The New York Herald Newspaper, October 15, 1875, Page 4

4 BUTLER ON FINANCE Arguing for an American System of Currency. A HISTORY OF MONEY. Hard Cash a Relic of Barbarism and Monarchy. STAMPED PAPER SAVED US. Why Our Forefathers Adopted Gold as a Standard. FRIGHTENED BY FRANCE. ‘The second lecture in the course on Finance, under the auspices of the Board of Trade, was delivered in the large hall of the Cooper Institute last evening by the Hon. B. F. Butler. There were present on the plat form, besides many others, Peter Cooper, Wallace P. Groom, William H. Dennett, Plhny Freeman and ex. Mayor George Opdyke. The last named gentleman in- troduced the lecturer. The purpose of these lectures, Mr. Opdyke stated in his brief introductory remarks, is to present contrasting views on finance, so that by a dispassionate consideration of the topic the currency problem maybe solved in the best way for all the in- terests involved. The lecturer was cordially received by an audience numbering perhaps two thousand per- sons, a moderate proportion of whom were ladies. They listened to his address with interest, as were pictured notable financial disorders and their results at home an@ abroad, and while remedies were suggested that, it is claimed, will, if adopted, fix the value of the dollar end prevent future panics. THE ADDRESS, General Butler's subject was Finance in its wider interpretation—tho government's duty to pro- vide the people a stable and uniform mediutm of ex- ehange and a standard by which all value shall be meas- ured, and accessible to all requiring its use at the least possible cost. Asa measure of value, he said, the vol- ume of currency has no eifect; its use for this purpose consists in having its unit a fixed fact as the barleycorn, the unit of English measure, is the standard by which distances are measured. Suppose we had a gold cur- rency, would the addition of $46,000,000—the currency reserve—to the gold in the country derange values? When gold was discovered that amount was added to our currency ina single year without marked effect The value of the dollar should be ag unchangeable as the | unit of weight or measurement, but this uniformity should exist for the convenience and protection only of the community making their bargains im reference to it. Exchango of products between the subjects of dif- ferent nations must always partake more of the nature of barter than of bargain and salo, in reference to a tixed standard of value or currency, as the money of oue na- tion is never the money of another, Not long ago our ‘Treasury was supposed to be exhibiting its iuancial skill coining a trade dollar; and, having thus, by this ingo- -nious device, depleted our country of silver VOR THE BENEFIT OF TUE CHINESE, Congress has required the Secretary of the Treasury by law to sell our bonds of five per cent interest to replace sufficient of the silver that we have thus rid ourselves of, to be issued as a substitute for our fractional cur- rency, amounting to quite $40,000,000, Thus we are to pay annually, for thirty years at! least—the time the Donds have to run—$2,000,000 interest, raised by taxes, to supply ourselves with silver in the shape of smail coins, which nobody desires to use, in place of our fractional currency, the most convenient medium of exchange for petty transactions ever known, and the least cxpensive, as the whole cost of furnishing it is not equal to the loss by wear and abrasion of silver coin, and the destruction of the paper is of no loss but a gain to the government Heretotore civilized nations had sought to establish a currency for their own citizens only. At some time in its existence every nation has had a standard of values. The ancient Greeks took the ox; the Spartan and Afri- ean iron; tho Roman first the sheep, then brass, then copper; the Arabian the horse and the camel; and the Indian the elephant and shells. Indeed, each nation took for its standard of value that which it prized the most. In later times gold and silver, being the most scarce of tho metals and most difficult of production, therefore presenting a form of wealth most casily accumulated and garnered in the coffers of the rulers or kings than any other, were adopted as tho material for their standard of value, which value they claimed and have always exercised, as between themselves and their subjects, as their greatest prerogative to fix, by an im- press of their image or superscription thereon. But gold is not a universal standard of value. In 1857 three and a half ounces of silver would purchase an ounce of gold in Japan, when it took sixteen ounces for such a purchase in America, That in years the valuo of silver changed greatly in comparison with other products and services can casily be illustrated, The good Samaritan, when he ieft the wounded man at the tavern, left a penny for his keep for days, with tho promise that when he returned if his protégé had spent any more he would pay the difference. If any one doubts that silver has decreased in value since then let tim offer to leave his wounded friend at the Fifth Ave- Bue or Windsor and deposit a penny for his keep. In founding a government for themselves our patriotic fathers carefully elimiuated from its framework RVERY ATTRIBUTE OF MOKAKCHY and aristocracy save one; they retained, whether for orevil, the precious metals stany with the ing’s image asthe standard by which to measure the property and industry of the new Republic “It ‘was a gricvous fault,” and grievously have their chil- | dren answered it. Great, wise and good men, we mar- | vel that they saw so much; ‘but they saw not all Shings."’ Because of their engrafting upon our insti- tions this one element of kingly power we, their de- scendants, and our business and our property, nay, almost our existence as the mercy of ‘he moneyed Powers of the earth. 1776 we could not achieve independence | until we emancipated ourselves from the money | kings. In 1861 we could not save the life | the nation from rebellion, until we threw overboard || money of the bankers, uow the money kings of the | | é gas and established a currency for ourselves to values for our people, and put goid and silver belong, as part of the production of our g I would not go back to Continental money; builionist would vay our independence been secured if Continental money | m used against the capitalists, as | for tea against the merchants? the Republic doubtless adopted | as their money to bring | nection with the great family of | to bear with such endurance | disaster and ruin which the | standard of value at once eutailed upon | the country, for it is worthy of observation that ite bardship was so great as to produce a serious rebellion and outoreak against the law (Shay's Rebellion in Mas- FE FREES it i If i le i tachusetts) in what was thei now, the most culti vated, intelligent and law-abi portion of the country. y were ly deterred from changing their system on seeing these evils because of 8 fact in the Snanecial history of a nation with which they were in alliance, which is now held up by the bul- honists as nclusive argument in favor of a specie | Standard, with very much less cause and with very | much less weight bow than it might well have had | when our lathers had im present contemplation | | | the use, in revolutionary France, of THE ARMGXATS AND MANDATS 2 8 substitute for gold and silver—e currency which | almost at once became valueless, although pomipally | based upon what is reckoned atnong men the most de- | sirable of possessions, the lands of the nation. These forme of security were to the bolder evidence of a right | to buy oF locate upou & portion of the coutiscated lands | Of priests and nobles, called bational domain ue Of two exsentiale— ad the made title to the holder. Be- sides hw * land = warrant and not currency, Our currency cauwot be suid