The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-01-28

the Jurisdiction of the court. it did not appear by any
testimony that the stolen property had ever been IN the
entered into for nothing appeared to render any further
proceedings necessary proper The Police Justice Mr.
Warner added the remark that the warrant had been Is
sued by Mr. p O. Buchan Justice OF the Peace and that
he entirely ignorant Of the facts grounds upon
which M issue was based that a. there seemed to be
prossc and evidence forthcoming he had alter
native but to dismiss the complaint My counsel de
marded that Sraton was the upon whose inior
nation the warrant had been granted he should be re
quired to subsantiae his accusation he had any proofs
In his possession Stratton remained SILENT and the
was accordingly discharged
throw any light upon the mysteries which snveloped the
transaction. Stratton knew nothing, would say
District Attorney had only gained sufficient information
to satisfy him that the whole acr wrong from the
beginning and the Justice who had granted the
warrant alarmed at the which things taking
declined to reveal the nature information which had
induced him to issue the warrant Of arrest though he
pleaded by way of exsnuaton that he had instructed
sraon not the process unless he could obtain
additional information make its expediency
tain We did, indeed begin to hear some street rumors and
that there woman in the case but nothing tangi
BILE at all calculated unfold the hidden character OF
the foul proceedings against Mr. Banks and myself We
that Of having friends know what knew before
that there just grounds for duplicating us in the
robbery Of the Express Company
was determined however to probe the matter to the
bottom Mr. Forbes returned to Rochester and Buffalo to
institute thorough and searching investigaon-h he
leaving home Monday, and following him on Tuesday
evening We made Buffalo the first THEATRE OF our opera
tons but Mr. F. informed in passing through Ro.
chester that of bad reputation associate and
of counterfeters and thieves Mrs Leggett
had been In that city previous arrest and seemed to
hayesome knowledge OF what was going on that she
had been noticed to have interviews with Clark Robinson
and reported that Robinson had paid her fifty dol
lars by way Of loan AT Buffalo. sheriff Brown was no
formation upon which the American Hotel had been
searched Ny counsel placed himself in communication
with the woman Leggett through police officer of Buff
ao and various persons applied to for information
and for assistance in developing the facts In the
Of day and half large amount Of inform nation was
accumulated which led to my firm belief that Clark Ro.
bnson cognzant of the whole transaction and had
at least borne part in from the beginning il he did not
originate the suspicious and that he could IL he pleased
inaw Of Pomeroy and found several Of the
pectable ana intelligent citizens of Buffalo possessed of
the conviction that the search Of the American Hotel and
the subsequent arrest Of Mr. Banks and myself had been
instgaed to produce diversion and to the public
point from tho scene upon which the scrutinsing and
anxious eyes OF the public first concentrated Eve
ry additional fact which the investigation disclosed in Its
progress. went so strongly to implcats Mr. Robinson as
the prime in this scheme that In the afternoon OF
Thursday 1t was determined to summon him into pre-
and confront him with the revelations that pointed
so strongly his agency in the business He complied
with our request and interview accordingly was held
at rooms In the American.
Before stating in detail the conversation which took
place at this interview may be proper go back and
relate other information upon which this belief
founded
When Mr.. Forbes his passage up to Buffalo, he
iniome' by Mr. Carter the mail agent between An
burn ana Buffalo aS that On the preceding phursday nt
that he obnson had requested him detain and oper
any letters which might into his hands directed to
either self or MIR. Banks; and for doing
he ntmated that such letters might disclose the
| the Express robbery The further information
ceved aerw ards Rochester that similar APOLLO alton
made to the Postmaster there Mr. Andrews, and urg
ed with great earnestness.
