The New York Herald Newspaper, February 24, 1876, Page 5

NEW YORK HERALD, THURSD ‘and he added, humorously, “Hoe would tell it in verses, adorn it with flowers and tell it under the notes of & bird—of a thrush."? The prosecution would pot till every guilty man, be he ever so high, had dee: uled down. As usual, plunging from the ut- most fervor to the breadest fun, the speaker hero comically told a story of a man who had shot @ turkey in the leg, but the turkey outran him and he cried after him, ‘Well, old teliow, 1 have ‘at least one comfort, you'll roost on one icg the re- mainder of your Miter? We ay hot catch some of men,” he added, dry Jow from this time forward.” Dyer alluded with keen irony to Storrs’ wily statement that Babcock had re- ceived letters of sympathy from officers iu both armie: which was meant to influence jurors who had serv in either, Storrs laughed and Judge and jury smiled, He knew, he said, in conclusion, that there would be easy sailing as long asa rectifier or distiller were tried; | ‘but that he would have the current to stem when the | Jaw laid its bands upon a man so high as Babcock. Alluding to the pathetic appea's for Babcock’s children, Dyer contrasted their cry for the deliverance of their father with the cry for bread which millions of ebidren had to utter from the robberies from the public Treasury. He closed with AN EPPCTIVE PERORATION, asking the jury to prove to the worla that justice kad not taken its Might—at least from the Staie of Missouri— and to render verdict which would redound to the honor of the country whicn they ali loved, One por- tion of it, ! id that they would return to wil their soil with grea zest, and that the bread that they earned with the sweat of their brow would taste w more swecetly thereafter, moved them visibly. THE TRIAL OF BABCOCK. The Final Argument for the Prosecution. —_-____ nto the prosecution 0; any innocent man, | Jury that be appeared without malice or | than as the representative of tho prosecute great wrongs. The case he ‘& most remarkable one and the course | defence a8 still more remarkable, He accused | Porter of trying to drag the President | | une the ease needlessiy and groundiessly, and said the | President's deposition is belore the jury; he has been ‘¢Xemined as apy other witness has been examined, and I shall comment on bis testimony as 1 would on that of any other witness, but when a gentleman for a pur- 72.orr: represents the President as on trial, do pot intend that the red flag that he bas thus Saunted in my face shall be followed to battle. As well might he have said the President was Colonel Dyer's apeech sooupied the whole day, I on rial when John McDonald was boing tried, was e remartable efor, While it was devoid of tho oF ms ang a La other Frthereg Ale case grece of rhetoric, it was full of puh and point, and, Sore before the Court. At some long eee | pled to show that this point was used by the de- | though rude and wnwielty im form, it bad the force of fence vo influence the republicans on the jury, andthen | Whe broadaxe Every word im bis magnificent, clear, continued: | don Uhat the adroitness of the , | gentioman shall pat me in the attitude of assailing the pene Ay bamend a = om —s Mo 8 | Some bs thm to bring this detendant trom bone earnestaces wpeoriy, theo. | ey have tried wifes the audience The ey comet be sfaad on bis ow not wring | feel much more st home with bis Westera | O°8 Shier trom this jury, by. pretending the Style and responded to all his arguments, to bis broad Presidont is on ae aoe oe 5 Blige fun Gnd his powerful appoais to thei sense of justice, of the ation @ President been as 2 | salied t el Brodhead bas not done it in his argu- Dyer's thoroughly Western presence; bie gaunt, lank, | Fien, 1 did not do it in my opening, and yet nen | tall gare ; bis sallow, drab, long cut face, with the eagle | pay Faw cond Judge Porter stood here and delended pose the glittering cold gray eyes, and the peas bares ‘pcslar Bahia 'f oping Servowst | onunn ana PESTS ra arent he Ddetween the intervals of speaking, all so typical of the gos ane the getence for Dang pd Dpto. patoraliy exerted more mageetiom upon ‘ehis case in this manner. at motive sbould actuate aon = jury then did that of Porter Ph | me ia cee a Ae gpecenly Ba sd broad CA a on | hm or within sou! my ¥ who does Btorrea, So loud were the spectators im their po: know | am a republican. Why. shoutd I manifestations of approval, when be begaa | Lt ne hha Reena neve tpn ; nomination for Presi a s sear down with ruthless hands the cobwebs of sophis- | L voted for his election. Nine mont! Ye ago he costae Ary, abuse, tnsingation aod maudlin sentimentality tue comaienon which entities meio speak bere to-day, defence enveloped ease, that | bat | don’t intend General Babcock, the pt pate lab nea o aan person j othe dab hang shall eecape' because Me s foie wate secretary, 1 woul im as 1 would tr who should again applaud. After every one of bis «or MeFi or MeDonald of doyoe. The enlie ki there malice yard de broadaxe blows Dyer would turn round, and, with men know s Bo ta me toward the de- triumphant expression, fx his stechlike cold eyes upon | hy when T'svw ihe evidence aguinst hin, was I td Porter. © smother i because be was a biican, THE PRESIDENT'S RELATIONS To THE CAs. ons Ts 8 eee, and the President and tary He Girst gave Porter a terrific broadside for having in- ee yp al drew a comparison between the Binuated that the President was here om trial “I | man vi, which he Gefonco avemed.t0ansail the | ” underlings the manuer in which those the terse,” Sto be pet nto an atte Suat™yty Mghfyt ett ue pa tude of hostility to the President by tho | and public opimwn, tbe speaker sald they are terrib) roitness counsel. afraid of pabiie clamor; but what have you do wit - 4 5 my ene et) ‘abase the newspapers irom one ‘the land tw the other; bat what is thatto y shall drag him forth from behind the President's back.” | pw ign wo ‘this case on the evidence which has Tho praise of Grant in Porter's speech, he argued, was to you. meant fur republicans on the jury, butas there might | ee Cane ope = J Sal also be democrats on it Porter also lauded the Senate — wae Ate eae. ‘who acquitted Andy Jobnson. Here several of the Jury | Rinive Ws ae a, could not repress their smiles andcovered their wry | gypiauds Geueral Grant, thinking tw strike some mouths with their hands. With withering glances of you who are repabi then he turns at Porter he declared that the President | ound and praises Andy Johnsom | thinking | 10 wi t Nev would not thank him for putting him | Pon""Snouia” be. impeached. Now, I dont know instead of Babcock into the criminal from Ce oes Sem Kew Fork dock. He burlesqued Storrs’ bombast, when he con- | Whether ranags lhe O oaaa orted the jury into steam engines and told them thas | ™* * tHe old rhyme I have heard all my life: their consciences would beat like a trip hammer against Leaving the jury still in doubt Whether the lawyer who made the