Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1849-01-27

red was indeed Richard w hite
The two brothers were now IN the same
Jail, but in separate cells and it was deci-
ded that they should have separate trials.
Henry's was the first to take place aud, as
might have been expected, elected intense
curiosity. Kelley, Hicks and his other wit
nesses, some fifteen or twenty in number,
were ready for action. And such band of
witnesses the world never saw before
There was not a man among them who had
not on his own showing and confession, been
confined in some prison for felony and as
for Hicks, be had no hesitation in Boosting
of his own ipiamy. And, among this band
of assimilatcd vilainy, there was more than
one man who had proceeded to Washing
ton under writ of protection. They swore
to anything that was required with the ut
most promputude but as the counsels for
the Whites defended their clients with very
great ability, and were exceeding acute in
their cross-examnations, they toiled them,
and il was apparent that they would be able
TO prove an albi
The witnesses that Kelley had employed
had made some miscalculations and though
they swore most positively that they saw the
Whites in Washington on the day the fire
took place, they had failed to swear that
they had seen them at the hour, or within
five or six hours of the time the conflagra-
ton happened. While on the other hand,
the Whites proved that, at the hour when
the fire was discovered, they were at the
little Patapsco bridge, or within ten or
twelve miles from Baltimore, and some
twenty from Washington!
Kelley and Hicks were now in dilemma;
il was but too apparent that the Whites
would escape by establishing an alibi, and
the prospect of obtaining the ten thousand
dollars reward, which General jackson had
been supposed to have offered, was indeed
most gloomy.
Kelly boarded at the Same hotel did
and was curious enough to watch him, and
enquire daily of him in reference To the pro-
gress of the trial. On the day Oh which
the alibi was sent up. he took seat next to
lme at the dinner table, when said to him
"Well, colonel, how goes the trial."
i" Bad enough" was the reply "and
am afraid | shall be defeated. My men
have sworn badly and not 90 enough. II |
could so over the ground again, I'd make
it all right"
I" In what does the wrong consist, colon
ELI" enqured.
Oh, my men have made a mistake in
time, and the Whites will prove an alibi,
unless | can procure u new witness. A new
witness must be hadp'
{" A new witness, colonelp' | reioined--
pray, tell me, are you in the habit Of man
uiacturing witnesses just as the exigepcles
of the case may demand!"
Why, no, not exactly so, either but
you see IN case like this, il won't do to be
over nice or scrupulous. The fact is, that
the Whites are SO bad, and my witnesses
are so bad, that the case is bad one alto
gether, and we must do the best we can.
Them ten thousand dollars must be got at,
any wayp'
Here the conversation yielded to the OPP
lerations of the knife and fork but presently
Colonel Kelley dropped both, and fell into
a temporary fit of abstraction. He sat mo-
tonless in his chair his eyes were rlveted
on some imaginary object when bursting
from his reverie, he emphatcaly slapped
4 his hand on my shoulder, exclalming: I" I've
got it, I've got it; III convict the Whites
without difficulty, and touch the ten thous-
and dollars"
You've got il colonel? Got WHAT"
! 81 now know where to go aud get a wit
ness, who, think, will do the thing want"
And that is what!"
"To swear that the Whites we're in the
city when the alarm of fire was given, aud
| in immediate proximity TO the Treasury.
Building"
"And you think that you can do ;his''
ooh, yes; Pm very sure ! cun, il the
person mean is in town. Never fear, sir.
/ Pm quite sure of my prize now, aud the
/ Whites must he convicted"
Aud do you think they are guilty"
"Why, as to that, | don't exactly know
Hicks says they are, and he ought TO know"
/ And can you confde in Hicks; Do you
think that Hicks is entitled to credit
/ w ould you believe him OH bis OATH"
"Now you are asking too much. You
talk too fast, and ask too many questions.
( My lawyer says that Hicks is my main de-
pendance, atid know he is. He is bad
fellow, | suppose, and would commit any
crime for trihe, but nobody has thus far
impeached his integrity and do you think
that ! am a-going 10 destroy the main prop
( by which | standi After these trials are
over, IN tell you all about Hicks, and then
you'll know what you do know. But stop
1 Pm wasting time ! must get my witness,
or shall be too late. Adieu and mark
me, before sit down to this table, Henry
White will be convicted manW
! And cway went Colonel Kelley in pursuit
Of this new witness. And was he SUCCESS
I fuli Ay! indeed was he, and, before an
hour had elapsed, he went into court with
woman for a witness, who swore that
Henry White slept ir her house the night
the fire occurred that he got up 10 the
course Of the night and was absent an hour
or two, and then came buck. That, when
the cry Of fire was given, he was seen to
leap out Of one Of the windows Of her dwell
ling, aud make all possible speed for the
Baltimore and Bladensburgh road.
Such was the substance Of the testimony
procured from this Ret1 Witness" accord
ing to my recollection. As ! depend upon
memory alone for my second, may err IN
some immaterial particulars.
At any rate, the evidence elected from
the new witness did the job for Henry
White, and he was sentenced to seven years