to have de- because our land warrants soli at bulf the government price of land Bes Jooking back upon that time, it is difficult to gee why the French paper money was not then es valua- dle as any other human possession in France, whether silver, land, limb or lite; w 's hase. Tho legislator of vod eriminal of to jorrow; the judge of culprit of to-morrow; the knife of ts Wine, like the rain of beaven, fell alike on the just and the unjust, Candidly considered, then, this period and its system y was tho y was tue ould not be pointed at as a warning or example in finance. In 1861, when the war bad scarcely begun, and was needed gay to purchase supplies an ;. When our money was promis. tory oles of bas. based upon gold” and sliver they promised to pay on demand, and which were clamed 0 be instantly convertibie into we that system of “hard fe legislative enactment soughs | country; When We had NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1875—TRIPLE SHEET. “honest money” which is held by the bullionists to be the most desirable; at that moment suspended payment, thus acknowledgifg themselves insolvent, refused to loan any money to the govern- ment, although tempted by the then enormous interest of seven and three-tenths per cent, and the “bard money” and “honest moncy,” alt became irredeemable and juconvertible promises to pay of broken banks which hoarded th 4 in their vaults or invested it abroad iu sterling exchange, Thus DAYERTED AND BETRAYED KY CAPITAL the government, as its only resource for self-preserva- tion, threw overboard the money of the world by the act of February 25, 1862, and issued its own legal tender noles, as y with which to pay its soldiers tor their lives, purchase its supplies, and conduct the war. From that hour, during the whole war and until long atter the strength, power, credit and stability of the United States was assured by Loe's surrender at Appomattox not a single dollar of gold or silver was subscribed or paid by any banker or capitalist in America or Europe for a bond of the United States, How was tt in 1861-62% Were there not hundreds of stores and warehouses unoccupied ? Ships were without freights, workshops ed and workmen idle, and property sunk twenty-live per cent in value. These were the direct consequences of w financial system fraudulently based on supposed specie Into whieh {t was promiecd this “honest iponcy”” should be converted on demand, although everybody knew when this useless promise was made, that there was and never could be but a dollar in specie to pay five which the banks promised to pay when they lent ‘out thoir “rag money” at usurious interest. From the hour of the issue of legal tender notes busi- ness everywhere sprang into active life, Workmen were so proiitably occupied that large bounties were necessary to draw them into the army, and for ten H there were no financial revulsions, but a period versal prosperity succeeded. To this prosperity no check came until administrative and legislative at- tempts were made to compel a return to a Vicious sys- tem of supposed specie payments and so-called “hon est money” which so miserably tailed us at the first of the war, Did not every honest man know there never was and never will be any such thing as specie pay- years of ments? Why, we have $750,000,000 of currency, for | every dollar of which the government is responsible, either as promisor or as guarantor, Now, all authort ties agree that there 1s only about $1,500, 000,000 of gold ip circulation in the world. How can we get half of it here to redeem our circulation’ And if we could, as we have less than $7,000,000 in the treasury only un- pledged to-day, Jess’ than a hundredth part enough to redeem our circulation, when shall we get enough? Cicero said “that he did not seo how two Augurs could look one another in the face when they met with- | out laughing at their mutual false pretences.” How can two bullionists say to each other “the country must return to specie payments’ without at least a broad grin? When at last, by the votes of sixty odd bank presidents and directors in the Congress of the United States, an act has been forced upon the country that we shall return to specie payments on the Ist day of January, 1879, apprebension of the result of this most disastrous Ineasure brings about the same state of business depression, the sane stoppage in production, the same idle ships, unfreighted coasters, unoccupied stores, foreclosing mortgages and depreciating real estate that we had in the winters of 1861 and 1862. With these things before us, would it not seem Judicial blindness not to recognize the cause and apply the remedy’ The experiment with the legal tende: te has been but partially tried. In 1862, whon reenbacks were made fundable into a fve-twenty nd, the interest was made payable in gold, and the major portion of the taxes were pledged to be collected in gold to meet that interest. The government thero- fore refused to receive its own legal tender money in the payment of the largest part of its demands on its ‘own people, In other words, ut the suggestion of the banker the government repudiated its own notes, in order that if he invested in its bonds he should be paid his interest at stx per cont in gold, although the elfect of such repudiation was that the legal tender notes were depreciated more than 100 per cent, and with it the banker bought up the bonds at a litte more than one-third of their par value, and then ELECTED HIMSELF TO CONGRESS and votod that the bonds so purchased should be paid at their par value in gold. More than this, when he did buy the bonds at from thirty to forty cents on the dol- lar he was permitted by the National Banking act to pledge them to the government at ninety cents on the dollar, and the government indorsed his notes for that amount and empowered him to circulate them as money and at the sume time paid bim six per cent interest on the face of the bond, or sixty per cent imterest ou the amount of money actually loft in the Treasury by the banker, if he paid the face of his bond in green- backs, und one hundred and eighty (180) per cent inter- est on his gold, which he bad hoarded in bis vaults whon his country needed it, if, as many did, be bought his bond for thirty cents in gold, FALSITY OF “HARD MONEY." Every attempt to conduct the business of a highly commercial nation by the use of a currency based on old and silver had always been and always must be Fruitful in financial disuster, In our own country, from 1882 to 1862—the period of the hard money sys- tem—there were financial convulsions once in six ears, The most notable were those of 1837, 1857 and 861. England has always had a currency based on spocie, and England found in her war with Napoleon, in 179%, that her bank paper on a specie basis was as rotten as we found ours to be in 1861. In England then, as in our war, gold went out of sight, and was hoarded; manutacsures Were stopped; merchants were ruined, apd money “became impossible to be obtained; general bankruptcy and rum threatened both the people and government of Groat Britain, when on Sunday morning, the 234 of February, 1797, the King hituself in council ordered the suspension of specie payments, which suspension was to last until the 15th of June, 1815, but did in tact last until 1823, and although the gigantic wars of Napoleon shook all Europe, in Which England subsidized and paid the armies of all her allies with her gold, still, whether the allied armies were in disaster or in triamph, no financial revulsion, business panics or disasters ‘fell upon her people during those eighteen years of most destructive and terrible war, but to the contrary, dur- ing that time, upon inconvertibie promises to pay, ENGLAND BUILT UP her iron, cotton and woollen interests, and laid the foundation of ber wonderful and unequalled manutac- turing