New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-23
0'RE|LLY HITS ACCUSERS
Lawyer Takes Witness Stand 10
DENY Their Statements.
ADMITS HE RECEIVED $50
Denies All Criminal Connection
with Return of Stolen Ban
croft Bonds.

Daniel J. O'Peillv. who is on trial in the
Criminal Branch Of the Supreme Court on
the charge Of criminallv receiving stolen
n,onertv told on the witness stand yes
,s~dav his connection with the return OF
81 % worth Of the $500 in securities
stolen from the brokerage Arm OF George
po,cros, Z CO On March p 1911. His state
rnents were chiefly denisls OF portions or
Tho testimony Of George 5. pousherty'
William NJ Sullivan Frank J. Pass anu
Police Inepector John Russell, WHO we're
the principal witnesses for the prosecu'lon
Throughout the transaction. said Ohehiy'
he acted as counsel for sullivan VINO WIS
stbe frn's lawyer. declaring that an ne re-
ceived out of il was the fee OF so aullNdn
maid him. and that his only interest IN II
was 70 secure the return Of the stolen
securities. aud. II possible. the arrest OF
the thieves.
He branded as falsehoods the statements
made by Plass. who is indicted with nm
and has turned states evidence. 70 me
erect tina, O'Reinv had tried TO dispose OF
,hs stock before he negotiated with Sulli-
van for its return for reward of so'~o-
During discrimination by Assistant
ristrict ATTORNEY Buckner. the names Oh
EVELYN Nesbit Thaw and Nan Fatterso"
perA introduced. O'Reilly being asked inc
.,,sr, ~ bis interest in either woman ne
0anied that il was other than tnelr reis ''Oi,
10 the trials in which he TOOK part "'-'D
make perfectly proper. -
o,Re,lv said he was introduced 70 flass
nv coy" Yates. one Of the men, "Ho' ~
was charged committed the roppeiN' az
p.ctors He asserted that Deputy COM
missioner Dougherty. who. "hle hedu "
the Pinkerton Detective Agency hao
n,orted on the case had no grounds Toy
eating that the two men had come 'o
him. O'Reilly. with an Introduction.
on his direct examination O'Reilly sara
he had communicated with Dougherty 70
learn The name Of the lawyer representing
the Bancroft firm.
..Whv didn't YOU communicate with your
dear friend Johnnie Russell. asked MT
Buckner. using the defendants charao'efi
cation Of the police inspector.
BECAUSE | had communicated with my
6earer friend. George Dougherty. was me
reply.
When q Reilly said his memory was sood
Afr Ruckner produced an affidavit signed
bv him in a City Court proceeding in which
o'Reillv stated that his memory was
'Q--n tdO. lie NlliAcSo Hc'if '''N'
four or FIVE pages n the affidavit. and that
he refused to be responsible for anything
excepting what appeared on the last page
10 which he had signed his name.
Referring 10 the taxicab ride through
Central Park during which both sullivan
and Plass declared the securities were eN-
changed for the S.. 600 reward, while
o Reilly, assisted in checking of the oertin-
Gates. OReiuy declared he never touched
the certificates He said that after the
ride Plass informed him he was prepared
with a revolver to resist arrest II O'Reilly
or Sullivan had not kept faith
After he and Plass reached the Night
and Day Bank, where Plass testified he
changed some Of the large bills received
from Sullivan. and paid OReilly 1888 as
his share Of the reward. OReillv said the
only money given 70 him by Plass was the
$50. This. he said. represented the change
ri the $50 bill which he said sullivan gave
him in pavment Of his counsel fee. and
which he had asked Plass 10 change.
O'Renly denied that he had ever re-
marked that he was in danger Of being dis
barred because of the transaction.
Il never did anything for which feared
being disbarred" said OReily.
Before O'Reiny went on the stand a
number Of additional witnesses testified 70
his good character. Among them were for
mer Assistant District Attorney George
Gordon Battle. Battalion Chiefs Callahan
and Norton Of the Fire Department. and
William n. Clark a banker.
Asked If he was the Clark referred 70
by Plass when he said that OReilly had
offered 10 dispose Of the stolen securities
through A banker friend named Clark. Mr..
Clark said he could not be the man. as he
had never discussed the matter with
OReilly
I, is probable that the trial will end to-
day. this depending upon how much longer
ORellly will he cross examined after he re-
sumes the stand this morning