The morning after the arrival of my counsel a
Bufo, he sent for Mr. Havens the District Attorney
Erie county, and communicated the obect Of his visit t
that city, that he was particularly DESTROYS Of ascertan
cured the to search Banks acknowledge tina
| fact might probably deveope the whole mystery-and h
requested Mr. Ravens If he thought he could do witt
ropriety to ask Brown to communicate this information
Mr. Havens replied that he would send for Brown and ad
wise him to make such disclosure il could be done witt
due regard to public justice He farther said that
had already with Brown on the subject tina
some of his statements of confidential CHI acer
and snch as he could not reveal but that he felt at be
state that Brown had told him that the first suspicion
had received with regard to Banks connection with Nh
| robbery YVES from Clark Robinson.
Shortly after Robinson's coming into h,
fore mentioned, Mr. Forbes told HIM the purpose of on
visit to Buffalo and that particularly DESTROYS
knowing the source OF Sheriff Browns information. RI
bnson replied in substance, that it would not be wort
while to press that inquirythat Brown would not di
| close it-and strongly advised that should make n
further efforts in that quarter Mr. Forbes then made
appeal to Robinson. my friend to assist in dscovern
the which led to my arrest and in vindicating
character from suspicion Robinson declared his winl
do and uttered denunc against those
had been instrumental in getting up the story We the
asked him if at any time he had entertained suspicion
/
the slightestthat was of the last in the sta
whom he should suspect Of any such crime and If his
tfcate to that effect would be of any value, 1t would
ford him very great pleasure to make in writing
We then asked him ifhe had any objection to tell MS
he knew ofhe NATTER he expressed his readiness to do
and went to say. that about Sunday the 3I
of December last he accidentally in the of tn
American Hotel at Buffalo and that told him that She
riff Brown had that morning searched Banks baggage
seemed to find fault with the Sheriff and that he o
bnson) told me that Sheriff Brown public officer, ha
probably been compelled to do what he had done an
49, L. 10 he II.
well recoect occurred as it Is here repsaed) Mr. n,
hnson declared in express terms that this was the fir
knowledge ntmaton he ever had Of such procee,
ing the issue Of the warrant the search the ext
| tence of any suspicious against Banks
In to particular enquiries, he further stated h
he had not been TO Rochester during the last week
business connected with the Express robbery that
went down on his official engagements that he had n
acquaintance with the woman Leggett other than this
he had her; that he conversed with her in n
gard to this matter that he had neither said done
hing at Rochester upon this subject and did not know
hat his Deputy Sraon. had gone tn Sy racuse to arre
me, and, in short wholly and unqusliedy dscaimed a
| agency in knowledge of the circumstances unde
| which the suspicious had originated
| At this time informed Mr. Robinson, that ha
believe that he the author of the
and had not only originated tho suspicious against Bank
but had got up the arrests which had since been made
seemed surprised at this but upon being pressed for
panators of the facts previously obtained by us an
which he before ignorant had come our knowede
being with refuations OF his assertions by reerenc
conversatons acts and incidents which he suppose
us to be ignorant Of though he knew them to be true
i
other, until he seemed overwhelmed with confusion
admitted for example that he had made the request to n
travelling Post Master TO intercept my letters although
had just vehemently protested that he had sspec
ed me- and had no knowledge Of the by which IN
arrests had been effected This he willing to cert
and did indeed give me certificate absolvng who'll
from suspicion In his mind nj time, and all time
Notwithstanding the facts have stated in regard to III
interrogation Of my letters. Another equally remarSab
coincidence occurred at the time Our agent to
nun cate with the woman (who Of course had INTEL
5ence of our connection with HIM was instructed to Ell
qure whether she had received and could produce
letters from had heard through other channc
that she pretended to he In correspondence with me-
had shown or two letters purpong to he in my han
She replied at once with an emphasis"Don't you kno
hat Rust never writes any letters 2, In the first Interview
with Mr. Robinson, at time- when was mot present,
fusion made by my counsel 10 certain letters said
he in existence, written by me. when Mr. Robinson n
Joined in almost precisely the language Of the
DO you not know that Rust writes letters
~ am aware ofthstn said my counsel Mr. Forbes, "and
venture to assert, Mr. Robinson that other citizen
Buffalo, besides yourself and Mrs Lcggett knows tbs
fact--and told her OF II :, Mr.