prosperity, established and fostered her colo- nies, extended her commerce all over the world, and maintained a gigantic navy. During those eighteen years of “rag money”? the Bank of England was indeed “an example of marvellous financial strength and credit.” When by the capture of Napoleon the war ended, the Bank of England, as we are now doing, be- gan preparations for u return to specie payments, Then in ensued busmess disasters, a fall of prices, a aerinkage of values, an overthrow of credit, and pros. tration of trade and’ business. Then Lord Liverpool told the agriculturists and man- ufacturers of England that over production was the cause of distress. Under consumption was rather the | trouble More than 1,500,000 of men and women have been now nearly two years out of employment, without purchasing means of power of consumption beyond what will keep body and soul together. Asa means of relief, despite the views of Lord Liverpool, England | ages. 1 stand for that money, therefore, which is by far | ‘was then obliged to deter the return to specie payments unwl 1819. In that year Peel’s bill, providing for grad- ual resumption, was passed, full resumption to take effect in 1823, and prices again tell immediately after its ‘This description was applicable to New York in 18" a Although the vote on this bill was unanimous, Lord Castlereagh, in 1823, was compelled by the dis- tresses of the country to bring mto Parliament five money bills in a single ‘night, oue of them extending | the circulation of the £1 notes until 1833, or, in other words, cach and all were measures of “4nilation,”” Two years later the reduce its circulation, or in other words, “a contraction” of the’ currency. This, in 1825, | was followed by a destruction of values, a ruin of mer- chants, an overthrowing of all enterprise, with a loss oduction as great as if a fire had swept over balf the land. Seventy banks failed, nearly two-thirds of her merchants aud manufacturers stopped payment, followed vy the usual disaster and starvation to the workingman and his family, Application was made to the government for relief What power can change all this atonce’ An act of Parliament? The rain of manna from heaven by divine imterposiuon? Neither came. But, what seemed to the men of that day equally miraculous, a large package of one pound notes ‘was found in a lumber room, where they had been acci- dentally stored, iustead of being destroyed as ordered, These were issued by the bank as money—ip other words, there was an inflation of the currency—and THE WORSK THAN LEPROUS PLAGUE was Instantly stayed. Soon afterward the government came to the relief of the Bank of England by making its notes a Jeyal tender, but yet redeemable tu gold, In 1837 the bank suspended again, involving this country, because Congress had demouetized our silver by ro- stricting it as a legal tender tor small sums only. Bank of England being then pressed tor gold, which ‘was the basis of our currency, called it away, causing our banks to suspend specie payments. Then for three years we fully appreciated the beauties of a currency on ‘a gold basix. In England so cnormous were the losses that Parliament took measures to guurd against future revulsions. The bank was to issue ho more no.es than it bad specte in {ts vaults, except a certain number whieh might be issued ou Exchequer bills, After long nd laborious investigation and able discus sion @ Dill reorganizing the bank had been drawn which would banish prostration of credit, but, when the bank’ proceeded to operate under its charter gold was found to change in vaiue day by day, requiring a corresponding change of the bunk’s rate of dicount to its customers #0 us to keep gold in ite vaults, These changes came so frequently and were so extensive that business fluctuations, depressions and ves wore consequent upon each, to which those we ave been considering were but as gentle summer showers in comparison with the storms of winter. lecturer proceeded to sketch in detail these fluctuations of discount and their results, which must have ended jn goneral bankruptcy but for another specie suspension and an issue of mconvertble paper on October 23, 1847. November 9, 1867, the bank again suspended at™ | ter ruining the merchants and business men of Eng- nu still again, in November, 1866, after the usual ‘but im tual struggle specie payment was suspended, Thus, three times within less than twenty years in this generation, each time in violation of law and with- out right, bas the Bank of England suspended and ac- knowledged her bankruptcy ! i the bauks | of the same ies of curroncy or another kind of less value than already issued, Then to “inflate” is | BOt to issue more currency of the same value a8 that already issued, When applied to credit, inflation must | mean asking more credit upon equal or less security, He holds that neither a man nor a government inflates credit by puiting out his non-interest bearing notes in exchange for his own interest bearing notes or bonds, or changing bis indebtmont from bonds or notes bear- ing a high rate of interest to bonds or notes bearing a low rate of interest. This he thinks more like con- traction. Aguin, he does not desire the issuing of more hon-imierest bearing notes as currency than are now, or lavely were in circulation, unless it shall be demon- strated experimentally by the imperative demands of trade or business hereafter that more are needed, after the system he proposes has been. fully tried, He docs not agree that there is too much money or curreucy now issued because it is aggregated in the vaults of the bunks and cannot be loaned even at a low rate of interest The reason why there is a surplus of money in the banks is that nobody wants it for any business enterprise; nobody not absolutely compelled so to do will begin new enterprises or continue produc- tion in old ones on depreciating values or a falling mar- ket; money will be unemployed ull better times shall come, ‘This is what the lecturer said he desires :— M18 CURRENCY CREED, First—A dollar that shall have at all times a certain fixed and stable value, below which it cannot go. Second--1 demand that that dollar shall be issued by the government alone in the exercise of its high pre- rogative and constitutional power, and that that power shall not be delegated to any corporation or individual, any more than Charlies I. ought to have delegated his prerogutive of stamping gold coin at the instance of his paramours as a prong Third—I want that dollar stamped upon some conve- nient and cheap material of the least possible intrinsic value, so that neither its wear or its destruction will be any loss to the government issuing it, Fourth—I also desire the dollar to be made of such material for the purpose that it shall never be exported or desirable to carry out of the country. Framing an American system of finance, 1 do not propose to adapt it to the wants of any other nation, and especially the Chinese, who are nearly one-quarter of the world. Fi fth—I desire that the dollar so issued shall never be redeemed. I see no more reason why the unit of measure of value should be redeemed or redeemable | than that the yardstick with which I measure my cloth or the quart with which I measure my milk should be redeemed. Sizth—For convenience only, I propose that the dollar so issued shall be quite equal to, or a little better, than the present value of the average gold dollar of the world, not to be changed or changeable, if the gold dollar grows lower in value or grows higher, or to be obliged to conform itself in value in any regard to the dollars of any other nation of the world, keeping itself always stable and fixed, so that when all the property of the country adjusts itself to it as a measure of valuo it shall remain a fixed standard forever. But if itis ever changed it