Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-10-20
Singular Case.-we understand that George

Singular Case-We understand that George
Harvey Barnes, of Philadelphia, who was tried
in the Municipal Court in this city last Spring,
on charge Of stealing from stage coach
package Of money belonging to the Piscaaqua
Bank, and who, for that offence, was sent to the
State Prison in June for period of one year,
has received a full and unconditional pardon
from the Governor and Council, and has been
released from confinement. His father who is
Pawnbroker in Philadelphia, and is now in his
SEVENTEEN wear, called upon us yesterday, and
stated that he had been able to satisfy the Co
vernon and Council of his sons innocence-that
he had proved to their satisfaction, by the testi-
mony Of a great number OF respectable witness
es who were daily and hourerly doing business
with his son at the time that on the day the money
is said TO have been stolen, he George Harvey
Barnes) was in Baltimore, where he had resld-
ed for some months as trader. 1t will be re-
collected that Barnes was arrested in Philadel-
phia in December last, land brought to this city on
a warrant from the Governor. The attempt to
prove an abb at the trial was unsuccessful
The father Of Mr.. B. appears to be an intelli-
gent old gentleman, and he informs us that it
has cost him between three and four thousand
dollars to satisfy the Governor and Council ofthe
innocence of his son, he having been at the
expense of supporting some of the witnesses in
this city, and paying their travelling expenses
from Baltimore and back. 1t is seven years
soner at our State Prison. The case is altogeth-
er a remarkable one, if the old gentleman's
statements are correct, and we see no reason to
doubt them.
Since writing the above, we have been in
formed that the prosecuting officer, Mr.. Parker,
was examined by the Committee of the Execu-
tive Council, prior to granting this pardon, up
on the evidence of this case at the trial, who re-
ported it for their consideration. II was one of
those cases where personal identity was the
principal question, and there being several wit
nesses on each side, the scale was probably tur
ned in favor Of the government, by many extra
ordinary and suspicious circumstances in other
respects than the identity, which, unexplained,
had tendency to show connection of some
sort between the prisoner and the real thieves,
whoever they were. Of the money paid by the
aged father, we have heard that two thousand
dollars were paid to the Bank to get recon-
mendation to a light sentence; and it was at the
trial a matter of some remark, that the father
was not called as witness, he being present,
and some facts stated as within his knowledge.
There is good reason to believe the prisoner was
not, in fact, one of the thieves; bnt how he SUBJ
seauently became possessed of so large a sum
as seventeen hundred dollars of the stolen Pts
cataqua Bank bills, wt7ich<he exchanged with
the Aliens at Philadelphts Ind they sent to Bos-
ton, and which were stopped at the Suffolk bank,
has never yet been clearly ascertained.
Boston Gazette.
The Cholera, We learn by gentleman in the
last steamboat, prevails slightly in Norfolk-not
sufficiently to cause any excitement.
The removal Of the troops from Fortress Mon
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