Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-25

peiOkke0 " iVuB' 1870. r..
trial that i will bear condensation LOT
nopulsr information. Here It Is brief.
~: Tho American Rapid Telegraph
Company became bankrupt. Its wires
passed into the possession OF the
Bsnkers' and Merchants' Company.
The latter company became embar-
rassed and went into the hands OF are
ceiyer. In the litigation over the estate
| Of the American Rapid Company the
western Union acquired right to its
wires. Judge Donohue granted an order
directing the receiver Of the Bankers and
| Merchants Company to surrender the
American Rapid wires to the Western
Union. Meantime, however, the Bankers
and Merchants had stretched some ofits
wires on the poles Of the Rapid Com
pany. The receiver found 1t difficult
TO separate them. In fit OF indigna-
ton DR.. Norvin Green drank glass OF
wbiskey and sugar and cut all the wires
on the poles of the Rapid Company in
this city, and led them into the West
ern. Union office. This isolated the
Bankers and Merchants Company and
stopped its business. A suit was
brought for damages, and it vas this
suit that Conkling won. The company
got s240, 600 damages.
He argued the case before the jury
early in the morning, when very few
prominent men were present. Rarely
has he appeared to greater advantage.
lie spoke little less than two hours.
He was in perfect bodily and intel
lectual health. His voice was I'M
usually clear. The nasal twapg so
pronounced in his efforts at political
conventions was much softened. His
argument was compact and ornamented
with sarcasm that at times made the
atmosphere almost iridescent. He
wore dark-gray suit that fitted him
to perfection. His coat was a long cut
away, and his trousers were of the new
pegtop cut. A handkerchief with a blue
border peeped from his breast-pocket
and he wore lilac colored necktie and
broad white cuffs. His speech was
evidently carefully prepared and he had
apparently committed it to memory.
Each sentence was perfectly round
ed and classically expressed. The
courtroom was as still as death. At
times the ex-senator paused as though
studying the effect of his argument on
the jury. Then he would draw him
self to his full height, lowering his
white index finger to dead level like a
duellist leveling o derringer, and shoot
pointed facts into the foreman of the
panel and the minds Of bis hearers, who
listened with rapt attention.
ROSCOE AND BOB INGEHsOLL.
His address was made all the more
powerful by its contrast with the speech
of Bob Ingersoll, who had preceded
him. Bob was retained on the same
side as Conkling, and made what ho
considered the effort of his life. 1t
was eloquent and mastery, but it did
not seem to take root. lie had the
advantage Of Roscoe in having the
opening; yet extracts from Conkling's
argument are floating all over the coun-
try, while Bob is hardly mentioned.
1t is to Conklings credit that in no
case did he tread in Bob's footsteps
or attempt to broaden Bob's deduc-
tons. He cut swath of his
own, raked his own hay, and
cooked it. His legic was direct, fresh,
and original, and adorned with quaint
and seductive peculiarities. Since the
days of James r. Brady and Ogden
Hoffman the bar of New York has not
heard a more eloquent or convincing
appeal. The Senator has been warmly
congratulated by his friends. No man
was more delighted than Ed. Stokes.
lie placed his span Of trotters at Mr..
Conkling's disposal, and on the follow
ing afternoon Roscoe bowled along the
boulevard, ribbons in hand, the OBJ
served of all observers. At night he
bathed in the marble tank Of the Ath-
letic Club in the glow Of the electric
lights. lie wore silken trunks, and
his fine physical proportions awakened
enyious feelings in the hearts OF mem
bers who sat beneath the tropical
shrubbery and watched his aquatic
antics.
OUT OF POLITICS.
Mr.. ConkliDg pays no attention to
politics. lie rarely conyerses on pO-
litical topics with even his most init
mate friends. His thoughts are con-
centrated on the practice Of his profess
sion, and he is rapidly accommodating a
fortune. He is the pink of neatness,
but he is neither expensive nor eXtraya-
CANT in his tastes and habits. | never
saw him in q cab, and have seen him
only once in horse-car. Tie usually
walks to his Office and from there to
the courtroom, but not long ago | saw
him rush into q beer-saloon, drink foam
ing lager, and regale himself at the free
lunch counter. 1t was to save time,
not money. A fortune secured. he may,
like General Gordon, Of Georgia, re-
enter the political lists, and make New
York politics more lively than they
have been made since the days Of Silas
Wright.
Roscoe's brother Fred will probably
be the successor Of John j. Adams,
now representing one Of the city Con-
gress districts. Fred is colonel Of the
Ejghty-fourth, National Guard, State
of New York. lie is thirteen
years older than Roscoe, and has
already served term in Congress.
The Colonel is seventy years old. lie
is aiiable and devoted to the service Of
his friends. lie is as tall as Roscoe and
as straight as an arrow. He has the
face of an old Roman and the nerve of
lion. The only sign of decay about him
is a slight deafness.
THE NEW YORK CLUBS.
The actor will fairly be pulled to
pieces or entertained to death next sea.
son between all the clubs that will Of
fer him their Inequalities. The Lotos
was started years ago for the purpose of
entertaining distinguished actors and
then getting them to recite for the edi-
fication of the limited membership. But
the business element that was attracted
to the Lotos by these entertainments in
due time crowded out the actors by
making the expenses too heavy for