shall change equally and alike for the cred- | itor and the debtor; not as the dollar based upon sup- posed gold, whose changes always have given tho cred- itor the advantage. ‘THK GREENBACK TO “¥ILL THE BILL’? If the greenback is given a “fixed and intrinsic value’? it will fill the requirements, .To have this it must be fundable at all times, and in a sufficient number of places to make it convenient for the people, into a bond bearing an annual interest of &65 per cent, pay- able semi-annually, which bond should be Rebarives Live at the pleasure of the holder by the United States again into a greenback dollar, which ought to be made the logal tender of the United States for all debts due to or by the government or individuals, General Butler's proposition adopts a rate of in- torest—3.65 per cent—vecause of these controlling rea- sons ;— First—In looking over the world it will be found that the average investment of the gold dollar of the world in government security will bring to the holder thereof only three per cent. Thorefore, the proposed green- back dollar, being always fundable at 365 per cent in- terest, will be equal at leust to the gold dollar of the world whenever that gold dollar takes the form of accu- mulated capital for investment, and at the same time will pay every species of debt with equal certainty. Other reasons, such as convenience for calculation, &c., were cited. A high rate of interest had been the curse of the country for the last ten years, He was in- different whether this 365 interest be paid in gold or curreney. He found that the securities selling to-day j at the highest price are ‘currency. sixes.’? This answers all the flings and sneers with which the green- | preciated currency,” as ‘failed paper,’ as “broken promises,” when they themselves are’ buying bonds payable principal and interest in this same currency at five per cent higher rates than bonds of the same gov- erniment, payuble principal aud interest in gold at the gaine rate, simply because the currency sixcs have a longer time to run; while, if the bullionists were honest and sincere and doubted’ the stability of the govern- ment or the value or worth of its currency, the very duration of time would be the most formidable objec- tion to the investment The lecturer then proceeded to explain more fully the details of bis proposed system, at the same time outlining the many advantages he claims for it. Then he undertook to answer the objections to it, saying it ‘was not wonderful the banker and money lender op- posed the system, since it would tend to deprive them of business, making the government the great bank- tug institution for the people. He claimed that it would also have a strong tendency to check specula- tion and overtrading. SPECULATION SUCCEEDS A PANIC. It was rewarkable that in all countries and in all cases of business depression that a season of overtrade and speculation alinost immediately succeeds a panic, Seven years ago he wrought out for himself the plan | now presented, and he had no motive in presenting it but the publi¢ good. The question was a vital one, more seriously affecting the laborer than the capitalist; for, when times improved, values increase, but tho workman's lost opportunities never can be regained, The lecturer concluded in the following words: — Therefore, at all risks and at all hazards, I stand here before you giving my wost earnest convictions in favor of @ non exportable, inconvertible currency which shall have no relation of redeemability to gold or silver. I stand here for an American currency, such as belongs to our system of government, a part of our free institu- tions where each ian 18 the equal of every other man. Finally | take leave most emphatically to repeat my words of seven years ago:—“I stand here, theretore, for inconvertible r money, the greenback, which has fought our es and saved our country; which has boen held by us as a just equivalent for the blood of our soldiers, the lives of our sons, the widowhood of our daughters and the orphanage of thew chilaren, I stand here for a currency by | which the business transactions of torty millions of people are #afely and successtully done, which, founded ‘on the faith, the wealth and property of the nation, is at once the exemplar and engine of its industry and pow- er—that money which saved the country in war, ana which has given it prosperity and happiness in peace, Tot four million men owe their emancipation from | slavery; to it labor is indebted for elevation from that | thrall of degradation in which it has been enveloped for | the better agent and instrument of exchange of an en- lightened and free people than gold and silver, the money alike of the barbarian and despot, THE CLEWS FAILURE. On account of the continued illness of Mr. Henry Clews his examination, which was to have taken place | yesterday, at two o'clock, in tho offlee of Mr. Edgar | until Thursday next, at the same hour and Place. The case growing out of the suit of Mr. B, H, Cheever for | $140,000, the amount of profits of an alleged purtner- | ship witu H. Clews & Co., is set down for hearing on | ae at eleven o’clock A. M., in the same | office, THE CITY TAX SALE. Clerk of Arrears Cady disposed of 1,200 more num- bers yesterday on the list of lands and tenements to be sold for unpaid assessments, Two lots at the beginning of the sale were run down to twenty-five years each, but this momentary gleam of liveliness was succeeded by the monotonous reiteration of “Corporation” or ‘a thousand years,’ until some property in Fifty-second and Fifty-third streots brought several bids ot “eighty,” “twenty-five” and “forty” years, Several parcels on Fite, venth street also induced soine spirited compo- tition, aud then the Corporation had wa is own way for quite a while. The arm of the law reached down 80 far as Gold sirect, in one instance, roperty there assessed in’ 1870 for aiden lane Stowe pavement being bid off for foartecn | the owner after the speculators had run the term down to one and two yeurs, to the amusement of t | ence, The omnivorous Corporation swallo churches, schools, convents, the property of street | railway companies, aud, finally, the Allaire Works, | ments made in 1565 ond 1870, on Jand and buildings in Ninth avenue, us the numbers opposite his mame were | denoted that many property owners bad at last con- | cluded to pay the aiuounts assessed to tuem and thus suave themeeives further trouble and expense, “gale” will be continued on Thursday next NEW YORK NAUTICAL SCHOOL, ‘The twenty-fourth anniversary of the above institu- 1876, at eight o'clock. The annual address will be delivered by the President, Dr. Thoms, Mr. Henry King, Rev. W. F. Terry, Rev. George Howell and othors will address the assembly, institution and the results which it has attained. The Nautical Department has already instructed, since its ‘back 1s liberally besineared by the bullionists as a ‘‘de- | Bank of England began to | Ketchum, Jr., Register in Bankruptcy, was postponed | the | years, Three lots in Lexington avenue were bid in by | | Fernando Wood had probably pald $2,487 20, aswess- | passed by, and the frequent skips made by Mr. Cady | tion will take place on Monday evening, October 18, | ‘The report just issued summarizes the purposes of the | He was in the woollen clothing business and was tublishment in 1852, about seven thousand navigators, | sai | their colls, at the hands of the prisoners who do tho LUDLOW STREET JAIL The Management of the Debtors’ Prison. FREE BOARD FOR BOSS TWEED. A Prisoner Keeping a Liquor Bar. UNFORTUNATE MILITIAMEN. The Assembly committee to investigate the causes of crime and the institutions concerned in dealing with crimina: matters visited Ludlow Street Jail yesterday, There is a marble tablet let into the front of the build- ing bearing tho names of tho Board of