track Was guing Nort® of coming back. Now, I don't know what the gentleman thinks, but when the President reads what General Brodhead has said, and when he reads what I said in iny opening, and finally, what the gentioman jor the defence raid, their hoarts if they did not acquit the defendant, and mimicked other extravagances of his speech. He dwelt om the remarkable fact that nearly the whole of Porter's speech was taken up with the President, the impeachment of Andy Johnson, sbuses of be will not thank the gentioman tor bri the newspaper press and denunciation of popu- | the tront im this prosecution and putting jo ae. SD gt ty-vn) > a ® | Sctuan ons 00 cofend Generel Ot nwhes So word intensity, “that good people of the State of Missouri been said him, Promising that I intend no dis- s take care of himself), 1 will this defence remind. nected in this plunder of the public treasury."” tne of es emtuent ductor whe, beving boca called to. st- A FUNNY POINT tend a lady in confinement, met a neighbor next aay, was where he drew a satirical picture of Magill’s Sod Salas Gener viokeks “was ao My ao entrance in beaven, while Fitzroy was cast out, | put, wih the help of the 1 think Lean save the old | as depicted by the Dantesque Storrs, and expressed man."’ The whole defence bas been to impress you in a roll way his amazement that a man from Chicago should have come to tell a story heaven, which again made the jury smile. He repelled the accusation of the defence that the prosecution had been technical because they | insisted that Fletcher, Joyce’s attorney, should be put upon the stand to tell how ke got the Babcock-Joyce letters from his client, by declaring that they wanted Fletcher to show tbat the relations existing between Was acti erash out wrongs and im attempting to pm yffedne the Joyce and Babcock between 1872 and 1875 were even i the now continued, and that the first bad belped the latter the jury thas ooo fm the hope that Babcock would do him a good turn | co was dawning and the re ee on in return. This bolder statement, which was gen. | erally understood as alluding to @ pardon, caused a sensation. While showing up the manner in which tho ’ dou The defence haa sought to work upon the prejudice of the eman had pleaded most toachingiy the o jury, he instanced, with a contemptuous smile, the sociations of the defendant in bis , bur the fact that even General Banks, from Massachusetts, was Fitzroy and the rest brought hither to influence Mr. Taintor, A JUROR FROM MASSACHUSETTS, While praising the President for his steadfast faith in Babcock, Dyer exclaimed, “But he must not stick too close to these men” (making allusion and those of their to Pierrepont). It was greatly to his credit to great length to Vhat he sect his head against the iomnuations pone gs EY of telltales in St. Louis, who attempted to poison his they instanced two objec 4 Ss coupe atte ye ha age ees hich threat ODED CALLING. rb 1 stron, e law wi im id that fe nte0d. edict, “Let the miroduction of ihe Hoge let. uilty man escape,” even though it reached his ended to exclude the Boasthora: “He deserves credit tor tryimgto punish well Kaew, vo put ‘any man, be he his private brother.” bene letters irom Dyer turned again to Porter ; me oe the ‘won't thank you for ‘ing that we to make out — tke be divided that $500 bill with Babcock. Pres. ~ dope wee dent won't nen you 9 Pan sunant gt gag | to compel them turned to the charge, ‘attempt to piace bim in | , Counsel ‘a ‘nttitude of hostility to the President evidently ran- show inas the ia kled deeply in his breast, and his indignation and Joyce mw but every now and then. “He shall not hide bebind she coattatis of the President,” he “bat | Mand up and take his trial ike a man.” BABOOCK’S DEMKANOR, wed wo During these passages who had looked | wave ther intend it ident in the morning, winced and bianched. le showed at bh how omfectively. Baboock worked 0 wi he told Rogers that Dow that passed between (hese mee alter 1813 at ihe Lime rralan ger Ls yoncounty if the President nad a | When the uciondant was proved to bave been « momber roke his order and then, of ree, Of the conspiracy! Joyce Was OF general ant prossont fet Dou ‘ “ft will damage the party,” & (rend then as before, a00 WaF A bok HOnHEHEY te Hay was the cry then, There never has anythi) that there was wo Jariher correspondence’ The poate stolen by an official, but what the party was in j why the proseetten had pet pre his bebalf. The party was invoked for McDonald | Becwase the prose joyee, as the President is now invoked for Babcock. — male 8=— Fete party was unable to protect them, and the Pres. — io Son ftent, a8 you put it, will be unablo to protect Baboock. 3 An 2 * | ? stat some ene evuld be Later on be said;—I blash with abame at the testi, oe = oe mon! hel 7 pudgy aera i nemo de man, thieves till the elections were over.’ In explaining the | made a new point by showing that | Joyeo off the despatches to Babcock just as he did those to Avery, "J.,'" and be dwelt with eimphasis | on the strong that Brook's pri- vate letter to stolen irom his desk, about the raid, turned in Babcock’s | Pr hands, who presently went to Unreatened that Senator —— would take um! at an ex- in im iP and was thus the means of preventing | the raid. Lee apie force to this cireum- | that Babcock did not tell Douglass that he | eet tease ere free Habeas asd hat be | ee Si aces him the teeters: ie 3 ed the | Visors he set lorth the great soleitade which Babeock closing words of the “Syiph” despateh, “Will write, manifested im that m was a solitude which Dyer asked, with scathing sarcusm, “Where is that | prompted bim ireordipary means to | Jeter 7” yA McDonald 1s m prison and cannot accomplish « det which prompted bim | give it, but Joyce i in a much clover place aud he to apply vo Douglass and Rogers & mort powerrul argu could give letters to ment in tho shape of & prophecy of dienmer to them, | Stajor Grimes’ Dougiass was anxiously cherahing « hope of promo- | ietiy poked fan tion toa federal juogeship, and Kogors was in conse- word about i in | quence entertaining aspirations to secure ’ with position. Babeock knew this, and he knew a then, turnin; Sisting om that order was Boat potent argumen pubee 00 vn de he could advance and was eaicalaied to frighten them my 2 oe Se. a fe em og fore, of assaili theory that Babcock took » Press upon yo ie them thelr danger thrvesh mecien oF Saas fer path of duty, especially when Joyce charac’ them bar pape as “the enemy t”’ conte alter HOW BABOOCK INFLUENCE! PRESIDENT, - ualold high would At ts said that Baboock did not exert iniuence with ‘but they'll roost pretty | | was well founded. MeDonald, | franser, had used the argument that it will hurt the | ! party. ry the President, and in eu) of this the President's ) deposition was quoted, Possibiy he never did speak ; to the President about it; but does not every sensible ; | man know that the etrongest influence could be | brought to bear upon the President, indireetiy