New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-28
END OF GEN. SHALER'S TRIAL
HIS TESTIMONY IN HIS OWN BEHALF.
DENYING WILSON'S STATEMENTS EMPHATIC Ally
JUSTICE BARRETrs CHARGE.

DENYING WILSON'S STATEMENTS EMPHATIciLLY--
JUSTICE BARRErr's CHARGE.
General Shaler exhibited the same complete
mastery OF himself when he placed the witness
stand yesterday that he played during the pre-
vious days OF the trial when, without blush or the
twtchIng Of muscle, he heard Monmouth b. Wilson
testify to the corrupt agreement the lifting OF the
mortgage and the subsequent burning OF the "saasfac-
ton pieces" His given with delberation
and in evenly modulated voice. Only occasionally
he gave emphasis to q denial The keencst prob
ing OF the cross-examnation did not ineite
him to any display of betrayal OF confu
son He was always cool Monmouth b. Wilson. from
the of the courtroom. listened to .
portion of his testimony and must have enyed him his
self-control
Lawyer Howe opened the proceedings with motion
that Justice Barrett shOud acquit the defendant be-
cause the indictment fatally detective" He
argued that General shser member OF the Ar
mory BOarl not a public officer defined In the
section of the code under which the iniictnent was
found, but wa, simply advisory me nber OF "a adj
visory board. Justice Barrett promptly deuied tho
notion Mr. Root opened tho defence with an impress
address to the jury. and then Colonel Bliss called
General shaer to the witness stand. I'M
mediate!y the liveliest interest manifested
in the court room. With soldcrly bearing General
shaler walked to the witness stand Colonel Bliss made
the direct examination extremely agreeable for his
client. He drew from him recital OF his war record
and his public life Then from the senograph-rs tran
script read extracts from Wilson's testimony. and
after each statement affecting General shalers honor
said him. General shaler Is that testimony true or
false !" Aud the Invsriable response WAS 1t Is
false"
Assistant District Attorney Nco, with manner either
ucsive persuasive, as the occasion demanded,
conduO ted the DISCRIMINATION He catechiSed Cen
eral Shaer about relations with Monmouth
b. Wilson and drew from him the responses that he
could say he had been intimate with Wilson, that
he did not regard him as intimate friend Then he
confronted him with his testimony before tho
Gibbs Committee, when he stated that no
had been very intimate" with Wilson. General shaler
met this with a long and decidedly involved explana-
tion Of what intimate might under different cir
eumstances.
Odd you have any conversation in the summer Of
1884 with Wilson as to the pot OF ground AT sinesy
substance that his friend. Mr. Fairchild was inter
ested in the property and he would be pleased the CITY
purchased it.
The witness explained that he had inferred from Will
sons conv ersation that Fsirchd was an agent for
Yoran, the reputed owner of the property"
Q-Then it is fact that the only three pieces OF prop
erty the Armory Board bought were three pieces
which Wilson had spoken you sbouti A.-Yes
Q-Does strike you as peculiar that the only
son A.-smiling blandlyl-It does seem little peeu-
liar PROBABLY so TO outside parties than to mem
Q-weIi. did 1t seem peculiar to youl A-Knowing
Q-Was Wilson paid commission IN these different
plots Al don't know; he WORKED hard enough.
Q-Why do you suppose lie worked so hard =
General shacr again smiled he replied. For love"
A suppressed litter through the courtrooD, and
General Shaer added more gravely " have known
this same Wilson work very hard for love or friend
ship"
Odd he recommend plotl A.-Recommending
plot amounted to nothing with the Armory Board:
O. bid 1t amount to any hing WITH yont A-No SIT.
Odd he recommend this Ninety y-tOurth-st property
Ale said that his friend fdrchlld was inter
esed III the property. ,.,,
kHNo sir; nothing that real estate inan would say to
| me would induce me to recommend the purchase.
O-A that Wilson said you was entirely lost upon
| you A-(wth emphasis)-Entirely! entirely!
Inauswer to other questions, General shaer said that
hcutimaton got that the Madsonaye property WAS
in the market note from the captain OF the ID Bat
terry speaking OF the most desirable sites on
the East side Some weeks later letter was received
from Mr. Yorau Offering 1t for sale for $550.00o lie did
| not remember whether up TO that time Wilson had
| spoken TO him about that property.
Q-Had you any conversation with Colonel Scott
mepdingtl Al don't remember taat iid 4.
Odd yOu urge upOD Colonel scott that 1t was de-
| sirable property A-NO, sir. -
Q-Gpneral Shaer. you transacted most Ot the Dust-
| ness OF the Armory Board ! A-No. sir.
bcra f Rard was referred for YOU to report on at
| subsequent meeting of the Board A-No. sir
Mr. Ncol read from the minutes Of the Board, show.
ing that General Shaer had been instructed TO write
IL.
property. General shaer replied that lie had written
such a letter, did read IL. because Mayor Edison
had made the of,r to Mr.. IOran at an open meeting
of the Board. But the letter was copied In etser-
press copy book and could be found there MI Nleoll
then questioned him about the mortgage on his New
Jersey property He said that IN 1883 he applied To
General Fitzgerald, Dr. Barron and witness to take up
| tho mortgage for him and all decl ned.
o-when did YOU next apply to Wilson, Al did
| not apply 10 him aGaih' .,. IT,, 1000
when he declined to take up the morSag,s $;
you never spoke with him again A.-NV, no; l bad
conversations with him about the mortgages, Du did
not again apply TO hmto take up the NOR gage 5000
Q-What reason did he give for not DONG II IN lss3
Ale said that he out OF funds that II lie had the
O|Ddhe tell you during the summer OF 1854 that ne
w0nld do in Ale told ue during the fall
| that he would have the funds TO doit.
abnt the purchase OF the Ninety y-Iourts MADISON
| ave. property Al don't know.
He was then questioned about the lifting" of the
| mortgage Oh his New-Jersey property
o-Is the mortgage yours A.-No, SIT; Wilson has
| 0-Dd you nave any understanding in the summer OF
1854. son was TO purchase the morsgss IN ease
he got funds ANO sir there was no spccihc under
standing. Mr.. Wilson told me that he would do twhen
owinve you ever paid any interest OIL them to him
NoEiiss he ever asked you for it A.-No. sir.
0-iIas there been any cOrrcsp0niclce lctween
YOU as to tho interest ! A-No sir; don't remember
"3-Di YOU not write to HIN that yoa would pay the
inicrs st once year Att barely possible that else
| one cent to avoit investigation.
O-Wns Wilson a: the Flood Rock eNposloht Al
have some doubt did not see him there
General shaler was then crossexamncd about the
destruction OF tho satisfaction pieces Wilson hal es-
fled that they had been destroyed in General shaIers
house i'm .egnthst a few days after the Flood
Rock explosion IN October General shaer told Mr..
Nicon that he was then living in the country
that his or;y-eshthst. house was undergo
ing repairs that there was no hre in
the baseaent that MONTH Wilson might nave caed Oh
MIN there that month he did not remember.
Odd YOU receive any loans OF money from Wilson
dntin the summer or fall OF 1884 A-N" SIR no, slr
O-Dm you receive "A loan OF thousand dollars irom
Wilson about the time the schell properly was Put-
chased A-NO, sir; nor any other sun.
.The witness yours said Mr.. Nicoll, turning TO