Supervisors under whom it was erected. The name of William M. ‘Tweed figures among them, and by a singular twist in the wheel of fortune the same name is now inscribed ‘asa prisoner on the books of the institution whose erection be helped to superintend. Mr, Tweed was ob- served taking exercise in the yard of the prison about the time the committee entered. Ho was dressed in a suit of blue flannel, and wore acloth cap. He looked tobe in good health and walked about vigorously. He has three rooms in the prison, and fares considerably better than ho did on Blackwell’s Island. The committee had no intercourse with him. They went through the prison from top to bottom; examined the cells and cooking kitchen, and finally selected a parlor on the first floor whore they examined such witnesses as presented themselves with evidence either as to the nature of their incarceration or the character of their treatment in the prison, The conduct of the prison and its venti- lation appeared to strike the committee favorably. THY CONDUCT OF LUDLOW STREET JAIL, ’ William L. Gardner testified that he had been eighteen years Deputy Warden of Ludlow Stroet Jail; thero were now confined in the prison 33 on civil process; 7 members of the National Guard for not paying fines; 28 ‘on United States criminal process; every night when the prison is locked up the prisoners are counted; all the prisoners are kept in the same way except that when there is a surplus of United States prisoners of a desperate class they are restricted to the corridors; all the others are free to range the hallways. The night watchman comes on at ten o'clock, and it is his duty to unlock the cells in the morning. The cleaning of the prison {s done at night by the prison, ers. Whoover chooses to perform the work may do it, and many ask for it, as it brings the privilege of later hours outside their cells, They receive their meals in cleaning. All three meals in the day are alike. Under the law of 1874 the county allowed seventy-five cents a head for the support of cach prisoner. Warden Tracy ceased to have charge of the prison January 1, 1874. The senior prisoner is Samuel Oppenheimer. He has been in since January 5, 1870, He is now held under one order for three executions, The next longest was ‘Thomas Larkin, who was put in January 1, 1874, and left October 12, 1875. Daniel Stratton comes next, having been in since February 17, 1875, Julius A. Hilchen, on a com- mitment for alimony in a divorce case, March 12, 1875. Joseph Hart, Christian Frey, Thomas W. Alyea, Jobn Brandt and Charies Sarnow are the six militiamen who have been imprisoned since the beginning of October for non-payment of fines. Forgery, robbing a mail box, smuggling, counterfeiting, piracy, mutiny, violation of naturalization laws and violation of Post Office laws are the offences of United States prisoners. In his option prisoners committed for militia fines and those confined for criminal offences should not be put in the same cell. Asarule when a prisoner goes out to-day the prisoner who comes in takes the vacant cell, There are altogether sixty-one cells, most of them double, United States prisoners are never con- fined in the same coll with civil pris- oners, As a general thing, prisoners prefer | company in their cells Whenever application is made to the Warden for separate accommodation | it 1s granted, Prisoners who prefer to pay for their board are charged $15 a week. ‘Tweed pays nothing. He is granted @ consideration. Counsel said he sup. posed the committeo would like to know why Mr. ‘Tweed should be an exception, but there was no dispo- sition to press the witness on the subject. There are no punishments inflicted except that of locking a man up ina separate cell at the rear of the building. No- body has been put ina dark coll in years. In regard to the case of White, who complained of being beaten, witness remembered being informed of a man named White being locked up, and on inquiring into the mat- ter, he found that the man White had a row with the watchman (Dobb8), because the latter complained of | the prisoner having swept down from the tier above to | the floor below the débris of some burnt paper. He threatened to strike the watchman with a Dottle, and the latter struck him on the | eye, and that’s all witness know of the case. The watchman should not have locked the prisoner up without notifying the Warden. Witness released him; | he thought the proce edings in the matter of arrest tor debt should be more summary; that a man should havo an opportunity of being immediately heard, in place of boing held on ez parte statements. INCOME OF THE JAIL, When a prisoner is received from the Sheriff his name is entered on the register, and the commitment paper is returned to the Sheriff, There is no reatric- tion on visitors coming in and out. Any prisoner desir- ing liquor can parchase it in the prison; lager beer is the chief drink. The Warden gets the proceeds of the sales as well asthe board money. The breakfast is of | bread and coffee; dinner of meat, varying through the week, bread and potatoes, and soup twice a week, and | supper of tea and bread. There are three keepers on in the day, two till late at night, and two from that till morning. Counsel—Did you ever hear that Warden Dunham found fault with the state of affairs in the prison Witness—1 heard Mr. Dunham say that he should not be held responsible for the conduct of those under him, as he had not the power of appointing them; the War- den gets no salary; he bas to depend on all’ the per- quisites he can find; for bringing a prisoner who is taken out on his own application to court the Warden | is allowed a fee of $2 50; if the prisoner has no mone; he is taken for nothing; ’if on the application of a credi- tor the creditor pays; all the officials of the prison are paid out of the allowance made by the county of seventy-five cents a head, together with the perquisites and the moneys derived from boarding prisoners, THE WARDEN’S SILADOW OF AUTHORITY. Witness believed the Warden should have greater control over those under him; the Warden, when ap- inted, gives a bond of $20,000 to the Sheritf for the safe eeping of the prisoners; sometimes prisoners are con- fined, representing altogether bail as high as $8,000,000 the Warden is responsible ap to the amount of his bond, and the Sheriff for all above that; the suggestion of the Warden being differently appointed he did not approve | of, unless there was somebody who could give heavier | security for the sale keeping of the prisoners than the ‘Warden was called on to give. | William Starke, o young prisoner, testified that he had been in tor six or seven weeks; a boy called him bad names, and he struck | | him and bled him in the nose; Le was taken to Essex | Market Police Court, and confined there in the prison fifteen days; the Judge sud nothing to him, and ho | said nothing to the Judge; nobody uppearod against him; finally a lawyer got him out on bail in $600, and he was released; he was out six weeks, and thon was arrested by a Deputy Sheriff und taken to Ludlow Street Jail on w civil suit for damages for the original offence. Victor Donzak said be had beon since June 22 on a chargo of alleged libel and slander on one Joseph J. Schiosinger, who sought $20,000 damages. Witnoss belioved the whole thing wae a put up job to deprive him of his liberty. He complained bitterly of the order of arrest granted by Judge Davis. He began a suit against Schlesinger for | fulse tinprisonment in 1872, and Schlesinger las now retaliated by having Lim arrested again for slander and | pat under bail in $2,500, which he is unable to get or, the prisoner longest in Ludlow the had been in over five years. in prison Samuel Open | Street Jail, stated th bankruptey by ten different 18, He was held by civil pro ‘a the hope that | body would