Morning herald., 1839-12-24
General Sessions.

DEC. % -Conpiction for Forgery.-IHc People
VS.. Albert L. Merriam on an inutcf.nent Jor foros
~ in the third degree This case, winch has occa'
pied the Court and Jury for the last ten days, IN Ia
king the testimony, pro and con, was brought 70
close on FRIDAY night The accused was partner
in the firm Of Merriam & Kellogg commission
house dong large business in this CITY. Ihey were
connected in the way Of their business, with the
firm OF Miller & Bancker, who had assisted them
with loans ofpaper and money In the spring Oh tne
year, large amount OF the paper t.s o. .nese wv
houses got aoat and some suspicious clrcuHstahces
having raised feeling against the house OF Merriam
& Co., the endorsers were applied 10 and they pro-
nounced all the notes to be fOrgerles Information
was then given to the Police, and Merriam arrested.
The testimony in support Of the accusation was very
contradictory On the one hand. several witnesses
were adduced to prove the forgeries, but they aied
in picking out the genuine from the false endorse
ments. Mr.. Miller swore positively that the en-
dorsement on the note, for which the prisoner was
then his trial, forged and also all tne otners
which Merriam had been indicted were hctitioas'
yet several witnesses, who protested TO be perfect
ly acquainted with the signatures OF Miller y baack-
err swore that they could not discern any difference
in the writing Of the genuine and the raise sigma
lures
whole mass Of accounts and mercantile books
were adduced spondence read, and histories of
operations entered into for the purpose OF support
ing the testimony Of Miller with CO lateral circum-
stances arising out of bargains, and sales made IN or
der to get accommodation paper INTO clrcuiation
and other strange matters brought forward, which
had bat little do with the main question before the
Court.
On Saturday John A. Morrill, commenced sum-
ming up ON the part OF the prisoner, and maze one
0fthe most felictous and logical orations that was
ever listened to in q court of Justice. The learned
gentleman laid open the whole history OF the trans
acion disc ,he testimony from the extrane-
Gus matter-shoved m how cautiously the testimony
Of Miller must be taken, while he had such deep
interest in the event of conviction, and concluded
by a most forcble and touching apPsalto the sympa
thies of the Jury which drew from the eyes o
every person in the Court.
Mr.. George Wilson, his associate counsel, also
reviewed the testimony, and earnestly dweit upon
the strong probabilities which existed IN favor OF
the innoc nee Of the accused.
The Counsel for the prosecution having replied,
the case went the jury, under the charge Of the
Recorder, and. at about III o'clock, verdict OF
guilty recorded.
ceptions having been taken to several parts OF
the testimony and, particularly, to the introduction
Of Miller as . witness. because In the event oi
conviction his liabiliy would be nearly nallihed-
4 motion was made to liberate Merriam on bail, but
refused by the Court without precedent IN case oil
forgery
We do not know how different accusations may be
regarded in the eye Of the law but remember that
Sill g. Aaron were liberated after conviction That
Trust, guilty Of manslaughter, was permitted TO
BAIL and that Charles Harrington also was, alter one
or two motions had been made and refused This
matter having been disposed Of, aud Merriam locked
mp, the urt adjourned sine die