and tm | just such a manver as it is proven that Babeork did | Adopt. ‘The effect of Babcock’s efforts was mancfest im | that despatch to McDonald, declaring that the order | Was only temporary. Joyce's keea Irish recog: | Rized this as a weakness, and he teleg vo Bab have offictal information yj epemy Push things.” Does any sensible man be- lieve that that despatch was tho first communication on this subject between these twof Doe | despatch show on its very face that the mutual understanding that “the enemy | officers who were trying to protect the revenues of t | goverument? This was no occasion to discuss whether or not the President was influenced solely by t ments of Tutton; but it was the right of an America: citizen to consider whether, if such arguments made, if at by men of unquestioned honesty. it not apparent that this protest wits jusincere when we reilect that there never had been, and is vot now, the slightest cloud of suspicion on the character of Brooks, the man who was to have charge of the raid out of which this protest grew? Babeock had no suspicion of him: Douglass had no suspicion of him; Rogers fully trusted him, and | subsequent developments go to tes that that trust | Opposition to the | 1818 TH CRY OF BYERY PUBLIC THIKP that was ever caught, and the speaker was glad that at Jast it had been unavailing. Joyce and McDonald had appealed to party to protect them, and Babcock now tried to find protection behind the President. Party could not save Joyce and McDonald, and the reiuge which Babcock had taken would not save him. Colonel Dyer then went into a close analysis of all the telegrams and letters offered im evidence, placing them in their proper relations with cach other, ox- plaining under what circumstances they were sent, the ‘objects to be attained in sending them, and drawing the conclusion therefrom that Babeock was not only clearly guilty of connection with the conspiracy, but that he was in frequent correspondenee by mail with | | Joyce and McDonald during the years of 1973, 1874 and although no letters had been brought out to prove ‘he nature of some of the despatches, how and the peculiar circumsiances under which they were sent, made it clear to him that letters had ed = between | these parties im the light of which the blind expressions and allusions in them were understood, FLIMSY PRETENCES KNOCKED OVER, iNustrates Colonel Dyer’s style of a —It 1s all well enough after Joyce | been sent to the Penitentiary to lay McDonald’s sins on | | his shoulders—after McDonald has been committed to say he and Joyce did it, and then, as they are convicted one by ons, to say Joyo, ‘McDonald, Avery and McKee did it, but that this de- fendant dido’t, That is all very well, and [ | have heard before, but it won't work | in this case unless this hea 1s mado of different | material than the others. President is Com- mander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy. Suppose a subordinate oMficer should be indicted for a conspiracy to defraud the government, wouid he write to Presi- dent to ascertain what order he was sqm to issue? No. Yet they pretent that Joyce an MeVonald writing to the Exocutive Mansion to the President’s private sécretary for information of the coming of agents to this district was regular routine business and all proper. But it is not, and if it were, would it be necessary to write under fictitious names | He then showed by the President's deposition that this secret and covert correspondence was unknown to the President, and therefore Babcock never had apy au- thority trom him to send these despatches. And yet they say General Babcock’s prosecution here is an attempt to blacken the name of the President, If the President would know his best friends and the best friends of this whole country, all such attempts as these to turn him from these prosecutions would fall harmless, Judge Porter expiained the sending of letters by the defendant to McDonald under cover to Major Grimes by saying he had a might to do #0, that MeDonald was regarded as an honorable man in Wash. ington when this torrespondence occurred. These in- dietments were found against MacDonald tn June, 1875, and in September the President visited this city. While | the President was aged with other ters, you found that this man making arrangements with Grimes lor a secret correspondence with McDonald, UNREVEALED INFAMY. Jobn McDonald is a gam ittle man as ever lived, and be would suffer bis arms and his legs struck from his body before be would admitthat he was ever con- nected with the ‘‘Ring.’’ Joyce will never tell eijher, until the screws are put ona little. tighter. I would | like to hear him tell ali he knows, He could unfolda tale that would make many a man in this country quake, The gentiemen are astonished that the men who have been convicted and who have confessed have not been sentenced. They were not sentenced because thelr testimony wus required to convict others. Had they been sentenced then | could not have got the evidence | that has been used in this case, This has been made | the cause of an attack upon me, and also a retiection | agninst the upright Judge before whom ae. were tried. As long as these men can be reached, as long as evidence can be obtained, so long will this investiga- tion be continued. Mr. Storrs and Judge Porter said the testimony of Everest could not be credited. If Everest had intended to fx his testimony to convict Babeoek how easy it wou'd have been for him to have sworn that he saw money placed in both the envelopes which he mailed for Joyce, That he would not swear to this is enough evidence for me and for you that he told the truth. After all their | elfort# to impeach Everest they introduced this man Magill and put bim on the stand to sustain Everest and prove that the letters were put in the box. Again, afer the testimony was concluded they became | ashamed of Magill, and contradicted and abused~ Everest. There was not aman who saw Magill testify who believed a word he said. A witness who is always fyeg be wants to tell the truth, but you won't let him may ve put down as one that would do. He told all the details of his story and then said he had not thought ofthe matter since he gave | Joyce back the letiers. Iam obliged to the defence | for proving that Everest’s story was true. The gentleman said that men of both armies had | Deen writing to this defendant extending their sym- | pathy He took both armies to hit both sides, Out ere Missourt where the issues of the war | bave been doad and settled Te yi that can do no | good. It was an attempt to wheedle the jury, and bas | Bo copnection with the case. You, gentiemen, have pothing to do with newspapers or public opinion, but you are here to do your duty according to the law and I would not detract one iota from the brilliant record of General Babcock, bet you must know that McDonald, McKee, Avery and Vaguii All these men had as good cha acters as this de! lant. But good reputations must | Bot