New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-12
THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST A CITY.


not try to kill herself because she was IN love- Du
because she was out of her mind.
THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST CITY.
TRIAL OF BANK TREASURER FOR ALLEGED Cum
PnCiTY IN IT.
The trial Of David J. Meeker, recently indicted
with Messrs Leggett and Leeds for alleged con
spiracy to defraud tho City Of EhzaDetn
was begun Yesterday in the 1o onlI Imdoo WoS
Sycle The defendant was secretary and TREASURER
of the Mechanics Saving Institution, on whlcn MI =
Leggett was president. In the lndlGtmenI no II
of six 81, 900 city bonds for $4,000 81, and the
sale of them to Mr. LegGett Controller of the city
the city at their par value and accrued intere-@o
12427. Last March, Messrs. Leggett and Leeds were
found guilty under the Indictment and sentenced 10
four years imprisonment. The prosecution is con,
Quoted by Attorney }. A. Fay, assiSttd
by Acknowledgement Stockton United States DIS
trict-Attorney Keaslcy and MesSls Atwood anu
Parrott are the counsel for the defence. 49,. A.
In opening the case Prosecutor Fay Sald tnat Vne9
next act Of the conspiracy was the lransacsiTm
the six ST. 900 bonds These bonds were PURCHASE,
from the Germania Insurance Company. Dep" na3
checks showed that one-third of the proht realzG
went to the credit of Leeds, ana one-IhTu 10 tnt ne
credit of Leggett. The - other thlId hS Sa, noU
yet been accounted for The Mechanics foT
Institution had been used more as medium l9 9
dealing in securities than as savings oak' ~
was the aim of the prosecution to PROVE reoiSe9
defendant received a part OF Tue liouV i'''''"''
from the fraudulent transaction. H.,
William r. Coleman identified the check drawn
by Leggett in payment for the bonds. c,;. r.
Charles Russ, Vice-president of the Germanla lu-
suranco Company. testified that the bonds were
sold to Leeds at 80 cents john Manvllle, VINO was
clerk i'll the Controllers Office at inc tlme OF tho
Transactions stated that the books showed that the
money for the bonds was paid to the MechanIics,
savings Institution. The witness Identified
number of deepest tickets and 1S eGecHs
The only exception was the deposit of
the i24 81 for tho bonds, which was III the hand
writing of the defendant George aG ot go
cents Henry Doe testified that he sold to LEEDS
two bonds at IS cents >-..:oo, e.o4o
James Mcclure, cashier. OF inc Na'lonan, 0.ato
Bank, was asked to identify number OF deposit
tickets and checks relating to transaction oil inc
savings institution through aperiOd some time pre-
yious to that named in the Indictment.
Counsel for the defence objected TO the introduc-
ton of such matter as irrelevant and long discus
sion followed. -...,..
period of the bond transaction and relating TO IL
could he introduced. 80
The trial will be continued to-day at 10 a. m.
CHARGES SENT TO THE GOVERNOR.
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE JUDGES CONDUCT on TIE
BENCH WHEN HE Is ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN
INTOXICATED.
The Bar Association last evening accepted the
report of its Judiciary Committee on tho charges
of drunkenness on the BENCH made against Judge
James p Sinnott, of the Marine Court, at the last
meeting The report stated the varions meetings
that were held by the committee, the notices IN re-
gard TO them Se0U 10 the uCCUHtu va
TlOus excuses for not appearing either personally OF
by counsel, the character Of the testimony taken,
and the final submission to Governor Cornell OF inc
charges which tho committee preferred against
Judge SinnOtt. The Governor sent back for the
testimony taken, aud his action In the matter was
now awaited. -
Governor enumerated various days OF 1879 and
1880 in which Judge SinnOtt had attempted 10
discharge his official duty, when, 1t is alleged ne
was in such state of int0Xlcat0n as 10 nc tOtalIy
unfit to do sO On January II, 1880 while on tho
bench in this condition. he said to one OF the coiscl
present that if he dissatisfied with his decision
he might 90 to the General Tcrm and the nincon,
poOps there would give him all the relief he desired
I'm fine latter Dart of February he was trying tho
ease of Peew agt. Kar, which was an action
brought by sailor against mate OF
a vessel for assault and battery. After some
evidence had been taken, Judge Slnnott said
PENDANT bad called the plaintiff ID Irish =
----. When the counsel protested that
no such evidence had been given, the Judge per
sisted that it should remain, because, he said, II
the mate did not say lie thought SO. Alter more
extraordinary conduct, Judge Sinnott cXclalmed III
n loud voice: :" / am Justice of the Marine
Court / want you to understand. ana DON'T al
low any profanity in lily presence by any one l
consider this entire case d--d fraud al,
though 10 one excepting the Judge had
used any profanity. On another occasion. when q
bond was brought to him for his approval he held 1t
upside down and insisted on signng II in that way.
He gave as his that if lie signed IT rIght-sdc
up he would be taken for notary public.
MANY other instances OF Ike character were met-
Toned in the specifications. When they were read
the lawyers were unable to preserve their gravity at
the alsurtity of some of them. The Executive
take necessary steps for prosecuting the charges IL
thp Gnvprnor shuulu entertain tuem.