The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-16
Trial OF Jacob Shuster, alias Tom Hand, for
Stealing the Government Jewels.
Anrl

outside ar,
crowd had collected, to witness the termination OF
the legal proceedings The District Attorney brought
with him the pearls and diamonds in little glass bot
ties which examined by many Of those present.
Little groups standing in various parts Of the
room. talking the important matter pending. As
the Jury obliged to keep their mouths closed they
contenfed themselves with reading the of the
day Ten O'Clock is the hour for opening Of the court
but the Judge did make his appearance until half
past. when Officer Plumrell commanded, Hats OIL,
The JupGE-Open court, Mr.. Robinson.
The Crier did and the petit jury having been as
certained to be in attendance.
MIR KEY said-Call Nelson Stewart.
The JupcE-Call him at the door.
MIR KEY-Never mind sir.
Mr. RApcLrFE-Then you close. / will go on with
witnesses. Call Potts.
BAurF-Mr Potts!
MIR RADcLrrrE-Where are those letters!
Mr. Potts sworn.
The CoURT--What is his name!
Mr. RApcLrFE-George Potts. Pc double it's, sup
pose.
written to the President in December and February
last with to the restoration of the govern
ment Jewels; said that neither Of them written
by Shuster it not the style of writing he had
Witness in partnership with Anthony Shuster and
had received letters from the prisoner in relation there
He had the prisoner write as often Us fifty or
C;osseramined- Shuster wrote to witness in his
tura handwriting about his brothers. business and he
had seen him write in Baltimore and in Philadelphia
The CoURT-What is your business, MIR. Potts
MIR PoTrs-A coachmakcr.
The CoURr significantly -Nothing else!
Mr. PoITs-No sir
MIR RApcLurE-Yo can take your seat, sir.
Mr. NJ. THOMPSON recalled, and he said in reply
to question by MIR Radcliffe that he did not attempt
to initiate the writing, which imitation exhibited
yesterday He had merely the letters at distance
in court and had never seen Shuster's handwriting
MIR. KEY-Nlr. Radcliffe are you done!
MIR. RADcLrrE--We are through for the present. We
The ccouHr~They are not here! MIR. Key proceed
MIR. KEY for the United States, then addressed the
jury, telling them that it, from the testimony adduced
there be no doubt on their minds that the prisoner
committed the robbery, they must render verdict Of
guilty The distinguished counsel on the other side
had nfn ufpHt gQa fOrma n
crush this if the witnesses had sold themselves
to everlasting perditon, for the small sum Of fifteen
without particle Of evidence to sustain the charge
The letters written to the President OF the United
States, in December and February, and which were
proved to have been written by Sinister show indie
pendeny Of other facts, and concusvely the guilt of
this party They show by the prisoners admissions at
the jail that he the perpetrator Of the crime Mr.
Key reviewed the testmrny Of Witnesses to prove that
Shuster wrote the anonymous letters. Mr. Blaney put
on his spectaclcs and examined them. MI Carbide
The other don't spectaces,' u Mr.. Potts,
witness for the defence that Of the letters
had resemblance to the handwriting of Shuster
his witness did not turn the letter but
came in swore kissed the book and offered such testi
mony The letter might as well have been sealed up in
envelope and he swear to the writing inside, as to
swear in the manner he did. The witness cannot be
relied on. Put this in the scale with Blaney's
evidence, and it will have no weight whatever.
MIR. Atkinson that Shuster told him that the
National Police Gazette adnot much longer to live be-
cause wei had things fixed to take away from 1t it's
mainstay, viz: the government patronage This is
conclusive in tracing the letters to their proper
Mr. CARLIsLE-While you arc mailing, you will please
to state the evidence correctly. The witness said
"they had things fixed.
Mr Knr-He said "wen Mr.. Atkinson expressly
said that Shuser used the word "wc."
MIR. CARLIsLE-Oh, no!
