Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1832-03-30

Thompson. Nathan Follett, Blanchard Pow
ers and Willim Seayer, for conspiracy to kid
nap William Morgan, and carry him from Ba4
tavia to parts unknown. Thompson was the
sheriff OF that county; the Others were all respec
table citizens.
:. In July, 1929, court of Oyer and Termi-
ner was held In Niagara county, at which il
was intended to bring on the trial of the in
dlctments that had been previously found in
that county. But they were all removed, at
the instance of the defendants, into the Supreme
Court, by certiorari. Among others lanes
Mather was examined, and gave such unsatis-
factory and equivocal answers, that the iurv re-
lported him to the Court, by whom he was adj
jmonished; but all efforts failed to obtain from
him such answersaas the jury deemed satis-
factory.
"Between this and the next courts that were
held, efforts were made to obtain some witness
SEES who had kept secreted, and whose places
OF residence were, now discovered. Upon sat-
isiactory proof being made to the first Judge of
monroe county, warrant was obtained from
him for the arrest of Prior Harris, in order to
hold him to bail for his appearance as witness.
This man was the driver of the stage which
had gone to the west of Rochester on the same
day that Morgan was carried through that
place. The warrant was obtained with great
secrecy and put into the hands of a confidential
officer, who proceeded to the country of mont
gomery to execute it. While riding in the
stage, through that county, he met and passed
Harris, who was driving another stage. The
officer proceeded Immediately to the sheriff of
the county, to obtain deputation which would
authorize him to execute his process there
On his return to the place where Harris had
stopped with his stage. the officer discovered
that he had suddenly fed, leaving his stage
and horses. All attempts to discover hna
were fruitless. The officer is Of opinion that
he was followed from Rochester, or accompa-
MED by some one who gave the alarm, or the
sign OF distress, to Harris.
" Hannah Fansworth. a relative of Solomon
G. Wright, who was believed to be an import
ant witness. had, for long time, baffled all eff
forts to compel her attendance at court. At
lenth warrant for her arrest was obtained, and
vigilant officer succeeded in taking Der. On
bringing her before Judge to give bail for her
appearance, she and her friends refused to give
bail, and she was committed to the custody of
the sheriff of Ontario.
So In August, 1929, at the Ontario General
Sessions, an attempt was made to bring on the
trial of the indictment against Solomon c.
Wright, for perjury committed on the trial of
Bruce. But from the absence ofimportant wit
nesses, it was impossible. Hannah Farms
worth, the witness who had been detained in
order to testify on the trial Of Wright, was dis
charged by the court, on her entering into a
lrecogniZance of her appearance, and making a
promise, in open court, that she would appear.
She never afterwards appeared or could be
found.
"At the same court. Elijah Roberts, the
editor Of newspaper called the Craftsman, was
indicted for libel on the jury who convicted
Ohm Whitney. This paper had been estab-
| lished by contributions of masons. and was pa
tronized almost exclusively by them, for the
purpose of vindicating their order. Its editor
| had warmly espoused the canse of the indicted
persons, and represented them as innocent and
prosecuted men, while his paper overhowed
with abuse of every public officer and private
citizen who had taken any part in the exertions
to bring to punishment the kidnappers of NOR
gan. He was tried on this indictment in Jam
utay, 1880, when the jury could not agree on
1 their verdict. 1t was afterwards ascertained
that the disagreement proceeded from four ma
sons who were on the jury. He was again tried
lin June, $780, when he did not even call VIII
mess, to prove the libels he had published, and
Ihe was convicted without hesitation, and fined
fifty dollars. The history of this case is intro
lduced in consequence of its connexion with the
main trials, and to exhibit one of the instances
q the operation of masonic feeling in the jury
: box.
ain August, 1899, court of Oyer and Ter
$ miner was held for monroe county; and, as
: this was the last court at which grand jury
q would be assembled in that county, before the
i statue of limitations would attach upon prose-
!. cutions for the conspiracy and kidnapping, pre-
u parations were made for3more thoroug inyesti'
d CATION than had yet been had Orsborn Park
Il hurst the driver of Platts carriage, which CON
!. Iveyed morgan from Rocheter, had absented
,fIhimself from the state Immediately after thai
is transaction, His place of concealment hae
" been changed, from time to time, but at length
!. liz was discovered. An agent was employee
Ito 90 in pursuit of him, and to bring him TO th'
a state of New York. The agent succeeded IL
W. - .nouaefarad y,art of he stofi