New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-12
ACTION OF THE GRAND JURY.


ACTION OF TIE GRAND JURY.
5. s. MoREY AND JAMES OBRTEN SIGN THEIR FRER
CONFESSIONS OF GUILT-TGE CASE PLACED BE-
FORE THE GRAND JURogs-lLLNEss OF MoREY-
INDICTMENT or O'BRIEN.
s. s. Morcy and James O'Bren, alias Lindsay.
alias Barry charged with perjury in the Philip case,
were again before Justice Morgan in the District
Attorneys office yesterday morning, 70 allow the
animation 90 be completed and To sign the
fessons made by them the Justice the day before
Both prisoners appeared unconcerned ana chatted
freely OBrieu in particular. He smoked cigar
while waiting to be arraigned. AMI altogether
looked and acted like thoroughly reckless and
habitual criminal.
As on the day before. no lawyers we're at hand TO
offer assistance to the prisoners, but Moreys rela-
tves we re with him. O'Bren had no one TO talk
TO except Sergeant Crowley. who has had him
in charge since his arrest. L. w. Slough
ton. the senior counsel for the prosecution.
Assistant District Attorney Bell, Mr. Bliss
and John l. Davenport were in attendance,
and held long consultation. Justice Morgan
called the pr.soners before him, and after going
through the legal forms held each iG 900 bail to
answer 20 the charge of perjury. Tne friends OF
Morcy az once started ont in search Of bail, and
OBricn was taken TO the Tombs.
Without a moments delay the District-At
torney placed the papers, when received from
Justice Morgan. before the Grand Jurors. who were
! in session. The prisoner Morey, his uncle, John W,
! Morey the venerable Boston police officer, and
| Francis p Moore, a nephew of the prisoner, were
forthwith summoned before them. The prisoner
went into the room first. and was examined
for nearly two hours On coming out he
showed strong signs Of fatigue. He is confirmed
| Invalid. besides his ameness beiug subject to ep
| o ha Ou OF
| District-Attorney's office he fell of thess
6ts and it required a long time to restore him.
When he recovered he was sent to the Chamber,
! Street Hospital.
The Grand Jury tlen suspended the Morey branch
of the case and took up O'Bren All the Maryland
witnesses were examined. Their testimony went
to show chat the affi lavit, which was referred to
in Yesterdays TRIBUNE. aid which is said
10 have been signed before William NJ.
Price Hancock and English elector from Miry-
land. by one Lindsay was, indeed. not MADE for OF
signed by. Lindsay. but By another man; and .hat
! O'Bren was procured By Price 10 pe7sOnate this
Lindsay The testimony OF these wit
uesses. it was said duplicates Price strongly.
! They testified as TO OBrlens identity, giving bis
career substantially as printed IN yesterdays IRIB-
| UNE The witnesses were Henry J. johnson, post
master Of Cumberland. Nd; William f. Griffith.
James Reid and Ransom I. Powell, of the same
| place. The result OF their staten. nts wac the
| prompt indictment OF the prisoner James OBrien,
! for perjury. he report that the confessions would
be made public yesterday attracted 10 the District
Attorneys office a crowd Of prom nnent hepubcaIs; (;
! DemOcr3ts did not seem to be particularly inter-
ested All day many persons waited To hear the re-
suit but the District Attorney hnally resolve ios
to make the confessions pubic until the Grand jury
oi,Iurned. which was at about D. N. Then Trey
were given TO the press.
Mr.. Bliss was asked by IKiBU%E fe2oFter Il ne ne
could not give some Information as U what the
suppress ed portions of the confessions referreiat ne
same tine divuclng no portion OF Aytulng WHICH
if made public, might Interfere WITH the proper ad-
loinistration OF Justice. He said he cOuid not. All
that ii was right TO make public had been given 10
the press :.
not unlike row of bricks. II we re 10 knock
down the one at the end II would III AGAINST the
others and knock tuem all do"n. We believe that
we viii unearh some very astounding tact', ana IL
is more than probable that some men VINO nave
occupied prominent and important POSITIONS IN
the Nation will be shown TO have been
connected with the conspiracy. antlciPte
early Developments in one direction, Out III Eiay
| take a weeK OF TEN days TO work up the Information
we have concerning Other persons. There Is no
hurry and publication of the c.ews whlca we pos
sess at this time would cause SERIOUS delay at ieast
| If n did NOT completely destroy our plans.
..Wbat marked effect do you think the comics.
s,ops as pu sted will have upon the forgery ease ~
The confessions Will destroy the last vestlge Of
belief III the fraud which may remain IN any honest
mans mind. Take, for instance, tdo confession OF
Morey and no5e ms movements alter he came 20
| New-York. See how the Democratic National Com
staten Island and Mount. ~ Vincent and
housed and fed him at the heacquartcrs
10 keep hIm ont Of the way oil little Davenport
Then thuk of the way III winch II. l. Moreys name
was placed upon the hotel register, ana the pay
mrnf bv check OF the National Committee to the
Witness Does t not all 40 to show that II the Ma
tIoua Committee had nothing to do with tbe nstiga-
ton of the forgery. It's memhers had mueh To do
with carrying 1t INTO effect r
What effect viii the confessions baVe upon
PnIlps casey
II am thoroughly convinced that that is
guilty Of the forgery. The eyl ence all goes TO show
H. aud u nk that the confessions Will STOP over
and will tell unfavOrably against Philp."
SUBSTANCE OF THE CONFESSIONS.
WHY o'BgIEN WENT TO CUMBERLAND NsrRCc-
TONS WHICH HE RKCEIyED-sCENEs IL THE
| OFFICE OF THE NEWSPAPER TKCru-CoNvER-
SALONS WITH THE EaPLoYEs--wnAr MoaEY
| ACKNOwLEDSET
The con rssons of Morey and OBuen were not
gwen out in full yesterday. PORTIONS OF each beng
withheld by the Dstrict-Att1rney ia the interests
of Justice These portions, however constitnte Only
a qmau part Of each document Assistant District
Attorney Bell could not say when these excerpts
,vouId he given TO the public, but he thought in a
vary short time. The confession OF O'Brien
negips by saying that he was III Baltimore the
day of the election. when he learned that certain
ner,ons IN Cumberland wished TO him. He went
| tbither. aud there policeman OF
that town named Birmingham and Mr..
| Hathaugh The three retired 10 Buck
O'NeiIs rum shop, aud there ONeIl asked
! OBucn how ne would like 20 make SlCO. Pre-
ylously. however, the men had informed him thai
they were looking tor q man by the name of Robert