The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-01-09

F'ufther PARTICULARS from staten lsiantt-
Pretended Confession off Polly Bodine-
State of Feeling on the Island-lli"ess of
MIR. commissioner Phelps-Brutal Attack
on the Reporter OF the Herald.
PORT RICHMOND, Monday Evening.
The interest in this strange case, instead of abat-
ing, is increasing; and it is curious to watch the
eagerness with which every rumor or conjecture is
devoured. One of the most strange things, Is, the
pretended confession of Polly Bodine, which is, to
characterize it as lightly as possible, tissue Of
falsehoods. framed for the purpose Of creating a
sympathy among the persons engaged in and at the
Jail where she is confined. OnSaturday afternoon she
held sort Of conversational confessional with one
of the persons employed to watch her-and this was
magnihed into something wonderful and extraordi-
nary. The committee of investigation instantly
repaired to the Jail, and having ascertained the
facts, they, as men of sense naturally would, look
ed upon the entire story as a cool and deliberate
falsehood, prepared for circulation through the
island and her friends, to get up an excitement
against Waite and in her favor; for II sudden and
curious revuslon has arisen In her breast against
her paramOur. She wishes to involve him, while
she dares not meet him face TO face. Among the
conversational confessions che is said 10 have held
with the jaller or guard, is that for several years
past she has been living in Illicit intercourse
him five times, and by the drugs admins
tered by him, she has been relieved from
the fruits OF that intercourse he had made
several promises of marriage TO her, and deferred
il from time to time by excuses on the ground of
poverty and inability 10 support wife. She fur
Their states that some years ago Waite lived in
Spring street. where he carried on the manufacture
Of gold leaf-that he effected an insurance to IA
very large amount on the concern, and as the time
of the expiration of the policy came round he ar
ranged certain combustible preparation, and she,
by his direction, fired the train--the house was
burned, and he obtained from the insurance office
the amount Of the policy Such is the nature of the
stories she is amusing her attendants with but
not single man of any character on the island
gives them the slightest credit The state.
ments are 50 totally at variance with what
has already been elected from the testimony
given before the Commissioner-hat these words
to be regarded in the true light, being thrown
out to create sympathy and to turn the tide which
toriy declined TO see Waite or to be placed at the
same bar with him, and in the vehelnence of her
counter passion, she has said, that she never would
appear alive before the public The woman is evil
IDENTITY fatering in her strength of character, and
may, possibly, in the end be subdued that
among the various and contradictory stories she is
telling, portion of the truth Of The murder may be
revealed. Her brother, Abraham Houseman, junr.,
arrived on Sunday last and had an interview with
her, and his opinion is that she is innocent and
that Waite is the murderer. He has made
arrangements with Roderick N. Morrison the late
district attorney of Richmond County, to defend
her. This will OF course put end to anything
like confession. Such is the diIapidated and UNI
safe state of the jail, that all interested in bringing
the criminals TO justice, are anxious that hey
should be removed to some place OF greater secur-
~ They all feel satisfied that such is the state of
public opinion on the island, that 1t will be mpos-
sibIe to find unbiased Jury and consequently
the uenue must be changed to some other county.
1t is probable that the trial may take place at the
Kings County Circuit or at the Court Of Oyer and
Termlner at New York.
; Mr. District Attorney Clarke has been engaged
in the city since the termination of the examna-
ton of Waite, in making more thorough search
If the premises, and in hunting up evidence. 1t
appears that Polly Bodne had informed him that
she had sold portion OF the jewellery 10 certain
jewellers in the city but like the rest of her con-
LESSONS, this turns out TO be, far falsehood.
One thing he has discovered, which is all lmpor-
tant in establishing the guilt of Waite, and that is
that he offered to sell the gold watch 10 watch
maker in the city, for $40 but the circumst: noes
suspect that all was not right so he refused 10 give
the sum asked, unless that Waite would leave
his name, and the number of his residence
This was refused by Waite, and then was had the
recourse to the Office Of the pawnbroker. The
matchmaker will be confronted with Waite, but
from the description OF the man, there is no doubt
but that Waite was the person. The letter said 10
be written by Waite, and which was published is
the fabrication Of lawyer who was engaged by
Waite, and who has been exceedingly active in
aiding the runne, of the Sun in making up his bud
get Of fudge and falsehood for that sheet. He cal
led at the house Of the father of Polly Bodne and
volunteered to defend the guilty woman, and as he
had rendered such essential aid TO the Sun, he pro-
cured the insertion of that letter in order TO effect
favorable consideration towards him in the family
of Polly Bodine. Bui the effort was useless. The
self written puff had exactly the opposite effect, and
the profered services of this SIX inner indignant
Iy rejected, and a man of some legal character en-
,oyed In his place. Such Is the means used by the
S1tn TO procure authentic letters
have menfioned this TO eXpose the fImsV cha
racter of the reports which have daily appeared in
that miserable sheet, and now dwell upon the
conduct of the two individuals who were concern
ed in the sale of the fabricated confession OF Polly
| Bodine to that paper. Throughout the history o.
| the island, not a case has been known TO excite
| such strong feeling Of Indignation and absolute
disgust, that OF the sale OF this false confession
Daniel Crocheron and Abraham l.. Miller were
| the two persons who called at the Herald office
and demanded 500 for the information, and who
on being refused that sum, went and sold II or
| certain conditions TO the Sun What those con
| dltons were | know not but certain II is tina
these two men have had the runner OF the Sun dur.
| ing the entire day IN their company, out al the
! Richmond Jail, and have gone to the city with hin
| in the last boat which started from here. Mark
well, that whatever information the Sun contain,
| tomorrow, comes from these two men, whose ex
! penses TO ana from the city and the jail are de-
| rayed by Beach's runner. Daniel Crocheron is d
member OF the committee OF investigation. btt hf
is no longer q member. Not single individual ap
I
| personally expressed to in the strongest, the
warmest, the most emphatic terms, his regret tha
anch man could have been selected and his in
dlgnation that being elected he basely betrayed
the confidence and the interests OF the entire com
munity. The unhappy father Of The murdered wo
| man has publicly and warmly denounced the man
and bitter indeed is his grief, nasmuch AS the very
nan whom he most conided in as nelghbor ant
rs friend, has thrown justice TO the winds, anc
Tor mercenary motives has given TO the public the
statements which had been contded 10 him to de
liver to the District Attorney, for the purpose o.
aiding the course OF justice, So unwarrantable q
breach of trust has never been known, and the ex
preston ofindlgnatlon is equally decided. AS fol
Abraham E. Miller, he Is unworthy OF notice IN the
matter, land would have passed him by in silent con-
tempt were il not for circumstance which occur
red at the time of sending off this express
with Crocheron and the runner Of the Sun, but find
ing that the reporters for the other papers did moi
90 up in the boat, he returned by some means, ano
having duped parcel of idle boys, he set them on
al. fbaxt rfI m