shield them or him from just punishment They | brought in politics again for the of influencing | fome Missouri jurymen by agking Berrett, Mayor of — Washin, , what bis tics were? replied, ‘A lite-long democrat,” and yet has held office under administration for thirty-nine years, We would re admitted GENERAL BABCOCK’S GOOD CHARACTER Without the necessity of bringing these men from Washington to prove it. The charge against this de- fendant is merely a misdemeanor, the punishment of which i not less than $1,000 or more than $5,000 fine and imprisonment of not more than two A sworn official convicte! of conspiracy 18 punished much more sev <cly. | Leay if ever thore was « case that justified conviction this one doos, for the evidence against the defendant is wittten in his own band. 1 know the influence that | @ndertakes to bold him up, but | doa’@ object to it. If | & men is able to gather around bim such influence to | back Bim up im the day of trouble 1 could not bd i 1875, te: ever, | aught agaimet it i here with couvietion that fo man, high or low, will | eneape the punishment crime mers, and it en- cou! me to eel that by an intelli- tesouri ki fran thii nent . Lknew it wou an easy thin; | © track Gown o rosuser, but I knew thero would be _#@ Current to stem when the government laid its | bends on one fo high; aed, gentlemen, | ask your enightened ‘ot to bear me out in m; woman this coantry, Let it go hore in Missour! is found ajary which be do its duty, abroad that has the norvo say it will do more to build up this ment than anything olse, It rests upon the ‘of thw country to vindicate the laws, and if you your duty and are not faithful’ to tress you have assumed th repub- heen gOverament mart fatl, because tts revenues wll be appropriated by thieves and its ame fall into @iqrace, They have spoken to you of the defondant’s “ children, bul, gentiemen, Uhere are 1,000 little tiny bends sow het op m this country, cry- ing, “Gyre Os our datly bread,” and will the ‘verdict ot « Mesoert jery my to them “You must ery om you for bread, bat men who have plundered the ‘Tressary may enjoy alt the luxuries of tte.’ Do your dety aed our benest peighbor will grasp your band, Gind ve huew thas you have pot onty done itin this bat that you have done mach to relieve your that bas been inflicted apon it by — piuaderers The ended the argument, and the court adjoarnod ten © Chock to morrow, THE EXP DRAWS NiOM. dodges Cherge will be brief, ond by to-morrow the cone will provably be in the banus of the joyor made a6 afidavit someten days ago tw : ee er ae whe om the hyo) ae delence, Verest's story. On secon: oe defence aid BA use Is. THE HUDSON RIVER TUNNEL. Apother desperate effort is being made to push for. Jealous railroad companies, who obtained one injun: tion after another to stay the progress of the work, The chief opposition came from the Delaware ond | Lackawanna Company, which challenged the nght of the Tunnel Company (to condemu the lands St present required om the Jersey shore, Another AY, FEBRUARY 24, 1876.—TR1 GREAT FIRE AT TARRYTOWN. THE WHOLE VILLAGE EXDANGERED—FIFTEEN BUILDINGS BURNED —LOSSES OVER ONE HUN- DEED AND TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOl- LABS -- SUPPOSED MALICIOUS WORK ‘TRAMPS. Shortly efter tweive o'clock on Tuesday night the | Quiet viliage of Tarrytown, om tbe Hudson, was startiod by the ery of Gre, caused by the sight of a mass of smoke issuing from a stable in the rear of a building on Main street, between Ratiroed avenue and Orchard street, in that portion of the town known as “Under the BULL” Im an iweredibly short apece of time the building wes completely wrapped in flames goods, Fronting oo Masm street, they stood about 400 fect from the passenger depot of the Hudson River Railroad xtended from Railroad avenue on the west to Orchard street on the east ‘The fire spread with marvellous rapidity, There was — no hose to be had and no fire emeine in the village What to do no one Knew. At last messages were tele graphed to Yonkers, to Sing Sing and to Pookskill for assistance; but, owtng to the ateence of proper trans- portation, the latier,town was the only one which could respond with Gre epparata came back from there saying that @ train would speedily leave with an engine and hese company and about sixty fremep, It was now past one o'clock, and everything indicated that the whole village was doomed, The people were throwing insignificant quantities of water upon the fire with buckets, As though to show its contempt for their Liligutian efforts at extinguish- ment the fire shot tts menacing shafts in every direc. tion, now enveloping a cornice, ita roof, then the floors and their contents, and finally the walls them- selves, Tho wind, ever shifting, first to one point of the compass and then to another, seemed to caress the flames and watt their withering breath everywhere. On the opposite or south side of Main street the | row of brick buildings were already blistered, so that water pourea w their and cornices emitted clouds of steam. All saw that the block in which the fire originated was lost beyond re demption, and consequently every effort was bent to the protection of the houses across the etreet. At four o’clock the train bearing the brave firemen and their apparatus camo thundering down the road trom Peekskill. A general shout of welcome was sent up by the assembled multitude, and without auy delay the engine and bose carts were taken from the platform | | ear at the instant the train halted. hteen buildings nad been con- | When the firemen got at their work br | sumed and the still greedy fire was fast eating into the nineteenth, woich stood on the northeast corner of Main and Orchard streets. Those Peekskill firemen worked with most adtmirable skill and the energy of heroes. They soon had tho satisfaction of seeing the fire yield little by litte, and tinally, at about seven o'clock, die out out with the demolition of this | nineteenth building, As soon as it became evident that the flemes would spread over a considerable extent of territory the oceu- pants of the various stores and other threatened build- ings began removing their goods ana household effects, jooner were these articles deposited in the streets than a horde of thieves luid bold of many of them and made off. In this way several thousand dollars’ worth of property was lost to its owners. Whiskey flowed freely, 80 that drunken men were the rule rather than the exception amorg acertain class. Liquor stores were ruthlessly broken open and qaickly despoiied of r stimulating fluids, Bi THK ORIGIN OF THE’ DISASTER. From all that could be learned at the scene of the disaster yesterday there is little doubt that the fire was the work of an incendiary. Tramps were seen to go into the stable where the flames were first discovered, and nearly every one about the village is firm in tho belle! that these miscreants purposely set tire to the lace for the purpose of pillage. The fact that somuch ‘ing was done