New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-14
TRIAL OF CLEARY
CLIQUE PUT OFF
Five Men Accused of Va
riOus Offences Will Wait
Until December.

tFrom star Correspondent OF The Tribune
Haverstraw, ~ Y, Sept. 13.-This
town, which, six months ago, was
seething over the shooting Of Eugene
NJ. Newman and the intricacies which
marked the evidence presented at the
trial of former Town Clerk William V.
Cleary, has forgotten the incident.
This morning, In New City, the
cases Of five men whom the Grand Jury
indicted following the investigation Of
the Cleary case came up il the Su-
preme Court, with Justice Michael H.
Hirschberg on the bench. No throng
filled the courtroom; not even the de-
PENDANTS were on hand. When their
cases had been discussed it was an
nounced that the trials would not come
up until the December term, when Jus
tice Tompkins will sit.
This action, according TO District At
torney Thomas Gagan, is without sig
nificance. In the opinion OF the Rev.
Thomas l.. Coulter, who commented on
the shooting Of Newman and the subse-
quent events in Rockland County. it is
only a continuation of the put-up
jobs" that Hayerstraw politics has
caused.
The announcement that the cases Of
the five defendants -Cleary, the sixth,
is not in custody would go over until
December was received without appar-
ent effect by the few persons in the
New City courtroom a. noon. Tonight
most Of the town has not yet heard
the news, and even Mr.. Coulter, one Of
the leading opponents of the Cleary
clique, was not informed of the courts
decision until ten hours after it had
been rendered. He and Mr.. Gagan hold
different views on the postponement Of
the cases. The clergyman contends the
politicians are behind the move; the
prosecutor, calling TO mind that no i'm
portant officers are 10 be chosen in No
vember, q month before the cases will
again be brought up, says the delay
has no especial political significance.
Mr.. Chambers, who has superseded
Mr.. Gagan to try the case, arrived in
New City this morning, and left soon
after he learned that the cases had
been postponed.
When Mr.. Coulter learned of the
courts action, be remirked:
II Is only dDOtNeT attempt 10 UGnL
public sentiment. The lawyers for the
men are seeking poStponements so that
interest in the cases will wane and the
charges will be forgotten. | suppose
they will eventually drop from the
calendar"
The defendants. whose cases were
moved for trial by the Deputy Attor-
ney General, are Josiah T. Felter. who
with CleaIy is alleged to have misap-
propriated town funds; Bernard Fox
who faces a charge of perjury, and
William Seibold. who was indicted for
Paving carried a weapon which. it is
oontendcd. caused the death Of New
man. The other defendants are War
rem Basley, overseer of the Door
charged with second degree grand lar
/ ceny. and Harry Hughes, alleged to
/ have had pistol in his possession.
Mr.. Chambers seemed to be ready 10
20 on with the cases. and the attorneys
for the indicted men did also. The
latter wns characterized tonight by
Mr.. Gagan as bluff. In the cour,
there was some discussion as "a
whether Seibold was represented by
counsel. As Justice Hrschberg re.
marked that he was i'll he agreed tc
postpone the trials. This sickness. &C
cording to the District Attorney. is
the only cause for the postponement
and was also responsible for Justice
Hirschberg's retirement from the Ap-
pellate Division.