New-York tribune., 1896-12-05
VACHERON rs ACQUITTED.
THE STATE FAILS TO MAKE OUT 4 CASE
OF BRIBE-TAKING.
BEST. THE IcE-HARNEsrER. REFUSED TO IDEN-
TIFY vACHERoN AS THE MAN WHO GOT
THE 5000 AND THE Defence
DIDN'T CALL 4 WITNESS.

DIDN'T CALL \ WITNESS.
Albany. Dec 4-Eugene vacheron. the ex-
Assemblyman from the lid District Of Queens
County. who was accused Of brbc-t taking. was
acquitted tonight.
When court opened this morning the direct
examination Of George NJ. Best. the ice harvester
who paid So 900 to an Assemblyman to have the
Hudson River Ice Harvesting bill amended, was
continued At yesterdays examination Mr.
Best could not identify Nacheron as being the
man to whom the money paid. In reply to
questions of District-Attorney Burlingame. Eest
on direct examination this morning said that
there were others present in Kceiers restaurant
besides the man to whom he was introduced
The District-Attorney was trying to prove that
the to whom Best was introduced was
Nacheron
"Were you introduced to any one else pres
ent?" asked the District-Attorney.
NO SIR
Did you go Immediately then to the bar
room?'
Yes. SIR
did the man introduced come into the bar
room?"
Yes. sir
did you have conversation with that man
after you reached the barroom?'
This was objected to because defendant was
not shown TO be the man IN queStlOll' anu '''N
Court sustained the objection.
Best could not identify Vacheron as the man
he was introduced to by ex-Assemblyman Nc
Naughton or as the man who went into Keelers
bar with him. He had met this man later in
the day at the Capitol outside Of the room of the
committee which was considering the Ice BILL
EX-AsSemblyman Cutler. of Rockand, VINO
was chairman Of the Committee Of Internal
Affairs which considered the Ice bill. testified
that Vacheron had left the committee room
about the time Best said he met the man ne
was introduced to at the Capitol. but Mr. Cutler
said he understood Nlchercn was interested in
a pure water bill for Suffolk County, which was
under consideration in the Legislature. and had
left the committee meeting to look after that
measure.
Frank b Harder. president Of the Castleton
National Bank gave testimony corroooratNe
Of Best's statement about getting from an Al
bany bank 5000. which he placed on table
in a room at Keeler's and which was taken
by the man Best introduced to.
At the afternoon session John r. Stanchncld
Of counsel Of Vacheron. said that the defence
was content to rest upon the evidence produced
by the prosecution and would not call any Wit
nesses Mr. Stanchfeld then summed up for
the defence He said the prosecution had In no
way connected Vacheron with the man TO whom
Best paid the money. At the hour when 1t was
charged that the man Best was introduced to
at Keelers had gone TO an Albany bank with
Best and President Harder OF the Castleton
National Bank. 10 get the $1,000 check cashcd
NacherOn was in attendance at the Assembly
session. as shown by rocalls on the House
records Again Best said the man 20 whom he
paid the money had a beard. while Nacheron
never wore beard. as was proved.
District Attorney Burlingame reviewed the
testimony at length and asked the jury u do
its duty. The jury then went TO supper. and
at $50 o'clock was locked up. but deliberated
only ten minutes. When the jury came into
court the foreman announced verdict OF ac-
quittal
Vacheron was congratulated on all sides. and
he even shook hands with Best. on whom the
prosecution had depended 10 make out case
MIR Nacheron's wife and two children listened
70 The proccedings in court this aficrn00n.