when the fire was at its height cer- tainly Lob color to this theory. The loss on buildings and goods is estimated at $125,000, about one-half of which is covered by insur- ance, The principal sufferers are John F, Warner, hotel keeper, loss on stock and furniture, $2,500; Will: jam rey saloon keeper, loss $5,000, partially in- sured; ‘Thomas Hammill, hardware, loss on | Duilding and stock = $10,000, insured —_ for $1,500; Jobn Gilchrist, — butcher, _ buildin owned by Mr. Benedict, of Poughkeepsie, and, values at $2,500; Georgo C. Briggs, hotel and restaurant, loss — on building, furniture and’ stock, $6,500, insured for ; L, Baranch, clothing, loss’ about $1,500, insurance not known; the building occupied by the latter was owned by Seth Bird and was valued at $3,000 insured for $2,000; Armstrong, boots and shoes, loss $2,500, partially in- sured ; Cypher, confectionery, loss $5,000, in- sured for $3,000; G. W. Grabam, fancy goods, loss on stock and furniture $6,500, insured for $5,000; H. 8. Culver, dry goods, loss and insurance not known; James E. Ayers, tailorjng establishment, loss on build ing, stock and furniture $17,000, insured for $16,000 Miss Bowman, fancy goods, loss not known. Throe of the buildings ‘destroyed were owned by the Olmsted estate and were valued at $9,000, partially insured, Five of the three story brick structures were owned by Charles Sterling, of New York. He estimates his loss at $20,000, insured for about an equal jount, Baxter & Co., druggists, estimate their loss at $4,500, insured for 800; and Moses Schindler, jewellor, Joss not knows, but is sald to have been fully insured. W.R. Collins, a hatter, lost on stock about $2,000; no insurance.’ C. W. Stone owned two of the burned which were valued at $6,000; insured for @ upper portion of these stores were occ v iy tainitien, who lost everything, either by ire or at the hands of thieves, ‘The insurance companies on which the losses will chiefly fall are the Merchants’, Irving, Adriatic, Mechanics and Traders’, and Etna, of New York; Williamsburg City, and the Lycoming, of Philadelphia, During the progress of the Ure the village autuori- ties telegraphed to this city for aid, and Chief Engineer Batos started at once with the fireboat William F. Have- meyer, having on board 4,000 feet of hose. Un ai riving at the scene of the conflagration the fire was so far under control that the Havemeyer took no part in its extinguishment, bd MOODY AND SANKEY. The attendance at the noon meeting yesterday was a trifle less than on the day before. Among those on the platform were Kev. Dr. Tyng, Jr., Eptacopal; Rev. Dr. Holme, Baptist; Rev. Dr. Newell, Presbyterian; Rev, Dr. Marline, Presbyterian; Rev. Dr. Schenck; Rev. Dr, Osborn, Baptist; Rey, Mr. Hepworth, A. ©. Arnold, Charch of the Disciples; Rev. Mr. Jutten, Baptist; Rev. Mr. Wilson, Presbyterian; Rev. Mr. Hamilton, Presby- terian; Rev. Mr, Matthews, Presbyterian; Rev. Mr, Lioyd, Methodist; Rev, Mr. Jones, Metho- dist; Rev. Mr. Merritt, Methodist Rev. Mr, Goodno, Hoboken, N. J.; Rev. Mr. Crane, Rev. Mr. Padelford, Haverhill, Mass. ; Rov. Mr. Plaisted, Congre- gationalist; Rev. Mr. Clark, Methodist; Jorry McCauley, Water Street Mission; Mr. Peter Carter, Dr. J. W. Ronney, Rev. Mr. Tucker, Madison square charch, Mr. Moody rend part of the cloventh chapter of Mat- thew and said;—Here we find an invitation to come right straight to Christ. Come just ss we are. We cannot make ourselves better, and the moment we are ready to eae AY Sins that moment Christ is reagy to heal and r us. God deals with us as we deal with our children, if you have a child who has committed a sin you want that chiid to confess the Suppose some man eivesa party to ali the Smiths New York and suppose Mr. Sankey goes and asks ad- mission and says, ou cannot come in, This purty is for tho smiths,’ Now, if you can prove you aro asinner can prove you have an invitation, It is by proving wo are un- Worthy that entitles us to come, ‘The invitation is to thi rest."’ You cannot find rest except with Christ. “Do you think Christ commands sinners to repent and como to Him and then does not give them the powerr Oh, | may the Spirit of God draw you to-day | Aftor a prayer and the 123d hymn, the Rev. Mr. | Tucker eaid:—“We need to haye the simple idea of Christ clear in our minds that Hoe stands with all His | divine heart pressed against man, ready at any moment to save and to help.” Mr. Sankey thon sang the 90th hymn as a solo, Rev. Mr. Seaver also made an address, ‘The women’s meeting was held in the largo hall yesterday, ou Account of the Fourth avenue all not being sufficiently warmed. The attendance was very large. Mr. Moody presided and Dr. Tyng, Jr., made an address, RVEXING SESSION. ‘The very severe weather last night made a consder- able aecrease of the usual attendance, The galleries at the farther end of tho jarge hail were but scantily | tilled, The meeting was«, by the singing of the 110th hymn, ‘Arise, My Arise.”” After a prayer Mr, Sankey rose and said will sing a hymo that js not in the books—'Bebola | the Bridegroom Cometh.’ And lot us all ask ourselves the question, Is our lamp trimmed and burning? Will it be well with as when the Bridegroom comes ?* After the hymn had been sung Mr. Moody gave out | notices, among Which was ove to the oflect that here | after the women’s prayer meeting would be held in tho | eburch at the corner of Twenty-ninth street and Madi- son avenue on account of the dificuity the ladies | have in making themselves heard in the Tippotrome, Mr, Moody began his sermon :— My toxt this evening is from Isaiah Ivi., 6. In thistext man istold to seek the Lord, It is just as much a com- | mandment for you to seek the Lord as that you «hall not | swear. Many bave an idea that there are only ten com- mandnents in the Bible, re area thousand, and this 1s one. Now, Just seo how men seek tor wealth. When the gold fever broke out in California, soe how men leit home and familices—what for’—that wey might get wealth They could not make wo great a sacrifice to get wealth, Let as learn a lesson from them. If the gift of God ts worth seeking after let us Objection was that the Hudson Tunnel Company hed wo legs: existence, not having been chartered by the Legisiature, and at it does not come within the category of corporations authorized to organize under the Geheret Ravirot law. A bill bas now passed the House of tne New Jersey Leguiature, sock it, Why uot settic the question to-night? I may be speaking to some to-night who will hear the invita. tion for the last time, ome to-night. The prayer meeting held at tho cloke of this mecting was very poorly attended, Dr, Paxton presided. Thero was po overflow mocting at all, The young men's meeting had aiso a poor attendan Mr. Mooay —— The inquiry rooms were only moderately A telegram | “L have a good yoiee, I can enter. | tain the company,’’ but the man at the door says, ‘No, | whole world—“Come unto | Mo, allye that are heavy laden, and [ will give you | | | | | | | 