New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-20
OBSTACLES AT THE START.
THE POLICE Trials BEGUN.

ATTORNEYS FOR THE DEFENCE FIGHTING
FOR DELAY AND CONFUSION.
WRIT OF PROHIBITION SECURED FROM JUDGE
DUGRo STOPS PROCEEDINGS UNTIL DIS
MISSED BY JUDGE GILDERsLEEvE-MRs.
THuRow AND HER HUSBAND
EXAMINED.
The first day OF the trials Of suspected bribeA
taking police officials by the Police Commits.
sioners was full OF incident. Captain Doherty
and his former ward men. Meehan and Hook were
the first 10 be called upon TO face the Board
and It's prosecuting attorney. Francis l.. Well
man. The specific charges were based upon the
testimony OF Mrs. Augusta Thurow, who, before
the Lexow Committee said that she had paid
money directly to all three men to protect he1
disordery house in the Eleventh Precinct
Louis J. Grant and Abraham L. Fromme. whe
appeared as counsel for the accused policemen,
sprung a surprise upon the Commissioners soon
after the morning session was called 10 order
in the shape OF writ Of prohibition issued by
Judge Dugro Of the Superior Court. restraining
the Police Board from proceeding with the trials
until l2 o'clock, at which time the writ was made
returnable to the Superior Court. Judge Dugro
signed the order at his home Wednesday
night on representations TO him that Commits
sioners Martin and Sheehan had announced that
they intended 10 break Doherty and the ward
men, A fair trial under these circumstances, u
was urged, was impossible. The Commissioners
promptly adjourned until o'clock. and directed
Mr.. Weman meanwhile to appear in the super.
ior Court to have the order set aside
Judge Gdersleeve heard what the lawyers on
both sides had TO say, and then, after Generating
for over an hour set the writ aside as improperly
executed The trial of the three men then pre-
ceeded in the afternoon and evening.
FEATURES OF THE PROCEEDINGS.
The features Of the day were the filibusterinS
Of the lawyers for the defence and the absence
of a judicial temperament the part OF the
presiding officer Commissioner Martin. Mr.
Grant and Mr.. Fromme began as soon as the
hearing opened 10 beleaguer the board for
postponements and delay. Then they made
their great coup by producing the writ OF pro-
hibition, which failed in the end but gained
about three hours time for them. They insisted
on making long preliminary speeches which con-
tained nothing but wind. and systematically OBJ
jected TO every question put 10 witnesses by ME-.
Wellman. In fact they deliberately and avowedly
started out 10 confuse witnesses. TO get the
prosecuting attorney angry, and to XIII a.
much time az possible. Mr.. Grant repeatedly
made remarks to Mr. Welman which were not
only vulgar, brt extremely insulting. II was nor
that Mr. Grant bore any Ill will TO Mr. Well.
man. It was his awkward and Objectionable
way of trying 10 score an advantage by disturb
ing and annoying the Assistant District-Attorney.
Mr. Wellman remained calm and unruhied. he
wouldn't get angry and he wouldn't bs
od ~
Mr.. Grants abuse than he would for
small boys whistle. He proceeded 10 get out
the testimony against Doherty. Hook and Meehan
as rapidly as possible under the circumstances
THE PRESIDING JUDGE.
Commissioner Martin had a trying position.
but he utterly failed 10 draw the line between
frnness and tyranny. The tactics Of the coun-
sci for the defence were exasperatins. and de-
served 70 be emphatcally rebuked. They
were emphaiically rebuked by Commissioners
Martin. who overrued almost every one
OF the thousand and one objections made by
Messrs. Grant and Fromme. But Mr.. Martin fire.
ouently went beyond the limits Of impartiality
hv giving decisions offhand ard in a manner
calculated to carry the conviction that his mind
was not open 10 argument; that ne had decided
before he had heard both sides. and that ~ move
him was like trying TO move a stone wall by
throwing peas at 1t. Down in New England ME-
Martin would be called "opinionated" He was
q sorry contrast 20 Senator Lexow as presid-
ing officer.
Mr. Grant and Mr. Fromme freely charged
that Mr. Martin intended 10 railroad their
clients out OF the department Mr. Martins
manner did not refute this charge. One Mr..
Martin got exceedingly excited. and In an un-
dignifed way challenged any police Official 70
show that he had ever done wrong
Only two witnesses were examined, Mrs
Thurow and her husband Ernest Thurow. Tho
trial will proceed to-day at 10 o'clock.
The trial-room at Police Headquarters yester-
day was roasting hot. Instructions had been given
10 the numerous uniformed doorkeepers to admit
no one who had not business TO do in the court
room consequently. only the Commissioners
police officials. newspaper men, counsel and
suhpoenaed witnesses succeeded In passing the
doors. Only about a dozen people outside OF
officials and newspaper men were present wnen
the proceedings were opened. The four Police Com
mlssioners. Messrs Martin Murray Kerwn and
Sheehan took their at 1910 o'clock. Com
plaint Clerk Peterson near them Assistant
Distrct-Attorney Wellman present to press
the charges against Captain Doherty and the ex-
ward men, Louis j. Grant and Abraham L.
Fromme appeared for the men 10 be tried among
others present were Captain Cross whose reputa-
ton was besmirched by witnesses before the
Lexow Committee and Ira Schaffer.
Mr. Grant said that General Tracy would not
appear for the defence. but that j. L. Hill and
ex-Judge Russell might be brought into the case
later. He denounced the refusal Of the Commits
sioners TO let the public enter the trial-room
Frank Beard was the stenographer
Both Commissioners Martin and Murray had
been witnesses before the Lexow Committee-Mr.
Murray as a willing witness to testify to Tam.
many police outrages in the Hid Assembly Dis
trict at election time; Mr.. Martin as an unwilling
witness 10 tell something about the way Tam.
many methods have been employed In the Police