MIR KEYlf the counsel will look at their notes. they
MIR RApcL,rrr-The Judge has notes. and 1t is so re-
ported in the papers.
me- 1t makes no diference-"they,' or "wc'
Mr.. CARLIsLE-Take it as it is
Mr. W. thnov 1off
Offering to give the jewels if the government would
take the printing of advertisements from the National
Shuster who therein acknowledges the arceny-hmself
the thief These my conditions, shows that he Is
Key spoke in relation to the testimony Of Jones, who
he said, stood in peculiar position" (Messrs Rad
clie and Carlisle laughed his did not seem to please
the District Attorney MIR. Carlisle said that they did
not laugh at him. but at the fact that Jones stands in
peculiar postiOn'l Mr. Key repeated that Jones did
tim of design and infamy his weakness wassimposed
and he made possess himself Of the property
of the government, which made of by Shuster
to extort from him than the value Of the things:
Every circumstance OF the casethe letters the previ
conduct Of the prisoner the testimony Of Jones'
show that his testimony is true When Powell brought
the gold to Jones he asked him Why do MT you carry
1t to the Bank and get 1t coined?" Powell said
do mt want you to get it out Of your possession
my possession Jones never having the anony
nous letters it is singular circumstance that Joness
testimony agrees with what is stated in them. Z" in.
ended said the writer the President to return the
articles but as not able to negotiate safely,
Il
Mr. KEY said that he was up all night he would ask
the privilege of the Court retire for short time
he took up his hat and went out The jurymen avaied
themselves Of the suspension of proceedings TO patron
ze the cookery establishment in the outer court and
shuser to talk to his wife and to partake Of the dinner
which she brought to him.
MIR. KEY, after interval Of twenty minutes, again
appeared in court, and resumed his remarks Captain
Goddards evidence shows that the prisoner in JAIL ad
mitted, in effect that what Jones said true Tho
proposition Of the Commissioner Of Patents Shuster
hat If he would plead guilty to the indictment and
hp In fynv i'm,
prsonment was made to Shuster in prison. and he
permitted first to consult his counsel before giving
answer. He asked Capt Goddard how can rely this
propostion'-must see my COUNSEL Is any thing
necessary to chow admission of his guilt than this!
lie did not, as MIR. Radcliffe said, indignantly repe
the proposition" An abi first spoken of by the
counsel for the prisoner but attempted be
proved The United States have proved that the rob-
berry committed the Sth of Nov last, and that
Shuster the thief If Shster not in Washing
ton at that time to rob- he could have procured wit
nesses from populous city like Philadelphia where he
resides to say that he then there but not
single solitary witness had appeared for this purpose
and why' because such witness could be found
Only two imateral witnesses testified for the defence
as to the handwriting.
MIR. RADCLIFFE, for the defence, (after calling for
glass OF water proceeded to reply to Mr. Key who he
said had endeavored to deduee argument from the
absence Of witnesses to offer evidence in behalf of the
prisoner. The learned gentleman remarked that he
did make effort get prove an alibi but
failed As to poor Potts the District Attorney had
deayored to destroy his testimony II that witness had
falsely could he not have as wel sworn to an ab
IT was an unjust mputation and ought to be rctraetsd
nstanter lie attaS ked Baney, Atkinson Kenouse and
Henry Jones as band combined to crush Shuster, OF
whose character he had not word to say This Blaney
had called on Shuster to do his dirty work to write
anonymous letter for him few years ago. A man is
known by the company he keeps. Would upright
man employ such an instrument, He would not con-
Wet even Baney such evidence Baney had offered
Baney faid, in his examination, that the December
letter came than the February letter Shus-
ters handwriting and Atkinson sworc that the Feb
ruary letter was the natural hand of Shustcr Here Is
direct contradiction He asked the jury whether they
had not seen enough to shake their confidence in the
testimony of all the witnesses, except Messrs. Burke,
Goddard, s. H. Stewart, Stott Lewis, and Warden! He
ascrbed the conduct Of witnesses TO the reward of
81 500 viii Webb get the reward-Webb by whose
fundamentally this cause was brought about !
This man, Shuster is to be made = scapegoat,
bear of the offences Of every body else The
reward, and the escape of the accompccs depend on
the conviction of the prisoner hen Blaney shown
The writing he said ii a trap but that IL looked
like Shusters when the fact is the lines were written
by gentleman (Mr. Thompson) who had never seen
Shusters writing This went toprove want of know