20-light mm PLE SHEET. GAL 8. » | A Great Conflict About the Light Material in Brooklyn. | CORPORATIONS CHARGED WITH EXTORTION, | The State Inspector Finds Many Me- ters Running Too Fast. had under hike circumstances been presented | yg ‘! to him, he would be convinced 4 A gale of wind was blowing from the wost, carry- | 1. Bare, uae Be course cS 2 4 . | ing the fre upon the adjoining bullding Thess | The Prosident doos admit that Babooo protested | siryctures, many of them quite extensive, were batlt | Against raids here on the ground that they should s for the most part of wood, aud et \afemectiie | REDUCTION OF THE PRICE IN THIS CITY. | | What Were the Causes of the j Lessened Charges. In the early part of tho fall of 1875 the people of the Clty of Churches, especially those residing in South Brooklyn, began to notice that their gas bills were ex- coedingly high—even larger than the preceding year. ‘The smail stores in Court street, Columbia street, Flat- bush avenue, Third avonue, Atlantic avenue, Fulton street, Myrtle avenue, and Grand street and other thoroughfares in Williamsburg, or- dered out their meters and put up oil lamps on the fixtures in their stores. It was found that the stock ‘and the windows wore lit up with a brilliancy superior tothe bad quality of gas which they had been using, Inquiry showed that the saving was about eighty per cent on the monthly bills, Hence it was not | to be wondered that the proprietors of the larger dry goods, drug, clothing and other stores, who have so long literally groaned under their enormous gas bills, should follow in tho footsteps of the smaller establishments, The oil fever spreads throughout the Eastern and Western districts, and to-day some of the finest establishments in Brook- | lyn are illuminated with oil The gas companies, which are six in number—i ¢,, Citizens, People’s, Metropolitan, Nassau, Brooklyn and Williamsburg, found that the meters were being returned by the cart load, They did not, however, make any reduction in the price till Feb- ruary 1, and the bills were higher than ever. Finally, | when the longest nights of the year had gone past, | they cut down the price to private consumers from $3 | per thousand feet, to $2 75, with the hope of retaining | wavering consumers A TRST CASE. Finally the accumulation of complaints on all sides | uel J. Young, Secretary of the Metropolitan Insurance Company in New York, and residing in Brooklyn. Ho | discovered such an outrageous increase in the bills | rendered by the Citizens’ Gas Company that he de- | termined upon taking the meter out and having it regularly tested before paying the bill. He at first re- | fused to pay the bill whicn they demanded ; but eventu- ally he did pay it under protest. They threatened to remove the meter, but he would not permit them to do | g0, and on December 6 his counsel epplied to the City Coart for an order restraining the gas company from removing the meter tillit bad been tested, An am- davit, of which the substance 18 subjoined, was the basis upon which the company was restrained from removing the meter:. In the affidavit Mr. Young stated that on or about December 1 he called at the office of the Citizens’ Gas Light Company and bad an interview with Mr. Libby, the President, with regard to the extraordinary in- crease of the bill presented to him for gas said to have | been consumed during the preceuing month, and asked | whether any explanation could be given of it, He was answered by Mr. Libby tnat he could give no more i 9 mn for it than he could give why Mr. Young should have the rheumatism in the left shoulder this year and | not have had it last year. Afler some conversation | sir, Young said that perhaps there was some imper- | fection im the meter and that he would put a meter in | of his own and would find out if such was th cose, and he left the office with the under- standing that some action, looking to the rectification or allowed by them.’ Mr, Young the same day had ordered a meter to be furnished by the American Meter | New York city to be tested. Upon making application to a certain gas fitter in Brooklyn to have the meter attached to his gas pipes, he was retused on the ground | that ifhe intertered or assisted in any way in this matter that he would probably be subjected to serious annoyance in his business by the said Gas Light Com- pany and its agents, and Mr. Young was forced tosend w New York city for the necessary workmen to set and attach tho meter, ‘The meter was found to register too much, and the complainant was refunded a portion of the mone claimed. From this test case other consumers too! | the cue, and a citizen who had informed himself in the | matter ‘of general irregularities among many meters, which were injurious to tho interest of consumers, took nine or ten of these metres from places im South Brooklyn to a New York inspector, and it was found thai they were from three to thirteen per cent too fast in registering. In almost every case the company paid the cost of transportation, the testing, also rebate, except in one case, where the claim was $250, jubjoined 18 a of METERS INSPECTED. Mr. W. L. Gilbert, of No. 325 Unton street, made the discovery a week or two ago that the meter used by an acquaintance of bis at No. oft Clinton street was far too fast. He took the meter over to the State luspector, Mr. John Byrne, No, 431 Grand street, New York, and it was there tested. It costs about filty cents to testa meter, This meter was found to in of two per cent on each meter—that ts to say, inspector would only give @ certificate for thirtee: cent as against the gas company. In this way thi seeks to protect tne companies by allowing for irreg- b ecage in the mechanical arrangement of the meters whiel that the certificates of the inspector are given, So in the case of the meter at No, 274 Clintoa street, the certificate showed it to be only seven per cent too fast, The gas company hearing the facts paid $1 60 and rebate besides. The next meter tested was in a house No. 35 Tompkins place. This mover was found to be thirteen percent too fuat. It had been in use for thirteeu years and the jast bill under its Togistration was $21 60. The company promised to settle the rebate, Should the bill at that house average, as it is estimated, $13 per month, the rebato would average $1 43. month, and the total due him now would be about $223 08. it remains to be seen whether the gas company will this sum. The courts may be called upon to decide the issue = In use it is said a gas meter will never get jast, but it will clog "Dp if left idle. At No. 247 Baltic street a meter was removed for in- spection. Th: | fast. The company being notified of this case also, at | first refused to allow for even testing the meter. The; offered to pay a part uf st, but they finally paid it all, $2, with the understanding that they should pay no | more. The rebate on this moter, it 1s claimed, ts over $150; the question is not yet settled. The gas com