New-York tribune., 1900-07-03
CONVICTIONSI IN B. R.T. CASE
ATTEMPT TO BRIBE JUROR, JUSTICE
FURSMAN SAYS.
ANNOUNCEMENT CAUSES SENSATION IN
COURT-BOGERT ACQUITTED, BUT
OTHERS FOUND GUILTY.

The jury in the case of Alfred R. Goslin
Eugene L. Packer, Charles T. Davis and Henry
Bcgert accused Of conspiring to depress the
Price Of Brooklyn Rapid Transit stock, returned
q verdict yesterday in the Criminal Branch Of
the Supreme Court, holding the first three de-
PENDANTS named guilty of the charge against
them. and acquitting Bogert, directed by the
Court
The jury took thirty minutes to consider the
case. It was discharged with the thanks of the
Court for its Intelligent consideration" Of the
case as soon as its report was submitted.
. Justice Fursman instructed the Sheriff to take
the convicted men TO the Tombs. and to return
them before him at 1870 o'clock to-day for
sentence.
Something Of a sensation created by
Justice Fursman just before the usual adjourn
ment for luncheon. when he made this an
nouncement:
You Of @ fhf sy g to yHdr H I'm sn
OF court officer. One of your number has filed
fered money to disagree in This case The af5dayit
saws further that the man who offared hin,
told him he had already fixed another Of the Jury
desire 70 tel The jury that any Juror to whom such
offer made and who failed to report it 10 the
Court IS liable 10 severe punishment.
No further information as to the affidavit filed
vouchsafed by Justice Fursman The
lawyers connected with the case were seen and
asked ABOUT lne fInGaN1t, bur they refused to
discuss il. In every quarter there was disn-
cliuatior 10 soy an hing abb >: it,
The statement caused much comment among
the lawyers, the defendants and the spectators
1t unusual statement for the presiding
Justice TO make at such a time. the lawyers
said. Gosin and the other defendants were
much detected,
NO friend Of mine" said Goslin. would be
such a fool. We didn't want a disagreement. for
ought to have been acquitted"
As as Justice Fursman took his seat
after recess Ex-Governor Black. Of counsel for
the defence. moved that the case be taken from
the jury saying:
In view Of the statement made by Your Honor. I
ask that YOU discharge this jury on the ground
49, +a1lierrIt 70 e. - ,,psert for naTo
and deliberate consideration of the case.
Justice Fursman denied the motion. TT should
not interfere with the impartialtty Of the jury
he said. There is nothing before them to indi-
cate that the accused had anything more to do
with the matter alleged than the prosecution"
In summing up the case Ex-Governor Black,
for the defence and John Proctor Clarke,
Special Deputy Attorney General, for the prose
cution, reviewed the facts outlined from
day TO day in The Tribune Mr.. Black went at
lcme length into the financial condition of the
brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, and declared
that il had never been solvent. that the price
Of the stock G16) in August last was fictitious,
and that its fail due 10 the fact that II was
impossible longer TO conceal its actual con-
ditiOn.
"AI the unimpeached testimony in this case
AIr Black said in conclusion, we would have
admitted had been asked Everything the
defendants said in their newspapers and in their
circulars true. They said Brooklyn Rapid
Transit would fall It did fall They said Brook
lyn Rapid Transit selling at a fictitious
price, and they were right 1t worthless
rotten concern, and by some means which the
company dare not make public ii held on
the stock market at a higher rate than the New
York Central or any Of the great solvent rail
roads Of the country"
These defendants are indicted for conspiracy,
said Mr.. Clarke. They not indicted for sell
ing the stock short They not indicted for
expressing opinion that Brooklyn Rapid
Transit stock was going lower; they are in
dlCted for cOnspiring TO make it go lower. You
are told these defendants are 10 per cent specu-
latOrs, and We taunted with not indictine
the big dealers. In the first place we are trying
them because We have caught them. These 1C
per cent speculators owned 81. 900 shares, worth
at par $4,000; they sent out forty thousand
telegrams, had money enough to advertise in al
the big newspapers, and the evidence has shown
that Gosin made $4,000 in one transaction"