New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-14

Inc ! ldth COHHillAN. N'''' ''''
trial Yesterday in the Court of Oyer ana Ter
miner but the long delay which has lntefVchea
since tho indictments were found Is hoU ue'-
tined to end Just yet. The case was adJourheu
till Thursday on account OF the sickness VI
joseph Mcels and it is probable that II VIII W
mt over TO the next term. Judge barrett
rbilo EXPRESSING his confidence in the char
octor and capacity of McclSs physician de-
sired the opinion of another medical man. ana
has asked DIR. Owen J. Ward to report to INN
ON Wednesday, If DR.. Ward concurS WIN
Dr. Phelps a long postponcmcnt Will be new
table.
We have no reason or wish TO conclude that
Nooks who was the referee in the notorious
divorce proceedings and is one OF the defend
orts is not in serious condition OF ill-health.
The event proved that Mcneil was even sckcr
than his friends and counsel supposed ana
those who snecrcd at the representations o'
his increasing fccblcness have had occasion
since his death to regret their attitude AT 'ha'
time. If judge Barrett determines to put the
casc over the public will be entirely wiling 10
abide hy his Judgment. II is none the less
scandal. however. that any complication should
operatc TO prolong the disgrace which Nherih
under indictment for al odiouS offence iniictS
unon the community. such delays are grey
Gus when the defendants are private citizens
bnt when they are public officials the mis-
fortune is far greater. The people do not IKE
- have the GOOD name Of an officer of the law
,ri,chcd even by idle gossip, but whore there
+, no other basi, for d>trust temporary for
fciinre of Office might be an undcserycd hard
shin. When. however, as in the present IN
stance. common report has been 50 Tar sus-
tanned BY sworn testimony rs 10 require an
indictment a, the hands Of Grand jury. after
q searching investigation an immediate suS-
pension from Office ought to follow. u Is Il
dcroc, Of the law that keeps in power month
after month man on whom grave charges
press So hcayi,y II this were sup"rs1iIou'
acc the present defendants might come INTO
court with the theory thai Heaven itself had
intcrvcrcd 10 save them from the prosecutions
of their adyer,arics but the death OF Judge
Mcneil and the eickne,, OF Mr. Mccks d. not
assume that aspect In the eyes Of this genera
ton. The public dcplores the circumstance,
which have brought about this tedious delay,
and is extremely SOLICITORS 10 SEQ the trial be-
gun and prosecuted unilinchi-gly.
II has occurred 10 us Iuhl III 'H0 i'''''
line. Mayor Grant representing IN" sentiment
Of iiehtoou, indignation which could not brook
the doilomcnt Of Flack's presence in lammany
Hall but turned him forth incontncntly from
he warm precincts Of the Wigwam into outer
darkness. might ask the GOvcnor 70 remove
the Sheriff. Perhaps the Mayor reasons that
such procedure would prejudice The c9Ne be-
fore tho court. and doubtless there Is some
thing 10 be said on that score. But how long
are the citizen, Of New York % be left in what
eyer degree of doubt still exists a 70 the guilt
Of a conspicuous and mportan, official? That
is an interesting question Mccks may lng"r
lone in state Of inirmify, and by the time
that he j able to appear for trial some other
disaster may have occurred II would not
surprise us 10 hear tina. Sheriff Flack's hopeful
son ia been stretched upon bed of sickness
And then there is tho woman in the case, the
fneaciou, Sarah Cherry. Everybody knows
that she i, frail, and She may take II into her
head 10 come back 20 Ncw-Yorll TO die. H.
would be manilcstly churlish and improper to
prcss the case 70 trial while one OF the con-
SpiratOrS was preparing to take leave OF cruel
and wicked world If things 90 on as they
have begun, the question will soon be, not
whether the Sheriff shall be removed, but
whether he shall bc reelected.