New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-14
THE PIGOTT JURY DISAGREES'
A MAJORITY WAS FOR CONVICTION.
SEVEN TO FIVE THE JURORS sToOD-PIGoTT
CONGRATULATED by HIS FRIENDS.

SEVEN TO FIVE THE JURORS sTOOD-PIGoTT
CONGRATULATED by HIS FRIENDS.
The case Of James II. Pgott, plan clerk OF 'he
buildings Department, Brooklyn, who was tred py
the Court OF Sessions In that city last week lor MS
share In the Columbus celebration OF last fall, WIS
given TO the jury at 80 A.. m. yesterday. ana the
Jury discharged at p. M. unable 10 agree
Judge Moore reviewed the In his charge 10 the
jury at the opening of the court yesterday morning
II was regarded ~ somewla; singular that he failed
to deliver the charge and comm. the case 10 the
jury on Friday night lie said yesterday that he
was suffering from rheumatism all the week and did
not desire to wait for the verdict and he thought IL
better to give the TO The jury in the morning
than late In the afternoon anyway.
F!Cot was indicted for his share in the presentation
OF bill for Sl1 400 for the stands erected nj the
Park Plaza for the Columbus celebration parade ana
the dedication Of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial
Arch on October 81. Plans for about 200 feet OF
stands to seat 1000 people prepared by Pigo'i
lie bought the lumber made the contracts for the
work. and the stands were erected under his direc
lion. The bills he paid amounted TO less than 4,Ooo,
but the bills presented 10 the city in the name OF
p Ross, n former cmploye OF the Buildings Depart
mcnts amounted to Sl1,4CO. The Aliermens Com
mittec approved of the bills and they were audited
By Deputy City Auditor Cornell. approved By Mayor
Boody and paid by Controller Jackson. When the
facts concerning these and other eXor5ant and out
published the December Grand Jury investigated the
whole affair and indicted not only the three Alder
who approved the city bills, Pigo't Ross and
Others who presented bills, but also the City and
County Auditors and the twcnty-one Supervisors who
voted pay the county bills the veto OF super
vsor-at large Kinkel and the county contractors
whose bills paid. There was talk Of ndicting
the Mayor and Controller hut the Grand Jury con
tented itself with recommending that they be sued
recover the The Legislature has since
egalIzed the expenditures and the Mayor, Controller
and Auditor directed TO audit the bills anew.
If they find that any money has been Improperly paid
suits will be begun TO recover it.
The trial OF Pgott the first under the indict-
ments found In December. 1t was shown that he cid
all the work OF erecting the stands. and that an
enormous profit was made upon them. The defence
that the Aldermen made contract for the work
with Ross and that PigOtt Instructed to superin
tend the work and that the stands were safe.
In his charge to the Jury Judge Moore held that II
on the evidence II was found that Ross was a man
OF straw. and that the bill false and fraudulent,
the defendant guilty under the indictment. On
the other hand, II contract was made with Ross for
Sl1 400, the bill could be regarded false and
fraudulent and the defendant could not be convict
ed. The defendants counsel asked Judge Moore to
say to the jury that the deeniantS failure to tes-
tlfy should not create presumption against him, and
then the counsel both SIDES expressed satisfaction
with the charge
The Jury sent for dinner at noon. few minutes
before D. m. the foreman Of the jury sent word To
Judge Moore that agreement could not be reached.
and the Judge called the jury before him. NJ III.
Appleton foreman. repeated the statement that ten
ballots had been taken. and the jury had rm1ined
unchanged In attitude. Judge Moore asked how the
Jury stood. and toll that they were seven 10
five. He then asked II any Juryman thought that
agreement could bc reached by further considera-
ton. and responded ahrmatively The Judge
then discharged the jury.
The jury stood seven for conviction and five for
acguittal from the first ballot several members OF the
bodv had served previous juric, and declared that
they never saw jury firmly settled In opinion
Plgoti WAS released on the same bail a. he had given
before, the amount Of ii being $1,000. Ill, hicnis
congratulated him Oh his escape from c0nylcti)n.
He will probably not be tried again until Of
the ether indictments are disposed or II is deemed
altogether likely that District AttOrney Ridgwa, will
move the trial of of the indicted Ndcrmen
probably Alderman IIeaney, the Atlnniic-ave. pawn
bro,cr next. Hcaney has taken especial Interest
I'm Iicot's trial and OF those waiting in the
courtroom for the jury TO return.