The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-25
THE GOINGS-ON IN NEW YORK
How Roscoe Conkling Appeared in the
Recent Great Telegraph Case.
Peter B. Sweeney. the Brains of the Tweed
Ring, Talks of Local Politics-HOw Comic
Opera Manufacture Is Carried On.
Correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal
Roscoe Conkling's Latest Effort.


Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal
Roscoe Conkling's Latest Effort
NEW York, July 23.-Everybody has fed to
the country. Roscoe Conkling is about the only
prominent man left in town. No matter how hot
the weather, he turns up in court daily, arguing
ceases with consummate ability, and piling up q
fortune which just now seems to be the summit
of his ambition. He won new laurels IN the suit
of Edward s. Stokes against Jay Gould, yciept
s'the Bankers and Merchants Telegraph Com
.pany versus the Western Union" The case has
been so befogged by long-winded reports of the
trial that it will bear condensation for popular
information. Here it is briefly: The American
Rapid Telegraph Company became bankrupt
Its wires passed into the possession of
the Bankers and Merchants Company
The latter company became embar-
raised, and went into the hands of receiver
In the litigation over the estate Of the American
Rapid Company the Western Union acquired a
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 of its own wires on the poles OF
the RAPID company. The receiver found it diff
ncult to surrender them. In fit of indignation
DIR. Norvin Green drank glass of whisky and
sugar and cut all the wires on the poles of the
Rapid company in this city, and led them into
the Western Union Office. This isolated the
Bankers and Merchants company and stopped
its business. suit was brought for damages,
and it was this suit that Conkling won The
company got $240, 900 damages
He argued the case before the jury early in
the morning, when very few prominent men
were present. Rarely has he appeared to great
or advantage He spoke little less than two
hours. He was in perfect bodily and intellect
ual health. His voice was unusually clear The
nasal twang, so pronounced in his efforts at po
HticAl conventions, was much softened. bis
argument was compact and ornamented with
sarcasm that at times made the atmosphere al
most iridescent He wore dark gray suit that
fitted him to perfection. His coat was a long
cutaway, and his trousers were of the new peg
top cut A handkerchief with a blue border
peeped from his breast-pocket, and he wore a
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 rounded and classlcally
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 himself to his full height,
lowering his white index finger to a dead level,
like a duellist leveling derrinser, and shoot
pointed facts into the foreman of the panel, and
the minds of his hearers, who listened with
raptattention. His address was made all the more
powerful by its contrast with the speech of Bob
1ngersol who had preceded him. Bob was re-
tanned on the same side as Conkling, and made
what he considered the effort of his side. 1t
was eloquent and mastery but it did not seem
to take root He had the advantage of Roscoe
in having the opening: yet extracts from Conk-
ings arguments are floating all over the coun
try, while Bob Is hardly mentioned. 1t is to
Conkling's credit that in no case did he tread in
Bobs footsteps or attempt to broaden Bob's
deductions. He cut swath of his own, raked
his own hay and cooked it. His logic was d.
rect 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 more eloquent or
convincing appeal. The Senator has been
warmly congratulated by his friends No man
was more delighted than Ed Stokes. He placed
span of trotters at Mr.. Conklings disposal and on
the following afternoon Roscoe bowled along the
boulevard, ribbons In hand, the observed of TIE
observers. At night he bathed in the marble
tank of the Athletic Club, in the glow of the
electric lights. He wore siken trunks and his
fine physical proportions awakened envious feel
ings in the hearts of members who sat beneath
the tropical shrubbery and watched his aquatic
antics.
Mr.. Conklng pays no attention to politics.
He rarely couverses on political topics with even
his most intimate friends. His thoughts are
concentrated on the practice of his profession,
and he is rapidly accumulating fortune. He is
the pink of neatness. but he is neither expen-
sive nor extravagant in his tastes and habits. /
never saw him in cab, and have seen him only
once in a horse-car. He usually walks from his
Office, and from there to the courtroom. Not
long ago I saw him rush into beer-saloon,
drink foaming lager, and regale himself at the
frse-lunch counter. 1t was to save time-not
money A fortune secured he may, like General
Gordon, of Georgia, enter the political lists,
and make New York politics more lively than
they have been made since the days of Silas
Wright
Roscoes brother Fred will probably be the
successor of John j. adams, now representing
one of the city congressional districts. Fred is
colonel of the Eighty-fourth N G. s. N. Y. He
Is thirteen years older than Roscoe, and has al
ready served q term in Congress. The Colonel
is seventy years old. He is affable and devoted
to the service of his friends. He Is as tall as
Roscoe, and as straight as an arrow. He has the
face of an old Roman and the nerve OF q lion.
The only sign of decay about him is a slight
deafness ZIsKA.