come to his rescue, The trouble is, he | the people who hold him have an idea that he charged with fraud in cy son WHAT A “MARVEL OV FINANCIAL STRENGTH | The Medical Department instructs navigators in medi- | owns a bank somewhere. He thought the greater part | and credit” she bas been, to be sure! Neither of these | cine, surgery und hygiene. The results have been very | of the cases held in Ludlow Street Jail are due to the suspensions took place until sbo had refused ali dis- | satisfactory, and the department bus attended more instrumentality = of shyster = luwye it is count to her customers, even on the best sixty day | than tifty-iour thousand of the sick poor, | done in this way—the shyster” lawyer gets commercial bills secured by government securitics, lt | — Free lectures are to be delivered on the following sub- | hold of some nan = who has & grievance will be thus seen that gold was not the regulator of the currency of England, but the price paid for money at her bank; am reney based on gold, im order to retain that basis when- ever it js wanted for foreign loans or because of a | foreign war, she is obliged to merease the value of hor | unit by changing the rate of discount or the interest which her poople were obliged to pay for their money. Candid men would agree that @ currency based on specie could not be the best system of finance, 4ainly not adapted to a country governed as this is, He Would propose instead AN A 8 SYSTEM OF CURRENCY, The lecturer here said he was not an inflationist, ) Ab apolied $0 currency, must mean the issue having provided bersolf with a cur- | jects whon the school opens:—Practical navigation, | hautical astronomy, the law ot storms, currents and oceab Waves, meteorology, collisions at sea, marine in- | surance, rights and privileges of American ships, laws reguiating the seaworthiness of ships, prevention of sickness on ship board, surgical treatment of accidents, | medical treatinent of cases on ship board, treatment of surgical diseases on ship board, powers wud duties of | commanders, officers and men, the protection of sea- kindred sabjects, Free scholarships have beon given by the leading mer chants and bankers of this city, thus enublin, youn man to qualify thomscives for the i voit shiv board, und cer- | meu, powers of Attorney, “blood money,’ and other | bis name withheld from publication fo as not to ¢ against another, perhaps acomplaint of slander, A shy- ster lawyer takes the case, The tan is arrested, put under Dail that he cannot obtain and has to go to Ludiow Street Jail. Then the shyster comes to him aud pro:m- isos him his liberty ndition of paying the shy- ster’s feo, and in that way 4 number of imen get incar- corated. THE REAL WARDEN OF THE JAIL. | Arexpectable man, who earnestly requested to have | his credit, a# he considered hunselt unjustly imprisoned, | testified apart from his own case, which was of no in- | terest, that the name of tue Warden was Dunham but that @ man named Watson, a brothor in-law of Sherif | Conner, ruled the prison, Botweou Dunhaio and Watsoo ) would | Who required His grace should be moved | congregation then followed in prayer. there was much ill-feeling, and this was frequently exhip- ited before the prisoners. Some years ago Comptroller Green refused to pay the bills presented by the prison. Warden Dunham wok his bills to Albany and had them allowed, In the meantime he had to give his own funds to conduct the concern, Watson steppéd in and advanced some money and then took the profits of the prison, and takes them still, Denham, witness thouglit, was a mere honorary Warden. Those who are not able to support themselves on muking an affidavit to that effect are allowed tho county allowance of seventy-five cents a day tor their support. Those who pay $15 a week for their board sign the same affidavit. A BRUTAL KEKPER. In regard to the abuse of White, he believed the Keeper, Dobbs, was entirely to blame. He had no right to lock up the man without perinission of the Warden, White was a quiet, inoffensive man, and Dobbs, the Keeper, was a person entirely unfit for a keeper. He used filthy and biasphomous language to prisoners and did not perform the duties be wis sup- josed to do. The Deputy Warden released White on ning the facts of the case, LIQUOR PRERLY SOLD. He further testited that Oppenheimer, the senior prisoner, ran the bar; liquor was freely sold—lager beer at fifteen cents a pint bottle and brandy at thirty cents a glass; men have got ight in prison and men have beon broughtin very-drank, He relates eee lawyer natned John ’A. Foster, who promised a prisoner named Cody, arrested for smuggling cigurs, to get him out for $75, and afterward came buck and managed to get $75 more out of the prisoner, but nover made his appearance at the prison again within threomonths, and through another medium Cody was tinally released. Joseph Verzcolli, un Italian of most impulsive ypecch, told a narrative of being imprisoned by a countryman named J. Valerio Insen on a charge of owing $20,000 for supplies furnished him. He insisted fet Gian only about $1,400, and that i was all a con. spiracy on the part of his creditor to put him in jail and keep him there. He had nothing to say against the management of the prison, He stated that he was & restaurant keeper and that his lawyer's name was “Hash” (Hateh), ¥, L, Norton tostified he was employed by the Cuban government and got into a scrape with the United States government, whereupon he was arrested and sent to Ludlow Street Jail, but had never got a hearing, though he had been in fve months and his family was entirely destitute, wll of which he deemed a very great hardship. Thomas W. Reilly, a member of the National Guard, said ho was in since October 5 for non-payment of tines, He would be compelled to serve twenty days in prison before being released. He complained of the want of fire in the prison. ‘Tho fee for the privilege of going out of the prison was from $2 50 to $5. For the privilege of kooping one’s cell door open at night the price might be anywhore, The only one he ever saw intoxicated in the prison was # keeper named McCar- thy. A bar in the prison was kept by a man named Oppeuheimer, W. H, Leslio said he paid for six weeks’ board from the time he came in, June 16; did not know that there ‘was any regular fee for the privilege of keeping open one’s cell door; it might be $3 50 or $5; witness had an under- standing to pay when he was going out; bad already paid $10 for the cell he was given; Captain Norton paid the sume umounnt; both were in the one cell, ‘A PITIABLE CASK. A case of great hardship was that of John Brandt, a militia man, with a blind wife and six children, and his wages only $9 a week, who was a member of the Ninety- sixth regiment, and was imprisoned for owing $34 fines to the regiment, with which he had been connected for threo years, He said one of his chilaren died, and the few dollars he had went to burying her. He had no cout or vest, and his family was starving at No. 116 Ridge street, The poor German, who was unacquainted with English, said the man who induced him to join the regiment represented that it was a kind of benevo- lent afar. The Deputy Warden, being recalled, testified that owing to the action of Comptroller Green there was no coal to heat the building. The committee then adjourned, to meet to-day at the City Hall, at cloven o'clock. MOODY AND SANKEY. FINAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE REVIVALISTS. Yesterday a small arm,*of mechanics and workmen wore employed at the Rink under the direction of Mr. French, a member of the Committee of Arrangements, Alarge organ is to be built on the stage. The com- mittee find difficulty in securing 200 Christian singers, as Mr, Sankey requires, but they expect to succeed before he comes on, ‘The soats will bo separated by five