New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-04-17
EVIDENCE AGAINST SHALER.
TESTIMONY BY WILSON AND OTHERS.
OBJECTIONS DY Mr.. oRAHAM-rRANsAcTIoNs OF
THE ARMORY BOARD.

ham. was IN his place when Handsome Billy"
ner courtroom with his opening remarks yester,
day. Judge Barretts ful-beardcd profile STOOD
out ceanly cut against the background OF ne olaek
walnut sounding board that sends the utterances
of Justice OFT upon the less learned world. Clerk
Sparks called over the panel OF twelve good men
case of the People against Alexander Shaler and a
true verd ct render in accordance with aw ana Ine
facts The watchful Cerberus who kept the outer
gate exercised juiicious selection on tne many
applications for admission but still there were ,
enough who had the requisite "lnfiooence" 10 I'LL
the courtroom with spectators. AZ. n,.ho,, tho
majestic presence of Mr.. Howe and the scanty
whiskers of exDistrlct-Attorney Root con. completed
np TO the defence. Behind them sat General Smaller,
his great height increased by his habit of brushing
ward s ,I and MoIineux, United States Marshal McMa-
aSa Sc! Scott, e1May "or' Edscn and the
fsmy Mart sS1' ope"ed the
the prosecution with brief review OF the indlct-
W1T rose above the level Of heads in the little knot
of General Shaer's retainers and he onered a
motion that the attorneys for the prosecution be
they would try the case Judge Barrett did not see
the matter in just that light and did not care TO
hear any argument IN support OF the motion 1 so
Mr. Graham's yellow wig came down on level
with Mr. Howe's gray head again. 80
Monmouth b. Wilson. eex-Superintendent OF the
Fire Patrol. real estate broker, ex-p9lice captaln
etc. was called to the stand. he SAID that he had
held public office for about. thirty years. and for
the last eighteen years had known General Shaler.
In ss4 the General had told him that the Armory
as '"' this was In his Wilson'S line they
other plots which he had offered to the Board was
tina. between Nmety-fourth and Ninety -ffth sts;
ns s 'na h
could get hold of 1t for $315,OO0 He remarked
to the General that # that particular piece OF
property was selected by the Board he would take
up the mortgages on the property which General
shaier held in New.Jersey; The site was vas
and ne for the
faction pieces for the MORTGAGES had been burned
between them after the Gibbs Committee began to
nation was taken up by Mr.. Root. and the witness
was put through thorough course OF lnterrogative
his ss yw ahd shaer and the
Armory Board were well oyeihauIed before recess
was taken at p: M ,r u,u
son was again put on the rack. He squared his
shoulders, casped his hands tightly II his lay and
face framed with gray hair and beard, slowly flushed
and paIed as he worried through the collo9uy with
Mr.. Root but otherwise he was mpasslve. MI. Root
began hamnering away on the witness In the effort
to get him to repeat some definite converse
tion. Mr. Graham muttered his comments on
things in general to himself, sometimes wasted an
aside on the jury. box. and occasionally cast stray
suggestion into the stream OF cross-examlnatlon.
The witness said that he could only remember the
them oil. After MIR. Root had returned to the
charge several times the Judge iLterposed the re-
mark that there had been enough of
calling for the exact words when the
son %f only give the substance lime was beng
wasted. Then the lawyer turned to the varying
testimony of the witness gwen to the GlbDs COm-
mlttee before and after his commitment for con-
which the General was indicted was gotten from
the witness under pressure In answer 70 tne cues,
ton to the reason of this discrepancy Mr. Wilson
replied
Ihad friend. General shaler to save and did every
OH esiiying a. you did after you had been in,
dcted contempt doing all you could to save
yourselft Al was doing what was right
When told to answer yes or no. the witnes an
sweTed yes"
ON the first testimony you swOre TO what y9n knew
Q.-Do you answer yes or no to the question A
On the first case the obligation 20 save friend
WAS stronger than the obligation OF your oath A
O-wny did YOU change your mind IN the latter case
Al made up my mind TO tell the truth.
paramount subordinated to other considerations as in
your first testimony before the senate Committee A.
The cath paramount now see the folly OF trying TO
save friends.
OF your friendsi A--Yes.
William c. Shaller son-in-law of General Shaler
and formerly clerk of the ATmOry Board was sworn
and identified the minutes of the Armory b ard
from which Assistant Dis,ric,-Attorney Nlcoll read
extracts and also the book INTO which the letters
OF the Board had been copied. Then the black
peared in the witnessbox and the small eyes OF the
ex-boss of unbalanced bids glanced over the array
of legal talent before him. After numerous oblec-
tons from Great Director Graham, Mr. Nlcoll sue
ceeded in getting Mr. Thompson TO say that ne was
member of the Amoy Board Ong MAIN Mayer Se
the te'' state s' Of New-yeTk, Alexander shalsr
ence smilsl audiby After picking his way
through another labyrinth OF objections MI.
Nicoll got statement that as General Shaler was
o. NafIl al {,
of the Armory Board confded much IN hlm and that
all offers Of property for sale were referred at once
10 him. la croSs-examination Mr. Graham took of
i hs blu" as s she ws a%s hol ali
ruled out, the sole III Information obtained BENG 10
the effect that General shaler had done nothing to
deprive the other members of theirrghts and func-
tons as member of the Board ~ 49,
armory site between Ninet, fourth and Ninety
fifth SITS under contract with Frank Yoran, real
estate broker The arrangement was that all money
over to - Yoran. When the sale was
made TO the Armory Board he received the equiva-
lent of $3.50, 900 and gave Yoran check for $32,-
b34 90 in fulflment of the contract
Mr.. Yoran himself was next put on the stand, arc
testified to the copies OF several letters wrltteD
back and forth in the course of the bargain. After
one letter from Yoran Shaler III reference to the
formers subscribing to SlOOOO0 OF armory BONES
had been accepted in evidence Mr. Graham waxed
Indignant and moved It's rejection. he sad
lis perfectly Plain to m n %1 mai I h oe %
Farchild and YOran. General shaler couldn't prevent
such u letter being sent to him.
Judge Barrett-State the ground Of your objection.
Mr.. Graham-That 10 10y objection. /
The Judge-Obecron overru!ed Remarks OF that
hind had better bo addressed to tho jury hereafter
They're out Of place here.
Tbereupon Mr. Nicol went on with his examina-
tlon and Mr.. Graham subsidized.
Al 9 o'clock the case was adjourned till Monday
morning at 10 o'clock.
THANKS FOR THE RESCUE BY THE FULDA.
Vernon H. Brown, agent of the Cunard Line.
Yesterday received the following copy OF a letter
addressed to President Meier. of the North German