New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-30
THE "SALOON GRAND JURY"
IT CAN DO No MORE MISCHIEF.
but 1T WAS A REMARKABLE BODY AND IFS
METHODS WERE ExTRAoRDINARY-How


METHODS WERE ExTRAoRDINARY-How
1T CONDUCTED BUSINESS.
Enough Is known concerning tho indictment OF the
Rev. Thomas Dixon, jr., for the alleged hDe'"ne VI
Excise Commissioner Joseph Koch TO justify the pehci
on tho part OF airminded citizens that II was the re-
suit OF Tammany Hall conspiracy, carefully planned
and executed by tools OF the wgwam inside and out
side Of the Grand jury This body whose oihc'a
existence was terminated yesterday by Its discharge
by the Court seems rightfuy to have won the name
which has been applied 10 II by common consent-"e
Il Saloon Grand Jury Cunning ). Bedford. whom
District Attorney Ncol received as legacy from MS
predecessor John Il. Fellows. and retained In his ONCE
in pursuance Of an ante election bargain which Mr.
N,co was forced enter into TO obtain the support
Of the ouor element. evidently selected to secure
Mr. Dixon's Indictment Later. on Thursday Inst, ne
received from his fellow fammanyitc. Police Jusuce
T. r. Grady the official notice that he had held the
minister for trial, and the next morning Mr. Bedlori
got sixteen OF the "SaoOn Grand jury together, ex-
actly the number required for business.
Foreman Higgins, whose political alliances In Tam
many Hall have already been exposed, himself
member OF the Tammnny Hall General Committee and
ono who trains under the political leadership OF the
notorious John J. Scanncl. In the chnir and ready
10 carry out his instructions William NJ. House, the
perennial secretary to Grand Juri"s OF the Tammany
order was there IN his usual capacity and unblushing
tools Of the WlgWan ike tHafleS IL. ndT"c' INV
engineer who had charge Of the scnndalous crbwork
fraud on Harris island and exscribe N the Tammany
Society," Charles F. Allen. chairman OF the Tammnny
Hall delegation from the XXIst District, who hold'
the Office Of Quarantine Commissioner by the favor 81
Tnmmany's idol. cx-Governor David b. Hill; Francis
blessing: Cunnn ghsm the contractor; John H. PatricR'
John j. Kavanagh and other adhents OF the dominant
Dcmocrntc faction were in their places. according To
orders probably and ready for business So wns James
Trainor liquor dealer. whose baroon a. broadway
and Slxhavc. has repeatedly been the scene OF dis
order and violence, and where the excise laws for
bidding the sale Of liquor Sundays and after the
lawful hour for closing have been frequently vlo-
lated
other members OF the Grand Jury interested In the
liquor traffic were hand and NOT by accident. 1t
is believed None Of them was likely to be averse
10 raIlroading through the Grand Jury all indictment
against q clergyman whose eloquent dcnunca'ion OF
crime had made him so obnoxious 10 their assocatcc
IN politics or business.
Before entering upon the serious work before him
Mr.. Bedford thought II incumbent upon him TO
harnn1ue his Tammany friends In the Grand Jury room
on the pcrnicious tendency OF much plain speaking
In the pulpit Mr.. Higgins stcrnly raped for order rs
the prosecutor entered. Mr. Bedford began his re-
marks" by informing his auditors with imposing dig
ny that he was the Acting DstrictAtorney' (,r.
Nicoll had not vet returned from the Chicago Con
veniion and that he considered 1t his duty TO bring
nus compliant against INC heF. UT. I1AoU W INV
attention OF che Grand Jury. II Mr.. Dixon wanted
20 win, the OF reputable citizens. the acting
Distri' Attorney Thought that he ought to hire hall
and not dcsecra,c the pulpit. II was high time. said
Mr. I.odfo-i for the Grand Jury TO take notice OF
such
A Grsnd Juror asked Mr.. Bedford n he considered
ahy worse 10 VIM mans character In pulpit
thnn IN q hall. The intcrrogatcd oficinl stammercd
and grew rod In the face but finally admitted that he
hal the Dincc lesSencd
the enormty Of the offence.
Mr. Koch then called md gave his testimony.
after which Mr.. Dixon admitted and asked II he had
anything TO say. The treatment which he received
nj the hands 81 Foreman Higgins and the summary
manner In which his statement cut short when h,
attempted 10 shD,- that even Tanmany judges had
pronounced Commissioner Koch guilty OF criminnlly
obsruciing the enforcement Of the Excise laws. have
already been described In these columns.
Mr. Dixon having been excluded from tho jury
room. went promptly to business
All who are IN favor 81 finding bill In this case
will hold up their right hands he commanded. Tho
hands Of all the Tummany men and the liquordcalers
went ND some Of them made llttlc speeches they
voted Trainor laid that Dixon WAC d'turbcr OF
the pecc and ought ~ be punished. Secretary liolso
said d" believe that belong 10 this mars society
but don't like his methods. and think he ought TO
be brought to trial The foreman rapidly counted the
upfcd hands Of the Grand Jurors.
Twelve vote IN favor Of bill and II Is carried
no decided.
"wnlt moment. Mr.. Foreman said Grand
Juror intcrruping him. IL count but eleven, 50 the
indictment is lost
"No II ISN'T replied Mr. Higgins al didn't votc,bu'
I do now and he held mp his hand THAT makes
twelve Mr. Secretary addressing his agile assistant.
Mr.. fIou,c. "nnd the mans indicted
- the record WIS duly certified, and Mr. Dixon
WAS ordered 10 De brought 10 trial for bbeling the
immaculate Tnmmany Excise Commissioner. The
Tammany conspiracy proved successful
Trninor, the broadway and sixthave. liquor seller,
VIII, took so active II part in aiding the conspiracy,
WINS oflcio,s throughout the sessions OF the Grind
Jury, especially In Excise cases. lie crosseXnmincd
the witnesses for the prosecution and insisted Oh
putting questions rs TO their knowledge Of whether II
wac really lquor beer that they saw on the bars or
nbcs Of places whose oSncrs were charged witt vio
ntions OF the law. TlInor would frequently set
out ga,ses, made IN imitation Of gatscs containing
trcr. which apparently held the amber product Oh
malt and hops. surmounted with what looked like real
fonm, bu, In reality composed OF wax. and be
would ask the wines, under examination:
II you saw these glasses upon the bar OF hotel
on n sunday You would bc willing to that you
the people there drinking lager. wouldn't you''
When the witness admitted that ne would be likely TO
mistake the contents for beer Trainor became highly
eatcd and took occasion numerically 10 score the
unlucky officer other witnesses for not being
careful when collecting evidence In his excise cases.
Tranor was permitted to continue this system Of
badgciing the States witnesses without rcmonstrance
from Foreman Higgins or from the mmmany men
who running this "Saloon Grand jury II
was Tainor's invarablc practice to vote against
an indictments In excise regardless
Of the evidence, except where the com
paint charged selling liquor without
license. Then he as invariably voted for IA bill
presumably because he looked upon such violations
an Interference with his business.
During the sixteen days Of the existence OF this
Grand Jury, II is said to have been In
sion only two hours day. but In this
time II disposed OF 7l3 bills. one hundred AID
twenty minutes day would mako the
whole time spent upon these bills 1920
minutes. or little than two and
IA half minutes given To the consideration OF ench