aisles, each four feet wide. ‘The seats will be arranged amphitheatro.like, so that the worshippers can have | 8 full view of the platform and tho speakers. Tho rear gallery and tho small rooms contiguous will also be pre- pared for occupants. Six large heaters are to be placed in different parts of the Rink, and the arrangements for | ventilating the building, without causinga draught, wil; | be as perfect as possible, Mr. Moody’s first meeting in the Rink will be held on Sunday, 24th inet, at | four P.M, Adaily morning service at eight o'clock will be held in the Tabernaclo under the direction of Messrs. Moody and Sankey, and preaching services in the Rink at half-past seven’o’clock, except on Sundays, when the hour will be four P. M., 80 us not to inter: | fere with the regular church services, Dr. Duryea and others are interesting themselves to secure the Rink permanently as a music hall after the evangelists have gone away, The Doctor suggests that Mr, Carl Zerrahn, of Boston, is collecting a chorus which can be prepared for first class oratorio performance, and that this fa- mous conductor will come here if his friends can secure the Rink or some other suitable place for him. Dr. Duryca thinks the stockholders of the Rink could make | money in this direction and more of it than they make | by skating, aud at the eame time it would furnish some- | thing which some good people go to the opera to find. A correspondence has taken place, and negotiations are pending between the stockholders of the Rink and the friends of popular music, PREPARING FOR THE REVIVALISTS—PRAYER MEETING AT THE FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH—ADDRESS BY THE REV. DR, ARMI- TAGE. | The attendance at the Union Prayor Meeting, held in | the Fifth avenue Baptist church yesterday afternoon, | must have been encouraging to those who have un- | dertaken to inaugurate the movemens proposed lust | weok by prominent Baptist ministers, and at that time | heartily indorsed by their congregations. A large num- | ber of well known Baptists of other churches wore present, and the entire proceedings | of the afternoon were highly interest- ing. Dr. Armitage, the pastor of the church, opened the meeting by a spirited address, in which he maintained that to wait for the Messrs. Moody and Sankey to commence the work of revival in New York would hardly stamp the movement as partaking of the earnest spirit which it was highly desirablo should actuate it. There should be thorough organi- zation to accomplish good resulta The pastors of the several churches about to become active in the matter should lead their respective congregations themselves, But the meoting should be perfectly informal. ‘Tho drawback very frequently was that on such occasions the pastors felt themselves in the way, and claimed that the members of their congregations had a prior right to speak or to lead proceedings. Whereas the members were all the time waiting for their pastors to take precedence, BOTH WERE WRONG. Together, they would succeed. Thoy must be less | formal, and it would be advisable that the Sunday | schools take up the work. Let bands of young men | be organized for the purpose, The young were needed in an undertaking of this kind, | And then, long and irrelevant prayers were somewhat | inappropriate When it was strictly necessary never to | lose sight of the object for which the meetings were | had, Supplications offered up for other churches, for | the good of the State, and in which the attributes | ot the Deity were dwelt upon at great length, were not what was wanted. God knew well enough what His qualities were without instruction in that con- nection from His creatures, And all — thin thrive under His benevolent care with- out the need of direct imploration from us. The subject of the prayers of ali who would be active in this work ought to be that the Spirit of God should so inspire them that those who heard them and TO ACURPT HIS WORD. It would be also worthy of the attention of every one present and about to take part in the meeting there, ‘as well as in mectings held elsewhere, that one indi: vidual taking the floor more than once and thus mo- hopohzing the time was putting himself directly in conflict with the spirit of such gather. [ ings. Dr, Armitage said he did not believe in keeping each member to the limit of five minutos cither for prayer or address, but he did advocate brevity, as far as | |e porsible to keep to that admirable quality. At the conclasion of hia address Dr. Armitage led his | congregation in a stirring hymn. A member of the | An excellent address in praise of the good results of the work of Messrs, Moody and Sankey was next delivered by a gentioman present. After this other addresses and raycrs, interspersed by the singing of appropriate yimns, Olied up the remainder of the afternoon, GLENDENNING AGAIN CONDEMNED. ‘The committee appointed by the Prosbytery of Jor- sey City to investigate tho irregularities in the Prospect Avenue church have decided that the election of Mr. Bartel as elder was irregular and contrary to the laws | of the Church, and, therefore, that said election was null and void, Mr, Bartel was ordained by the Rev. Messrs. Glondenning and Moore, assisted by Elder Dunne. The object of the election wus to super- | sede Elder Howell, an old und — highly re | spected gentleman, who condemned Glonden- | bing’s action in defying the Presbytery. | Mr. Howell was one of th rs of the Prospect, | Avenue church aud is considered one of the pioneers of | | the Prosbyterin church on Jersey City Heights, Synod will meet at Brooklyn next. week and Glenden- uing’s appeal trom the sente of the Presbytery will then be heard, The rumor which bas been circulated during the past week (hat Glendenning was married to the daughter of a prominent member of the church 1 without foundation, He declares that be will abide by the issue ut the session of the Synod, Rev, Mr, Moore r Prowby+ fo10 favor of ri jing tho judgment of tho Prowby’ HIDDEN SOURCES OF CRIME. The Senate Committee Investigating the Coroners’ Office, OFFICIAL IGNORANCE OF LAW The examination into the conduct of the Ceroner’s office yesterday by the Senate Investigating Committeo revealed some curious things. Coroners Eickhoff and Croker were on tho stand. Coroner Eickhoff was called principally in reference to the case of a boy, in which an inquest was purported to have been held, while the relatives of the dead boy testified that the Coroner only came to the house, but did nothing; called no jury and held no inquest. Coroner Croker was hauled over the coals in right lively style by Mr Davenport, and was often at a loss to find answers, ABUSES IN PUBLIC CHARITINS. The first witnesses yesterday were members of tht State Charities Aid Association, respectable ladies, whe testified that great evils prevailed in the Randall Island Nursery, among others that female convicts were employed as nurses, who were certainly totally unfitted for such positions. The first witness saw fights in the nursery between the female convicts, whe had been sont to the Island for intemperance; neither boys nor girls were educated to any trade; she thought there was much overcrowding of children in the sam¢ wards; in the hospital she saw forty sick children in twenty beds; the food was suflicient, but not of the right kind for patients, Another lady, whose special department was the Park Hospital, testified in regard to the unsafety of that place and also in regard to the abuses in the Charity Hospital, The beds in the latter place were very poor and the clothing of patients was entirely in- suflicient, There was algo a great want of blankets, ‘Tho ventilation and sgnitary regulations, in general, were very bud, indeed. Colonel Hastings, of the Board of Health, made « statement in exoueration of that body, regarding the charge