panies claim that a citizen pas no right to remove meter for the purpose of having it inspected, but it is said that any citizen may have his meter tested so long as he docs not disturb the gax companies pipes. The inspector stated that during the last few months he has tested more old meters than be had in the last nine | years, | x rmomber of a leading firm in Court street had a meter tested and found it to be four per cent fast A gentieman residing at No. 197 Chiton street had a | Rew meter placed in his house, instead of an old one which had rau up beavy bill, The bills under the old moter were $25 per month; now they do not average | over $870 That meter has been inspected and found | correct. | | A moter was testod from No, 165 Pacific sireet and ‘was jvund tu be seven per ceat too iast. The company paid a rebate of $240 a month since October last, be- sides the cost of testing, $1 50. ‘The meter taken from No, 325 Union street, on being — rocently tested, was found to be six per cent too fast, The company paid a rebate and the cost of testung. That meter had been three years in use, ; Two meters, one a 30-light meter and the other a 20-light meter, were taken a few weeks ago from a large dry goods store on Atlantic street, near Henry street, and another from the dwelling part of the same house, | up stairs, to have them tested, The 30-light meter | proved 16 be three per cent too fast, and the new | ‘20-light meter was four per cent too slow, The new er was put in alter the complaints bad been Tade to the gas company. The meter up stairs was ali right. ACTION OF THE CITY AUTHORITIRA. The Common Couacil, as the year was drawing toa close, and when the question of the enormous cost of | lighting the public streets aud buildings came up, saw that they were paying too dear | by fur for the illummation, ‘They be; must be done, and that quickiy, to bring the wealthy gas corporations tw a fealization of the {act that they were drawing too | much money from the city treasury, The cost of | lighting Brooklyn during the year 1875 was $600,000, Bills were rendered to the city by contract at the rate 40 per 1,000 feet, being fifty cents less than the cost of yas to private consumers, This disparity the Jatter often complained of, bat to no purpose. Alder- man Kopes said at a meeting of the Board in Decem- oer last tbat it would bo better to use oil than 10 submit to such outrageous charges auy longer, The Budget Committee saw the force of the argument of tacts in the case, and they refused to | Fecommend more than $600,000 for the item of lignting | Streets and pablic buildings for the year 1876 Tho | contracts are made by the Board of City Works, and the latter obtained a reduction irom bad ey cee soemee Who were trightened upon hearing the Aldermanic suggostion for & return to the primitive method of lighting the city. The companies agreed to the city with gas at a cost of $2 25 per 1,000 feet, Board of Mg A Works, under certain reservations of right in the interest of the orpality, then recom. monded to the Common Council the erating of the led to legal action being taken for redress by Mr. Sam- | of the error in his bill, would be taken by the company | Company, and ordered tt to be taken to the inspector in | PF be about nine per cent too fast, but the law aliowsa — @ meter is found to be fifteen per cent too fast the | e iw | may be unavoidable, It is at that ratio | peter was found to be ten per cent wo | 5 contracts to the eompanies Subsequently, however, they sdvertised tor proposals for lighting certain streets with otf or other illuminative materia rding to specifications op file in the Board of Works. Propovals are now being received in accordance wiih that proposition, the indications are that many connections with street lamps in Brooklyn and the gas company mains will, ere long, be cut off, It is contemplated that the amount Set apart for this item wili not be more than two-thirds expended with the close of the fiseal year, so great will be the Saving eflected. But the Common Council has gone further. It has cut off all connection between the mains and the thousand and odd lamps whieh stood in fromt of the church doors, The conse- quence is that henceforth the piousiy inclined must | pay out of their own pockets for tho light of the lamps, The Aldermanic Board has also granted a franchise toa new company—the Mutual Gas Light Company— to lay mains in Brooklyn to compete with the existing companies, he DOW COMpany proposes to commence to lay pipes in May next, and ‘agrees to furnish gas at Jess than $2 per 1,000 feet, It is regarded as highly probable tbat a still further Teduction in the price of gas will be made to private cousumers by tue companies NOW IM existence. THE REDUCTION OF PRICB IN THIS CITY. The three principal gas companies of this city have Announced that on and after the 1st of March the cost per 1,000 cubic feet of gas will be redaced from $2 7! to $2.50. These companies are the New York Gas Light Company, whose district les south of Grand street; tho Manhattan Gas Light Company, which sup- Nes the eastand west side upto the south side of Thirty: fourth street; and the Mutual Gas Company, whict has pipes laid on the east side trom about Sixty-fifth street down to Fulton ferry, and is on the west sid¢ rapidly extending its line to similar dimensions. The Metropolitan Company, whose district lies north of Thirty-fourth street, has not yet resolved upon re ducing its charges, but will probably be driven to it by the action of the Mutual Company, which is ruaning in opposition to it in a large portion of the upper part of the vity. It is said by the gas companies who have reduced their prices that that action is owing toa number of causes, and is done in the same way and for the samo reason that other articles in trade have come down ia value, The companies are not, however, willing to ad- mit that the reduction bas been occasioned by any fall ing off in tho demand for the commodity, and are very chary of speaking of the movement which necessity has inaugurated of using kerosene oil instead of gas, Thoy seem to be anxious to take to themselves all the credit of the reduction in prices, but do not anticipate that they will be called upon, under any circumstances, to bring down tho rates to a still lower figure. A Henatp reporter yesterday visited the offices of the four companies named above, and made inquiries as to what | is termed “the kerosene oil movement,” and causes | which led to the reduction in prices. Tho officials who were conversed with did not attach any — tance to “the few instances’? in which the meters beon returned and oil introduced instead of gas. They said that the number of returns of meters was very small; so smail, indeed, as not to be worth taking sate consideration. 