New-York tribune., 1888-03-28
SHARP BREADS A CITY JURY.
HE PREFERS TO GO WHERE HE ISN'T KNOWN

TO ASK FOR CHANCE or VENUE BEFORE JUSTICE
PATTERsoS-CHASGE or COUNSEL
The Sharp bribery case has come up again,
and 1t appears as II the defendants lawyers were
going to go all over the same old round of motions
and delays once moro. Some time ago District
Attorney Fellows gave notice that he should move
the case for trial In the April Oyer and TefhineH
before Justice Patterson. So soon as IL became
reasonably sure that this was his actual and SIM
cere intention he was met with q counter move
on the part Of the defence and WAS served with
the notice of o motion returnable on Friday to
change the venue.
1t appeared from the papers that Sharp had
dismissed Albert Sticlxney and John E. Parsons
from his interesting staff Of lawyers and had put
his trust In Bourlse Cochran alone His expert.
ences bad taught him that civil lawyers were not
just the men for his kind of emergency As tho
net result of their iabors in his behalf he had
found himself In the lions mouth and the lions
ponderous and savage Jaws were fast closing over
dexterous fingers ger ONE Of Mr.. Cochran I had drs rescued
hjm, and now that the lion Of justice is cronchinR
for another spring, IT is to Mr. Cochran that the
aged prisoner looks for lis defence.
TO DEPEND ON COCHRAN AND FULLERTON.
Ex-Judge Fullerton, who was q member Of the
original staff, though permitted by Mr.. Stiltney
and Mr.. Parsons to have but q small part in the
plans and acts OF the defence, will be retained
with Mr.. Cochran, and the case, IL it is ever tried
again. will be tried from the standpoint and ac-
cording to the methods Of experienced and astute
But will it ever be triedr Well, as to that
there is considerable difference of opinion. There
are wise men who smile and wink and gently
cough when mention Is made Of Colonel Fellows's
resolute intentions.
Tried ?' they repeat. 20, um, we'll yes, i
final word But there will be the usual prelim-
mary skrmishing. Either through accident or
design, the motion of Mr. Cochran for q change
Of venue was made returnable on Good Friday,
when none Of the Supreme Court Judges will DO
sitting. On Saturday Justice O'Brien will be IN
Chambers, but for some reason not generally
motion. This will throw Its disposition over TO
the Judge who sits in April That will be Justice
Barrett, and as he, with something akin to con-
made just before the last trial Mr. Cochran
had no use for him. Justice Barretts position
was then stated upon the whole question OF change
OF venue with great dstinctness. He held on
general principles that 1t WAS very improbabis
that the. combination OF circumstances could ever
arise under which defendant could not secure
q fair trial in the courts Of this city.
TO GO BEFORE JUSTICE PATTERSON ON MONDAY.
Tie District-Attorney said yesterday that the
motion for change would be made before JUS
tice Patterson Monday Inasmuch as the mo-
ton was originally made In Chambers, 1t muse
have been by his consent that it is now to be
returned in Oyer and Terminer. He was closeted
with Mr. Cochran for an hour yesterday afternoon
and they probably came to an arrangement. since
Justice Patterson Is to try the case IT Is entirely
natural and proper that he should determine this
motion. No one supposes that II Will amount 70
anything more than an opportunity FOR Mr. COCK
ran to fire of one Of his eloquent speeches de,
signed to create sympathy for his infirm and
suffering" client and to teach the newspapers
their proper place. -.
The Supreme Court Judges are generally 10th
to concede either their own Incompetence or thar
of New-York jurors. They are In the main ais
posed to hold that they are fully able to secure
every accused mans rights and to try him fairy
and impartiay Mr.. Cochran to the contrary not
withstapding Colonel Fellows was also In Iona
consultation yesterday with DE Lancey Nicoll from
which circumstance arose the usual rumor that
Mr.. Nicoll had been retained for the prosecution
IL IL not believed, however, that Colonel feiioW
wants a man like Nico in the case nor that Mf
Ncoll cares to attach himself TO a prosecution
concerning the sincerity of which there is any
question Their conference probably related
merely to the evidence.
Mr. Cochran was seen last night at the Hoffman
House with reference to the motion for change
of venue lie said: II have not yet had time TO
see nv colleagues in the matter, and the papers
are not yet ready, but shall argue the motion
before Justice Patterson, most probably on MONDAY
next, in Oyer and Terminer. Our ground fof
asking a change of venue will be that MIR. Sharp
cannot obtain fair and impartial trial In this
county" When asked as to Sharp's condition.
he said: "Mr. Sharp is very sick man, and
has been confined to his bed ever since tho
hIiz1ords