of Mrs. Howland, a previous witnoss, that her boy, when stricken with smallpox, was not removed to the hospital for four days, The smallpox hospital is now in oharge of the Board of Health, but the witness stated that it was then in charge of the Commissioners of Charities and that the state of affairs was their fault, 4 FICTITIOUS INQUEST, Coroner Eickhoff was recalled to testify in regard to sundry matters of routine. He said that sometimes | juries did not view the bodies, in order to spare the feelings of the rolutives, but there was no law for this’ omission, In regard to the death of a boy namod Ess- ler, ho asserted that he viewed the body in every case, ~ Mr. Edward Essler testitied that his son fell from ai arbor, broke his arm and died. Coroner Kickhoff came ‘to the house, but made no examination, summoned no jury and held no inquest whatever, Mr. Davenport put in evidence the inquest paper in that case, which purports that it had been duly held ac- cording to law. ~ Coroner Eickhoff was questioned at length in regard to this inysterious case, He said in a general way that he had always viewed the body at every inquest, but ag ‘to this case his memory filed him completely, He did not remember anything about it. PROFESSIONAL JURORS. Coroner Croker was recalled to detine at length the duties of the office. His attention was called to the frequent recurrence of certain names on the inquest papers, but he said that was unavoidable, owing to difficulty of obtaining juries, Mr. Davenport showed that in thirty-nine cases be- tween January 1 and January lv, 1875, the names of the jurors were the same, and he’ asked the Coroner if he knew these ubiyuitous jurors. Coroner Croker only knew Edward Burke and one White, a keeper of the Morgue, but could not recollect who these other pro- fessional jurors were, Mr. Davenport then went into the question whether the jury always heard the __testamony as the law prescribed, The Coroner admitted that he sometimes empanelled juries to view bodies, adjourned tho inquest and then just called them again to read to them the testimony of the deputy who had made the examivation—a proceeding wholly illegal. Coroner Croker was asked how many cases he had in the first quarter of this year, He said he did not remember ex- actly the number of his cases. (Tho record shows that he had about 300, which, it is claimed, is far moro than any other of the Coroners had. Mr. Davenport, it is expected, will endeavor to show that some of these taguesta.were entirely fictitions. ) ‘n regard to the number of jurors which he subposned, Ho asserted that he never called more than six jurors to serve in an inquest. Mrs. Emma Farrington testified in regard to the death, from a fall, of the young boy Essler; the Coro- ner (Mr, Eickhotf) askea Ler if she could certify to hig death; the deputy looked at the face of the boy, and not at the other portions; she was too nervous to sign her name and had given no notico at the Coroners of the death—in fact, nobody had asked for an she Was not aware of any tiquest having boom hi ews frightened at the appearance of the Coroner, and did not know what it meant; the Coroner did nothing whatever, On examination by Coroner Eickhoff the lady ad- mitted that she herself requested the Coroner NOT TO CALL A JURY and to hold the mquest as quietly as possible. Mr. Davenport oifered in evidence the inquest papa in this case, showing the following names as signatures of pretended jurors:—Gustay Schroeder, Israel Runge mann, Isaac’ Breen, Philip Small, Theodor Striker, Johannes Gessner, ‘Mrs. Farrington said she did not know of any sech persons as living in the neighbor- hood, This case then dropped, leaving the impression that Mr. Davenport was desirous of showing that the jury was never summoned atall. He subsequently re- marked that all the names were written by the same man, Corouer Croker was recalled, He was asked of what earthly use it was to him to calla jury in a case of death from smallpox or that ofa stillborn child, Coroner Croker said that he never wanted to take the responsibility of rendeting any verdict upon him-elf. r. Davenport—Isn’t the reason why you summon a@jury so that you get $5 more than if you did nos? Coroner Crokér—No, sr; it is not. Mr. Davenport—Have you any interest in the dis ition of bodies for the aospitals or colleges? Coroner Croker—No, sir, The Coroner declared tat he and the Deputy Core oner always signed the inqwst papers, A MODEL suKOR, Mr. Davenport showed thata man named McDonald appeared in ninety-eight cass as a juror, and that other “revolvers” appeared ilmost as frequently on the inquest papers. This Metonald, Coroner Croker admitted, was the samo man Wio, not long ago, was sent to prison for committing an outrage on a corpse in the Morgue, Mr. Davenport—Dia you ever tél a juror, duly em panelled, that he never need appeatagain ? Coroner Croker—No, sir, I never Ud, Mr. Davenport questioned the witrss again with re gard to the number of jurors which bewas in the habit of summoning for every case. Coron& Croker, whe had previously testified that he never summoned over six jurors, now corrected himself with & very embar. rasded manner, and declared that he alWijs summoned not more than'iifteen nor Jess than nits, ag the law provides. Mr. Davenport—Then you testify that jou did not know the law when you testified before? Coroner Croker—Well, if I said that I qust have beon mistaken. Mr. Davenport—Now, sir, did you not talk outside with Deputy Coroner Cushinan, Mr. Toal, Clert for the Board of Corouers, and Coroner Kickhotf’ in ryard ve your testimony, and did they not enlighten yo yn ree gard to the law? Coroner Croker—No, sir; I didn’t talk with {hom about it \ Mr. Davenport cross-examined the witness shatjly, with the evident intention of showing that he yag GROSSLY IGNORANT OF TIE LAW in this respect aud of his duties in general. Coro Croker, in the course of a very long and tedious exa! bation, also admitted, substautially, that Le sometyma empanelled # jury ouiside the Morgue, which, whea thy case Was adjourned over to the Morguv, never put 12 an appearance; so that he had to call another jury. Thus there were ‘two. juries in one case which saw the bdly, but rendered no decision; and another rendered the Ye. cision, but never saw the body; tne whole procoedt being in violation of the law, which provides that ge Jury us well as the Coroner must view the bo every case the keepors of the Morgue ani other atte: ants, it appeared from his testimony, act as professio! jurors. The committee will resume Coroner Croker’s nation this morning at balf-past ten o'clock, THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES, | Yesterday began the annual Jewish festival memorative of the years that the patriarchs and trij of Isract dwelt in tents ere they took formal and o plote possession of their own land, To-day will observea religiously by the orthodox Israelites wth services in thoir synagogues. Tho festival contintes seven days, but in cities like New York cannot be observed with that attention and care that it commands in smaller towns and country places, Hero the faithful have to improvise tabernacies of branches and sticks is their back yards or on the roofs of their houses. And these branches must be of four kinds of trait bearing now, which it is not always couvenient or easy vo Ob twin’ So that the feast Is not and cannot be observed in that strict ceremonial manuer in which tradition claims it should be observed, [udeed, all the ancient Jewish festivals are falling into desuetude except New Yeur, Atonement Day and Purim, which is @ season of morry-rmaking, u Y. M. ©. A. LITERARY SOCIETY, ‘The twentieth semi-annual reception of the abeve society will be held on Friday evening, October 36, at eight o'clock, in Assoviation Hall, corner of Fourseomss siroot and Fourth avenue