'Thoy denied that “the oil movement” had anything to do with the reduction. In answer te questions as to whether it was difficult to collect bills at the present time, it was admitted that money ‘was very sca nd that business men complained con- stantly of the bad tim but no estimate could be made by the companies as to how much they would lose this year by the depression of | business, They all agreed that thero was no greatet scarcity of cash this winter than there was la: At the New York Gaslight Com, "s ollice in Hi ter street the reporter was told that some reductic either in the wagesor the hours of the employéa | should be made very soon in order to keep even with | the general business depression, This company em- ploys now about 300 hands at its works and about 100 as clerks aud at other labor. In {ts district there ara a number of small customers who find it difficult to pay their bills, but it was aflirmed that those whose meters had been removed did not number very many. At the offices of the Manhattan Gas Company, No. 4 Irving place, it was ascertained that that company had reduced its rates simply as fan ordinary business transaction, done in keepin; with the return of business prices to their ol standard, ‘For instance,” said the official to whom the reporter was speaking, n 1868 the price of gas per 1,000 cubic feet was $3 25, and in June of that year it | Was reduced to $3; in August of 1872 1t was again re | duced from $3 to $2 75, at which figure it has since | remained. Now, there is a general depression of busi- | ness this year,’ continued the official, ‘no doubt \ owing tothe many causes which are conspiring “bring us back again to old values, and the gas com. panies, in regard to their commodity, must share in the | general falling off in prices, Coal and labor are, of cour | the principal elements of expense in the manufact and coal has come down in price during rec some twenty percent, Labor has come aown ‘obably about fitieen per cent, It follows, theretore,” | said the official, “that the gas companies ‘ought to be able to reduce their prices in accordance with the re- | ductions in the producing materials.’ In regard to | “the kerosene movement,” the gentleman relerred te | Said that alihough in several imstances kerosene oil had been resorted to oy persons who had | been using gas, he was of opinion that it was | done a8 & matter of economy when there was | Feally @ pinch for m but as for ther ig any | chance that k iceably substituted for gas, even in the: did not think tt at alllikely. In tact, he wondered that kerosene oi! had not been brought more into use during the past winter, It was very noticeable, he said, ali through the Manhat- tan Company's district, that a desire to economize ia the use of gas was manifested alike in stores as well ag in dwellings. At the Mutual Company’s offices it was stated that considerable economy was now being used by gas cone sumers, but there was not any special delay in the pay- ment of bills The company, however, was not de- sirous to press Customers when there was any chance of obliging them, and none were “cut off’ but those who were evidently intending notto pay. This com. pany being at the present time engaged in extending its lines of pipes, it was difficult to Gnd out whether any considerable number of meters had been returned, but the official seated that the returns of meters were not particularly noticeable. Notwithstanding the fact that the gas companies de clined admitting that the return of meters bad not bees | large and that the collection of bills was tolerably good, Still it is a certain fact that in every district in the city | considerable number of persons have been obliged this season to take to using kerosene oil. It is also | true that the people had the greatest difficulty in meet- ing their gas bills, and that nota few were obliged te allow the meters to go because busi wus sa ‘bad, and that they freely stated so to the gas com- | panies, who, novertheléss, ‘cut off? the gas. It ts | worthy of note, however, that reduction in the price of | has already taken place in Boston and elsewhere, } that in some of the large cities similar action 19 | spoken of. The Mutual Company, as is well known, ig | fighting the ol companies in their own field, and hence, perhaps, the well known “cut off the gas” ory is not now uttered by the rivals themselves as often ag it used to be, THE STRANDED CITY OF GALVES. TON. ‘There seems to be very little reason to doubt but that the stranded steamship City of Galveston, belonging to Messrs. ©. H. Mallory & Co., of this city, will prove « total wreck. The steamer was wrecked on the 4th inst, on Mariguana Island, in the Bahama group, and, ac” | cording toa Key West despatch received yesterday, was | hard aground up to the 10th inst. By an extraordinary Piece of negligence the news of the salety of the crew and passengers, brought to Savannah by the steamship Leo, of the Murray Ferris line, last Sunday, was not telegraphed to this city, nor that they had brought the rescued Haytian mail, and the mews only arrived ia ths city yesterday by the aistribution of the letters, The fotlowing lever respectu the wreck was re ceived in this city yesterday: STEAMAHIP CITY OF GALVESTON, MARiGuANa ISLAND, Fod. 5, 1876, bag Fo Mattour & Co,, No. 153 Maiden lane, New York :— t five A. M. yesterday the City of Gal. ‘Bt on the reef on south side of above named te about Ove miles from the southwest point 1 fear she will be a total lows, as there are no appliances for getting her off, The coffee, six hundred whien ts all © on board, in i vessel * pearly dry at ) { } | of gu | yea ‘ ven upper between wwater, Ihave esen- fers are allright, and every one else. The following Passe ‘s names;—Mr. A. kh. Pickwood, Mra. M. iH. Lazare, Mies Lazare, Master T shalt Proceed, to the best of iny abilities, for owners’ inter- est. Yo@r obedient servan W. EVANS, The foregoing news gives the details of the Stranding The sapplementary details of the rescue of the passengers have yet to be received. Itis reportoe that od underwent considerable ions, The names the officers and crew have 'y been pab- lished in these columns No assistance te bern at to the wrecked vesse! from this ae the wreek, Steamer B. and J, Baker, from ent, Merevea oh Naseau on the 15th inst, and left te following day for “the wreck The cargo hes already been taken by baat craft wo WN The wreck bas not yot THE LIQUOR DEALERS, Police Commissioner Erhardt was waited upon yoater- day by State Senator Baaden and Alderman Hess on | behalf of Germans interested in the law of 1862 pro- hibiting the enle of Hquor or beer in of amase- ment. A short interview took place, ‘arimg which Mr, Erhardt stated that all he could that the law woud be enforced, er ee ee CAPTAIN HEDDEN'S TRIAL. In the adjourned case of Captain Hedden, of tne Thirty-third precinet, ap betore the Police Uommim sloners yesterday, Detective Johnson, of the Thirteenth | Precinct, took the stand and testified to the work per formed by him, under orders trom the er. in ing to soive the mystery of the death of Rysn and KA Sister, No now tacts wore elicited, Tue case again adjourned for one week.