the Council so. After
he (Carhart) had left the Office the witness told the
Council that he knew he would STEAL
The next witness, p. Il. Hagerman, who. like the
Others was called by the defence to prove Carharts
bad character. astonished the prosecution and
astounded the defence by roaring out that he had
known Carhart and boy for nearly forty years,
and never knew anything to his discredit.
sHIPMANs "PoETaY
Another amusing incident about this time was the
calling out OF the poetca thoughts OF Mr. j. 3. Ship
man On one of the bonds offered evidence by the
prosecution written, across the fsce 1.-The party
who redeemed this bond may learn there is a here
after il they continue TO practise this kind of
il he could tell who wrote that poetry. The
laughter which followed tong and loud.
long and eloquent speech by Judge William Ii. Nor
row. and for the State by Attorney General Stockton
after which Chief Justice Bcasly charged and the
jury retired. In about hour they returned with
verdict OF guilty.
District Attorney Harris next moved another in
dictment against the same defendant, Francis
McDermott This Indictment is OF about thir-
teen that has been found against him. It is Tor con-
spiracy, and is similar TO the one for which he
found guilty this morning. The prosecution in
this case charge that in 1877 McDermott and
of the Town Council of Phillipsburg; that Hof had
large number Of coupons which had been cut from
war bonds, and that the idea of the meeting to
look them aud see il there were any that might
be used again. While ill the room McDernutt
became thirsty. and Hoff went out 70 get the water
that he asked for. While he gone McDermott
took from the package three coupons, aggregating
sls5 so. aud put them in his pocket; Afterward he
presented them to Treasurer Carhart. who cashed
them, and, usual, kept half the money, giving
McDermott the other half,
Jesse 4. Carhart went ON the stand and swore pos
itively to the facts as stated above He was put
through most severe cross-examinstion by the de-
fence. but his evidence not shaken.
Isaac Shields extreasurer of the city. testified that
the coupons i'll question had been paid before in the
regular course or business.
After number of other witnesses had given evil
dcnce concerning minor points AIR. Hof went the
stand and swore that neither Carhart McDermutt
had ever been in his house. Mr.. McDermott. the de-
PENDANT, in his behalf contradicted every
thing Carhart had testified to- He explained his
cashing tho check which had been offered in
evidence bearing his Enforcement. by saying that it
for legitimate city orders which he had
purchased. He had been in the habit
OF buying orders from any one and doing
brokers' business in them. He frequently had
from sl,so0 to $4,000 worth Of small orders at one
time. The counsel for the defence then examined
number of Phillipsburg shopkccpers, policemen and
others who had been in the habit or selling city
orders TO NfcDcrmott, the defendant.