New-York tribune., 1879-01-16
, WARREN COUNTY FRA UDS.
DOWNFALL OF THE RINGS.


PArnY FOR SOME or THE CULrRIrs-Two Nj"
CAsfs.
frrou THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT oP THE TRIBUsE]
BELylDERE n. j.. Jan. 15.-Thc scenes
which being presented in the courtroom at 'ii'
place are like those Of tragedy, IN when the en'oi
characters slaughtered Citizens WHO were once re
spected throughout the county, and were raised
to cnviable positions OF pubic trusl' are pe
fore the jury day and are convicted "i CON
spring TO rob the res. OF the community, ana
tho ncx day other ohicc-holders are tfied ior
similar fences. Thus, while the scenery ana ae'orS
are changing constantly the drama "i gum goes Oh
Unlike the dongs o the Tweed Ring In New-fork' the
Warren County frauds not conceived anu eN"c"'c
by one got mcn R1scalty seems to nave deScrhu'u
from one 80 trd OF Chosen TrcchodcrS t. another ana
each Baljd had more than one nucleus "f corrup"h'
or the con.prators convicted yesterday the eX-
County Collector Cummins, received the most S"'"-
thv for his downfall II" IA ~ old man win sons grown
10 manhood Ils whole If has been one OF nara "i'
anon IA farm from which ne has earned comiorttbIr
comrccncc Ic Is director IN tho llackctst"wn Bans
An Understandable ooS OF despair passed over hi'
iac, when the Jury gave "a verdict Of "Gnty' ana ms
ono, st1lv rf Frame seemed to bend under the blow.
Before lac iadiccd manv of his former iIirhd7 ana
associates IN Bcart OF FrechodeS begged ma I"
make clean of all his crooked transaeti"ns a"d
IN mat way save himself from impending rnin II va
sad tat hc med tated maknga cOucssOnbHt hrli 'h'
until It wa 100 atc. HIS icnd Bncin, also alarm l. >
puor man w}H fajly. He let tie court-i"sc 'i'h
after Tie verdict iycn, 20 break the news - lbs
vie. Straicr. the cy-DrcCtor. had been Wol;ht H'"
his cell i, thp colny ,i to hear The verdict II" bad
been convicted of forgery and conspiracy arcaoy al
ne seemed unnoNed by the additional load paced upon
him. Giv,ns. the former attorn'y Of the Beard "'
Chosen Frceholdcr. made attempt To icrNc Li'n"'
and ~ appear unmoycd; Tut when tnc foreman 81
, the Jury pronounced tie word "guiity' he trtm3t'
in hi, seat Ike o man stricken with palsy He had be"n
IL. hon. sIsl lfftIg "A . H.
when he was recovering from long illness and h1d
been com llci 80 borrow money !or the support OF Ms
wife aud children. He had served In the rnV as cjI
talT during The war the rebellion In his case c"
ycton means the loss oi profession by disharmcnt In
addition to such penalties the Court lnay mict.
A SURPRISE IL CoJRr.
Gvons WIS among the prisoners arragnod III the tr"l
which was in progress when the Court adjourned las
evening the counsel for the prosecution had expected
a harI ht IN tins trial. Jesse Klng an cA-fieeholer
and Edmund Tcc, who County Collector FOR t"Tec
successive years previous 10 the election "f CunhlhS
are both men or considerable means AMI nav"
only one charge oi conspiracy to contend AGAINST.
Dr. Cox whose conduct In former conSp racy irlaI-h
treating urymen the hotels and putting his feet on
the table undert the OF his lawyers in the court
rcom-lcd an attorney speak OF him a. man O I'M
bounded impudcnce," had come briskly to a
second trial. The fact that he had been con
victcd of conspiracy on one charge dId not
III the court room this morning, therefore, when tn
counsel for the defence indulged in long and 0mnous
consultation with their clients Instead Of proceeding
with the cross, XamlnatiOn OF the witness Dean
who had told the story OF the conspiracy
The counsel for the prosecution asked each
other il It were possible that the accused men
intended to plead guilty. Jujg" Bcaseys promrtnc,
Gent cmen. YOU must proceed" at length brought MI
Morrow, Cox's counsel 10 MS rect II II please your
Honor" he said, my client expresses the wish not
make further contest III II case an ASKS th'
he NAY be allowed TO witndr4T me re- plea 81
not guilty. and 10 substitute IN ITS place thc pea o
non ruit cOedrc with the privilege OF putting III an
affidavit facts which may miligate the oi ,he
quests for rce King and Givens.
The Chcf-Justice granted these requests with some
hesitation saying that while the plea non rnH con
frnde" would have nearly the same effect ~ the plea
OF guilty in the present trial, IL would nevertheless
give the accused more advantageous position IN
case they were sued .iOr damages a!terward. lie
ease be called Dlsrict-AttOrncy Harris was taken of
his guard by the sudden ending OF the trial lie called
OF the Poor House, who is under indictment win
Ma,tI-on ana strader for conspiracy To- raise ms
Frcchodcr.. Fromc ana several witnesses could
not be found az they had not ehpecrd to De called 10.
called before was moved. THIS was the tridi c
John sker. the contractor, for conspiracy 10 cheat
county OF S99 IN the hui dnS oI bridge Tue case
was nearly a repetition of that tired last week. III wl"n
cox Skcr aud trader cted. The evidence
c0aGncd 10 the testimony OF three wltneaSc- ana the
case was given 10 the Jury stbout any summing up
The Jury acquitted Trimmer ana declared Cox ana Sker
10 he guilty.
ANOTHER c bNsPIRACY CASE.
Another spiracy was then moved based on in
dlctments against exCollector CumInns Edwin Bucn,
Dr Mattison ard Dean. Cumnins and Bu.gn only
were placed trial. The conspiracy was stated
by the Distrct-AttOruey to have been planned
in order cheat the county ont Cf
S5.3Gi. A note for 5000, purportng TO have
been gwen by former county collector, given 10
Dean IN December 1877, by Jesse 7. LthIrdi. of Phil
nnsburg aud ny Dean transferred Ia Adam X. Rus, OF
the same Town Riis took the note 20 Cummlns and
cciycd 81 900 principal and S3Gi interest It. He
brought the note and the money back 10 Dean. vino
Li for his trouble. CummlnS and BulgIn askcn
have "A snare money and Dean promised to divide
Nutis on also learned of the transaction and pu
claim FOR some booty Tie matter finally
iustrd by Cummns who took the note to have
il plsscd the Board o. FrcchodrTs, paying S4OO
Of the othrr cOn-prat IS Dean told us story s
afternoon and the ease Will be concluded Tomorrow