Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-05-13
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
NEW YORK, May II, 1856,

NEW \ DIRK, May IL, 1881
To the Editor of the Daily Eagle:
The trial of Short, the dsnamlier.
who assassiaated Pheian, has taken
place during the past few days. 10
the surprise of every one, Short was
acquitted. II took three days 10 Sc
Icct a jury to try him, the object to
get men who had read nothing about
the case, and who had formed no
opiniou in regard TO it before They
entered the jury box. They succeeded
in getting set of men who were APP
parentlv not only ignorant OF the case
before the trial, but from their verdict
the public think they knew nothing
about Il after. Phrlan's testimony
show ed that he was taken to Rossa's
office was attacked by Short with
dirk. was stabbed nine times, and in
his efforts to defend himself, had an
arm broken. Phelan had only two or
three witnesses 10 cerroboratc
his testimony. and they on
" saw him after the assault, but Short
found plenty Of dvnamiters 10 go INTO
court and swore that he killed Phclan
in self-defcnsc, that Phelan first at
tackled Short, and that he went TO
Rossa's Office intoxicated and Tor the
purpose of of getting Into a row with
somebody. Nothing was said about
this AT the time of the assault either
BY short or the witnesses and many
now believe that these witnesses per
jured themselves. Ii is the opinion of
some that the jury acquitted Short
through fear OF Rosa and dynamite
conspirators There i general feel
ing Of Indignation amongst intelligent
people Of the city at the acquittal of
Short and belief that justice has been
robbed of her dues by ignorance or
cowardice. Munsel, one of the jurors
of the Short trial. has since been placed
under arrest. He had been seen at
Rossa's office and at the tombs talk
ing with Short after he was chosen
as Juror. The evidence was very
strong that the jury was fixed by
Shorts friends before the trial begun.
The bill before the New York lcgis-
latuTe for the regulations of the gas
companies of this city. which passed
the senate by vote of 20 to /, was
defeated in the assembly by vote of
64 to 80. When the bill went 10 The
assembly, large majority of the mem
bers were in favor il, but it is said
that the gas companies sent $4,000 to
Albany TO defeat the bill. and every
one who knows anything about New
Yark Legislators, believe that large
the bill were bought up by the gas
companies. Although there is a fine
.os $1,000 and ten years Imprisonment
for bribery of state legislators. yet
bribery has become such fine art il
is almost impossible TO detect the
crime.
The gas consumers association OF
this city who originated the bill,
held a meeting in Masonic Tenn
pie on Wednesday evening. May 9th
In the report read before that meet
ing. they showed from the invessiga.
cations of the senate committee which
took place i'll February las; that the
gas companies of this city have
charged the people in ihs last ten
years S9.o0o.ooo more Than 10 pei
cent on their stock and the cost OF
the gas. They showed also that gas
can be manufactured in this city and
delivered in the receiving tanks for
from So 10 30 cents per thousand cubic
feet and that the Gas consumers ar,
charging from 81 30 10 Sl.15, and 81
one time II went up TO $3.50 pen
thousand feet There has been char.
tered by the leeistgrc under restric
tions eight different gas companie:
but they have nearly ali consolidated
within the last year. The nomina
capital of these companies Is onl,
about 81. ISL zoe, but it now stands OF
their books at sS9,0o0,00o; that is
they have four parts of water TO on,
of money invested, and they hav,
been paving dividends on this wateret
stock ranging from 10 10 81 per cent
annually: at the same time they &c
of with little or no taxation
This shows how the peopl
of New York are being swindleo
by corporations. Between ih'
gas companies, the horse and elersie'
railwsys; md the corrupt politics.
rings that manage the CITY govern