New-York tribune., 1883-12-21
orIyN. THE INCENDIARY.
HE PLEADS DRUNKENNESS IN sELF-DEFENcE-iiELD
FOR THE GRAND JURY.

HE PLEADS DRUNKENNESS IN sELF-DLfLNCL-hLLD
FOR THE GRAND JURY.
po,-cuKrrpstE. Dec. 2O.-JOhn II. Quinn,
cbaroed with retting fire the Poughkecpse Hotel said
in ia this morning his commendatory letter was not
from Mr. Whiteaw Reid the President OF the Lotos Oo'
ut from Mr. Donaldson, the steward oil the eiuo He
refused however, to show II.
When Quinns up in court THIS afternoon Ine
night clerks of the Nelson aud Morgan houses testified TO
Ounn's calling at these hotels the morning OF the nre
evidently Intoxicated and disposed to recitc and declan
The object OF the defence show that the prisoners
passion for defamation and his admiration Tor Burpank
the elocutionist together with his drunkenness led him
70 register under Burbanks name that nlght. Michael
Donncv testified that when Quinn drank liquor his head
was drunk and his feet all right and he would carry
himself erect Several reputable persons testified to
ouinns good character before he went TO NewYork to
live The prisoner was thenput on the stand. He said
I am twentythree years old and live in Ponghkeepse;
by occupation am clerk; always hyed III IougnkeeP
sometimes first commenced drinking httc over Two
years ago. knew r. Burbank ne Is member OF % ,ne
iOtos Club met him there sometimes nave heard some
of his readings there he is noted eocuti9nlt; nave
paid attention TO that IKE bnIPak because S;u e
fine gentleman; have great adniTallon lol ni "noh
am under the influence OF liquor lose my senses
Q-Do youlose rocollecti ton Of vents when
night and Tuesday morning "a aiterward Iouhu out
hadn't been drunk Ill three weeks DeIot ln9 lss .ls
remember before my arrest at me nelson honSe Wa
leaving the Morgan House and going 10 mulholnnu $;
don't know whether a got rha ao nda ans
remember being awakened In my room az he Nelson
House have no recollection whatever OF being In the
PongbkeepsIe Hotel / am cigarette smoker aud have
been for eight years. when am drinking.
smoke two packages OF cigarettes day such packages
holding twenty. - -,
Q.-Do You remember other instances where you have
failed to remember what you have been dolngf
A-Ycs sir wanted to go TO the Newburg Centen-
NAL. ! was intoxicated when started at O'Clock IN
the morning, and the next morning found inyseH III
Crossexamined-I went TO New York to live in June,
1881 went as clerk for G. H. Grady, Ol2 Si1thave,
real estate broker and stayed there month men ne
failed and with George T. smith Co.. furniture
dealers 1O0 West Fourteentlst.. and stayed there
year. Then left of my own accord aud went with
Henry cna- furniture dealer Ia Mott streets stay eel
there two weeks and len Of my own accord and then
went To the LotOs Club, where l remained TWO
years. lacking mouth. Yes, know Thomas
W. Knox, secretary or the club. was not ui7chaIgeu
nor charged with stealing.
The prisoner denied that he had used any hut his
own name NcW-loik, and explained the various
names pawn ticket, which he had as those ol MS
friends He claimed Ia have bought The Tickets lie theh
II left the Loios Club on account Of drink I was
drinking hard and the bOOkkec or told me had better
sOp and hintcd that II uid not would be discharged
so / resigned under the advice Of the boukkeeper l
could have obtained certificate of character nom inc
superintendent, but Incvcr asked for one one OF Tue
members OF the club once saw mc Intoxicated There
was not hing due from the club when lcU hal
thirty forty dollars left over nom The OthcT month
never had any other trOubic there
This completed all the testimony In the case Whcn
counsel summed up briefly. a the conclusion Of VIII,
tho Recorder held ne prisoner to await the action oi The
Grand jury.
Colonel Thomas ". Knox secretary Of the Lotos Club
said yesterday that Quinn was never boohcepr but had
been employed as assistant bookkecper Tor nearly two
years. and was discharged last August for stealing.
Colonel Knox says he has recommendations from any
D.