New-York tribune., 1882-04-07
DRIyGER'S FIGHT AGAINST TIE ERE.

The report OF Master In CnahceTy ChhlioS
Borcherng to the NewJerscy Court OF Chancery, plc
ing the total indebtedness Of fsgmond Dringer to Receiver
Jewett of the Erie Rail way nearly $4,000, as an
nounced in THE TRIBUNE recently, closes announcer
chaper in history of litigation which rivals the case
of Jarndyce vs. Jar1dycc in complications and which
from all appearances will equal it In length Tho re-
parkabo feature is that SigmOhd Drnger who has for
years been in conflict with powerful corporation in
every judicial arena New-Jcrscy, is an iliterate
Austrian jew who speaks English brokenly and who
can read and write language and who began business
In Paterson as q junkdealcr. lie bought old iron'
mainly from the Eric Company in the shape OF car
wheels smokestacks and CRATES and sold 1t to Such ad
vantage that he TO he regarded as something OF
c3pitalst In March, 1876 the management OF the Erie
Railway received intimation that DrinSer III cuu-
sion with employees of tho road. was sWindnS tho com
any, in his old iron transactions Detectives were sci
on the watch and the Erie managers judged hcir suSpc
ions TO be so well founded that they discharged from
their employ Purchasing Agent Henry Bowman ana
hro,ht sut I'm chancery against him and Drihger; an
Injunction being granted prohibit the latter from con-
tnupg his business from dsp0sns OF several great
niles of rou then accumulated in his yards. Testimony
was taken which covered several Thousand pages ana
reviewing tins Chancellor Van Feot decided that 10
fraud had been shown. Thus tho rst step In the pro-
ceedings resulted victory for Drinsor Receiver
Jewett appealed to the Court Of Errors ana Appeals,
wich, While holding that Bowman was
innocent and must DO discharged re-
vefscd the decision IN regard 10 Dim
erand ordered that the injunction be continued and that
the Court Of Chancery apaonta Master to take test
mony and adjudee from it how much Dringer owed the
Erie Judgment for that to DO entered against
him The result was the report which was announced
III brief In TIE TRIBUNE.
Meanwhile A. b. Woodruff, OF Paterson who had sue
ceeded Socrates Tute and Thomas N McCarter as
counsel for Drngr had applied to tho Court OF Errors
and Appeals Tor a rcOpanng OF the the ground
. hot o ind rripu hgl n.4n
forgery" The Cour: referred him to the VccChanccl-
lor who ruled that had power TO reopen he case
and the taking Of testimony continued TO tie event
stated.
While these civil proceedings were going on Passaic
County grand jury ildic ed william Itching, C. G. Van
Houten ana William Collier, three OF the witnesses on
whose testimony the proceedings against Drnger had
been based Tbccharee against them was conspiracy
to ruin Driugcrs business Tie latter was the object OF
sympathy his struggle with railroad company,
and COrtand Parker OF the counsel for the Erie RaI
way who defended three alleged false witnesses.
obtained struck jury on the claim Of local preu-
dice. Collier did not appear for trial He had left
Paterson about the time OF his indictment He never
returned but engaged in railroad business in Canada,
where he ia reported TO be prosperous and small mag
nate in that line Hching and Van Houten were con
ycted but the appealed to the Supreme Court
which last falls aside the verdict contra ~
evidence and ordered new trial. fhis viii he had
al the term OF the Passuc County court next month
Several other branches OF what Il popularity known
as tha5 everlasting business have occupied
the attention OF courts ana lawyers III New-Jersey
The Court of Chaneey application Of the Er1e com
pauy made Elias n. Miller, of Newark, receiver OF the
hea old winch lay ru5ting III Paterson, aud
dir cicd him sell IT, OF the proceeds, over 93JODO
handed ia Receiver Jcwcif, that amount beng
within Drmgers acknowledged dent 10 the company |
months ago the Elic asked for $4,000 more, but
tAis request meeting with violent opposition nom other
creditors Of DriDger, the matter was dropped.
There have b5eu 40 least four other complications OF
this sam. Drlngcr-Eo matter One was the conIestng
Erie OF foreclosure Ocecdugs begun mort
gage 5Z7OUO held by Samuel Pope Oh the Drlnger
llo, the ITe claiming that the property was tainted
with fraud. great mass of testimony was taken,
suitiDg in the gage being paid. Another an
by counsel Tor Dr1HEef ASKING the Wee
to make Receiver JeW cit carry cat an alleged
rniunroul.ke of case. |
cided that the officer |
Of the court could not compromise the case with |
The sanction Of the Chancellor which could no. be
DIinger demanded bill OF particulars, indicating what
Parts Of evidence Master BOrchcrllng taking
the Erie relied upon prove fraud against the pe
oner This WAS not lowed. Another phase, arising |
the sale Of the old iron, brought the Union Bolt
Works Of into the courts. That company had
bought q quantity OF the iron but failed 10 pay for it,
The ron sOld again. but had fallen Ory-hve per
value, and deficiency OF II 5000 charged
t OF for $1,000 They Eualy compromised the matter
for $4,000.
The report OF the Master in Chancery that Dringer |
the Erie Company $4,000 must he confirmed Dy
the OF Cuanccry, TO TINS DIingcr
Will object Argument u on this viii further prolong
case. The trial Of HiculIng and Van UOutcn in |
Paterson "a few weeks hence viii bring up all the dis
puted again, ana there to be prospect
Ol final settlement Of the vcAed questOns arising from
SigmOnd Drngers once prosperous junk business.
35 900 the real zed from tue sale OF the
old locked up by the failure OF the Mechanics
National Bank }. Newark