The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-09-03
From the Boston Patriot.

TRIALS FOR THE ABDUCTION OF NOR
GAN. The trial ofthe indictment of Bruce,*
Darrow and Turner, for a conspiracy to
carry off VIM. Morgan, who had published
book purporting to reveal the secrets of
masonry, was continued at Canandaigua,
i'm. Y. on the 22d ut. Giddins, one of
the principal witnesses for the prosecution,
having been rejected as witness on ac-
count of his disbelief of God, there was
no testimony against Turner and barrow,
and under the direction of the court, and
with the consent of the public prosecutor,
they were acquitted. The defendants coun-
sci, Gen. Matthews and Mr.. Griffin, con-
cluded not to call any witnesses. They
moved that Bruce be discharged on the
ground that the court had no Jurisdiction,
that if he was concerned in the abduction
of Morgan, he acted in the county Of Mag
ara, and not in Ontario county, that the in
dictment charged conspiracy to kidnap
! Morgan, and that as the prosecution had
proved his abduction the conspiracy was
merged in the consummation of its object,
therefore the indictment should be for the
act done, and not for the conspiracy. Mr..
Whiting and Mr.. Butler argued in opposi-
ton, that the overt acts of abduction were
proved in aggravaton of the offence, that
the gist of the indictment was the combina-
ton or confederacy-thatt the conspiracy be-
| ing formed to commit misdemeanor, the
doctrine of merger did not apply-that the
acts of Bruce IN Niagara county being in
l'furtherancc of the objects of the conspira-
cy, he must be regarded as a principal in
the conspiracy; that all the conspirators
might be tried in the county in which the
first overt act was done, to wit, where Nor
gan was first unlawfully subjected to their
power, and where the conspiracy must have
been formed.
The court overruled the objection, and
the cause being summed up by Mr.. Adams
for the defendant, and Mr.. Mosely for the
people, it was committed to the Jury at 8
O'Clock, P. NJ. At IL o'clock at night the
Jury returned verdict of guilty against
Bruce.
The Albany Argus, from which the above
particulars are extracted, further says:
"The court advised the Jury, that if from
the evidence they were satisfied that Bruce
acted in pursuance of conspiracy against
Morgan, previously entered into, and to
which he was party, they must find YER
dict of guilty and if they believed that
Bruce knew nothing of the conspiracy, but
first knew of the transportation of Morgan
when he acted, then they would find him
not guilty, because his acts would amount
to an assault and battery and false impris-
onment, in the county of Niagara, for which
he could not be convicted in this county,
under this indictment, which was for con-
spiracy to kidnap. The court also advised
the Jury that they might be satisfied that
Morgan was in the carriage in which and
on which Bruce rode.and that Bruce knew it,
and further, that Morgan was there against
his will, and that Bruce knew that also.
"The evidence proved Bruce to have
rode with the carriage in which Morgan
was transported from Molineaux's, on the
Ridge road, Is miles east of Lewiston, to
Lewiston, and from thence to Fort Niagara
all within the county of Niagara. Bruce
procured the horses for the exchange at
Molineaux's, and procured hack and hors-
es at Lewiston, and the passengers who
came in the carriage from the east were
exchanged in a back street into the car
Rage which Bruce procured at Lewiston.
Bruce was at Molineaux's, with the carriage
at IL o'clock, on the night of the 18th Sept.
| He was at Lewiston at 2 o'clock, same night,
and started about that hour towards the
Fort. Morgan was proved to be confined
in the magazine on the morning of the 18th.
One witness heard voice of a man in the
magazine at IL o'clock: No person lived in
or occupied any part Of the Fort at that
time. 1t has been closed since June, 1926.
Giddins had the key of the magazine on
the 18th Sept. The witness who testified
to the voice in the magazine went into the
yard of the Fort with Giddins, and the lat
ter went to the magazine, opened it, and the
witness heard the noise thinking that there
was something wrong, he turned away from
the magazine, and walked off from the Fort
as fast as he could. He was brother-in-law
of Giddins, on visit at the time, and is an
intelligent young man of the name of John
Jackson, residing at Lockport. It was re-
markable that Bruce called no witnesses to
explain his conduct, or in any manner to
exculpate himself"
[#Eli Bruce, Esq, late Sheriff of Niagara
county, formerly of Templeton, in this county ]
A GOOD Transfer. Mr.. William Brad
ford has for three years and three months
past, with six horse team, freighted to
Boston, for one Company in this village,
various kinds of country produce,) l8 tons,
Is hundred, 2 quarters and 9 pounds-has
freighted merchandise from Boston, 1853 tons,
1919 pounds for which he has been paid
in cash $500. He has with the same team
and during the same time, freighted to and
from Boston, for the Strafford Copperas
Company and others, 108 tons, z hundred,
2 quarters, and 2 pounds making an ag-
gregate of $40 tons, 102 pounds. This has
all been done with six horses without chang
ing, with the exception of two horses for
the last three months, averaging IL trips
per year. His time of arrival and departure
has been as regular as the United States
mail stage. What is very remarkable, dur