Year: 1872

Very rarely does such q combination, or rather
rapid succession, OF exciting spectaces present
Itself in the Court OF Oyer and Termner as
did yesterday morning. The immense crowd that
early filed the court room showed that there was
something unusual in the wlnd-an assurance
made doubly sure by the assembagc OF nearly all
the legal celebrities OF the city inside the bar The
plain fact is, people nowadays read the news
papers. 1t was known that the days of grace al
lowed Tom G. Fields to appear for trial expired
yesterday. OF course there was anxiety to know
whether he would put in an appearance, as well as
to see how he looked after his incognito travels
IL was known that Boss Tweed was among
the announcements on the bill, and
The desire TO see the great master OF
the ''Ring" reigned predominant, as well as iurk-
Ing curiosity to get a special glimpse OF a man
whom all the Sherif's men have lately been as un-
able to find as were the kings men to set up
Humpty Dumpty again. These cases were enough
10 draw


A LARGE CROWD


any time Two cases came up that were unex-
pected-those OF Stokes and Mayor Hall-but these
additions TO the programme were only the more
enjoyed for this reason Judge Brady, who is usu-
ally pretty prompt, arrived little late. He took
his seat on the bench with his accustomed quiet
nnconcern, and, IN neither his looks nor dcmeanor
gave token OF anything unusual likely to come be-
lore him. He holds the scales of justice with an
even hand, men, place, power weighing nothing
with him, justitid rat being his only rule AS he
told the crlcr to open the Court, the room in which
, busy hum Of conversation had prevailed became
suddenly hushed. The eyes OF the crowd looked
now eagerly in this direction and the lawyers
Erasped their bundles of papers to be ready for
business. The first case called was that OF


EDWARD s. STOKES


and at once the curious thrOnp looked eagerly in
every direction to see If he was In the court room
look only rewarded with disappoint
ment. IL took but q short time to
finish up the Stokes case, it being
only IAN application for his speedy trial
Next the name OF Thomas G. Fields was called out
1t was a long and loud call by the Clerk of the
Court; but Mr.. Fields was non est This was
another disappointment except to his lawyer, who
had the opportunity to make beseechngly pa
thetc speech in his behalf and did So the entire OF
which and results OF which will be found below.
More than compensating for the above drol dsap-
pointments was seeing "Boss' Tweed walk into
the court rooIn He looked, as Dan Bryant says
In one of his stories, as well and hearty as he ever
did his life, and smiled and nodded to his friends
as in the Olden time, when al the zenith
Of his poweru His case occupied the
attention OF the Court but q short time.
good deal OF the time he was chatting
with Sheriff Brennan, who sat directly behind him
and seemed to pay but little notice to the remarks
OF his chief counsel, his forensic TRADE designed
TO be tremendously telling against all and every
one arrayed against his CLIENT the newspapers in
cuded. AS the "Bossn left the Court o large
crowd followed There was still pretty full at
tendance left to witness the prelimlnaries and
opening OF the


TRIAL OF MAYOR HALL


Many times before has Mayor Hall addressed the
presiding judge at this Court OF Oyer and Termner,
aud certainly he never spoke with more coolness
and sefpossession than yesterday. Directly after
the close he went over and reviewed the Filth
regiment OF militia, and evinced there the same
gayety and unconccrn-that gayety that alone can
emanate from consciousness of innocence OF the
grave charges preferred against him.