The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-26
M'KANE'S TRIAL BEGINS.
FIVE WITNESSES GITE PRELIMINARY
7ESTIMONY.

and Tormlner In Brooklyn during the three
days occupied In empanolllng the jury to try
John l. Mckane was not discouraged by the
uninterestng character Of the proceedings
/ but was on hand in greater numbers than ever
{ when the trial fairly began yesterday morning
! Jhe fact that court opened an hour earlier
| than usual made no difference to the Graves
enders who hnvo appropriated the gallery
! They began TO come as carly as 8 o'clock. and
| not half dozen OF them left before the court
closed to. During the hours intermlssion.
| when Judge. Jurors. and prisoner left the
room. the Gravesend contingent clung to their
seats in the gallery. bundles and packages
were drawn from pockets and other places OF
! concealment. and there were reports that bot
! ties were seen circulating during that hour.
! The court room down stairs was crowded
| before Justice Willard Bartlett entered at 81
| o'clock. The counsel for tho people were all
present excepting Gen. Tracy who hurried In
! Just before Deputy Attorney-General Shepard
! began his speech. Seated with Mr.. Shepard
were Col. Albert T.. Lamb and Jerry A. Wern-
| berg, and on the table in front Of them was
great mass OF letters and papers and several
valises. out Of which tho lawyers drew more
papers and maps and bonds as the examina-
ton Of the witnesses proceeded. Back OF the
table at which tho prosecuting counsel sat
were John Y. Mckane. with Foster l..
Backus next to him, and ex-Judge
James Troy. James II. Glendenning, and
George W. Roderick. the rest OF his
counsel. stretched In a line along the table
at which he sat. The Chief Joined in none vi
the laughter that the occasional answers Of the
witnesses aroused. and spoke only rarely to
Mr.. Backus. Ho listened intently to the testi-
mony scribbling most OF the time on a piece
Of paper which lay In front OF him. Only once
did he smile. and that was when court had ad-
journed for recess and he was leaving the
room with bis attorney. A crowd OF Gravesend
men. who had been waiting to speak to him.
pushed forward as soon as he rose to his feet.
Mr.. She pard had lust finished his speech. which
was so strong at certain points that Judge
Newton. who camc to court with Mckano. had
left the room.
Well. john" one OF tho Gravesenders said.
as ne took Mckane's hand. they won't have
Well. It is strange" answered the Chief, as
PEOPLE down at Gravesend knew any Of those
things about me-"
The, entire morning session was occupied by
MIR. Shelards opening speech lie began soon
after O'clock and Il was ! before he finished.
Nobody left tho room during that time. and
little restless. Mr.. shepard reviewed first the
election laws; which it is contended that Nc
hano violated. and stated the charge against
the defendant in these words;
charge that in the Frs! Election district OF
isst mt. the Of nc 9Th day OF November last
JOhu Nchane procured III" tessiry lets Of that DIS
trict to be isndere nsc.ess DE to the cubic thaths
GGm,randsh sni induced The lnsGycto,s OF cleo ron
.ss isqa 10 D seg2 ,hs.e rsSry ~. a. a. times nc
tnem and even Commanded hem to di.o6Sy tnat COM
to hs a aas sf 81 MT 10 %1s those
Mr.. Shepard described McKane's peculiar
position IN that community in this way:
You Ni,i tnd; nins when At such evidence shan
John Y McKans wa. during octoG,r last ana has
Single il a r' b, ~ az RS m.
he was Supsrv,.or mat he iai been SUCH supervisor
ns,n,h super tor II H not 10 I,ra'.d that he -:
Tue Police BoNri OF ota'osrni lie vas rresisnt II
as G%%5f q 70 Rs ban Of
q. i"' S. ID md me nnS.a G
Of the improvements iu that town al moneys
have largely win T the inc paes orc. q
4. OF II! which S n%% Ss' 10 eJS.
John Mekane" re ations 70 the police force are maj.
roce Board consisting OF four Justices Of the Peace
ShsId Sswton, Of ho you VII hear srSss
des he meth sutherland. q whom you vii also
StIytsG Not ony Was MF HcKans FRI. dent OF tie
FSs1 kysry poGcrs,n and Ss@Ssr Of ISa5 load
es fSss s n , . 90 tn% Shn
Officially paid ~ TIE the polio. forcs
GSksao John l. MSKsne Tas the "ef tI S%" u
Mr., shepard described the peculiar manner
In which the six election districts OF Gravesend
ara laid out SO that each one OF them contains
part Of the Town Hal, and the construction OF
ea9 stsnd IN the Neck road and sea ersry man man
who enters to vote; lie told OF the secrecy with
which Mckane had attempted 70 surround tho
election and his violation OF the registration
laws by allowing men t, give their addresses
simply as "Uoney Island. ABBREVIATED simply
William II. Gaynor to obtain a copy, of tho
registry lists and the arrest of tho deputies
sent down by Justice Gaynor on the Saturday
Newton's remark that he didn't give God |
York" 1t was soon alter the repetitiSn 81 this
observation of his that Judge Newton got up !
The first witness was John l. voorhis who
lives on Coney Island avenue At Grayesend.
him. Lawyer Roderick moved that the prose- |
cution be required TO elect on which Of the two |
coed. Justice Bartlett denied this motion. as
well as another from the defence that the pros
sfranI jury with The Distfcf &ttorneS Serors
the trial be allowed to proceed, the defence
coed until the minutes had been iied
know Of no authority for such a motion"
said Justice Bartlett. there be one. deny
tho authority"
The witness was allowed. after considerable |
discussion and objection from the defence, to
dcted election inspectors. which was read w |
the prosecution to the Jury. AZ that the wit |
lawyer Shepard took from one OF the large |
yalises on the table. The minutes. Of the |
tiravesend were admitted over the objections |
OF the de ence. as were the oaths OF Office OF |
the indicted election inspectors and the regis |
ters OF election foI tho election districts OF |
Grayesend. Justice Bartlett admitted, as |
evidence q the number Of registered electors
against the vigorous objection of the |
defendant lawyer, book containing |
records Of the Hoard which divided the town |
into it's six election districts. and the lists OF |
voters In the different districts who rpgi stored |
on Oct. y and on the Saturday following show.
ing that IN each district the great majority Of |
voters registered on the first day. those who |
registered after that being few in number.
When Mr.. NooThis had an opportunity to do |
something moro tnRu identity the papers |
shown to him by Deputy Attorney General |
Shepard he said tnat some part OF each Of tho |
six election districts 81 Gravesend was in tho |
Town Hall. and that doors from three OF the |
polling places opened on the Neck road on tho |
north. and three doors on the south onto an |
alley which runs parallel with the Town Hall |
He testified as 10 the distances OF different |
parts 81 GTRyesend from the Town Hall. and |
identified the signature OF Mchane attached |
TO several Afiiiayits.
Mr. shepard Iried hard to make tho witness
say that be had seen John w. Murphy only at |
John \. MrkRnes office, in BROOKLYN. hut tho |