The New York herald., 1850-01-29
Brooklyn Police Court.
Before Justice Truman Smith.

$50 note, which had been altered from . genuine 81
note Of the Trsdesmen's Bank Of New York. with the
intent to utter the same ss true
The prisoner was brought into the court room yes
terdsy, at 10 O'clock A. M, attended by his counsel
Enoch c. Camp, Esq. H. B. Duryss Esq District At
torney appeared on behalf Of the people.
James Arlington Bennett sworn.-I reside In the town
OF New Utrecht, xings county; know the defendant
have been scq1Sinted with him few days before the
18th Of July last first saw him at No. City Hall
Place In the once Of Francis X. Byrne attorney; did
was at the iame place; was introduced to him by a
man named Ashley; the third time saw him next
in to U.. .os a s
in the country to Lett said had; he said he would 60
out and the houss; when Ashley introduced me to
and took the house at sloO while they there two
gentlemen drove up to the Office, and Thompson and
Office; he afterwards to the house, while he vas
there two bills in his possession: the first was
ten dollar bill Which he showed me after the arrest Of
r. l.; and Dr. Thompson stated to nae that it had for
mery been ST. and that he had altered 1t from one
tmes that he had made all the bills and that there
was perhaps no man In the world who possessed his
chemical powers; that he had supplied Ashley and
others with the bills the Bristol Bank with which
he had supported bis house In Collonade Row, Brook
yn he could psss these bills after the Bristol Bank
affair bad blown up, and that always when he travelled
when the next quarters rent became due he said he
was engaged in preparing new batch Of bills, which
stated that he getting dies engraving done
by Boyen, OF Broadway, which he (Boylen) did not
know the object OF Thompson vent to the East after
ward, rs understood; upon returning In about ten
days. he brought with him person whom he intro
duced to Field engraver, the greatest in
that line Of business have since learned that the
ergrsver's name is Charles Meadowe afterwards saw
bill in the possession OF Thonpson after the doctor
bad returned from where he had been he told me
that this same epgrayer was preparing batch of
bills. S5o's, Slo0s, and s500's, the rrsdesmens
Hank Of New York. on the arrest Of Ashley he said he
ha lad 10 tWO f-pl ats
ting presses, and his machinery for making the bils
on his return, asked him bew heiwas getting along
with that great issue for the Mississippi he then put
his hand in his pocket, took out bill opened 1t and
showed it to me- and said "ook at that" took it in
said 'it is good made 1t from ST.; it was $50
bill on the Tradssmens Bank Of New York. can't tell
the exact time; It was In august T or September he
vsnber or December last; Thompson said, "sn't IL
Well dope!n the bill gave me . most extraordinary
opinion Of the mans powers; Thompson stated TO me
days after this conversation, that the bill
good that there had been Of the batch passed at
itself afterwards saw the bill but it had been alter
ed IL had Its face the figure is, partly efsced;
called at the tailors shop out Of mere curiosity as
lend me $500; asked Mr.. Beers whether he had
net had $40 bill passed upon him; he said mo 1t was
ly alike that the BILL 1t about the time Of the
sof Drury, not far from the I'd Of November,
ron blew out upon me, joco,siy said had seen the
bill and sfraid-the whole family were afraid
after Athley was arrested, and Thompson and
steps a check on the Bank Of New York in favor OF
think, Moses Apthon or John Anthon, couldn't tell
which went to the bank and asked the Teller whether
there any account kept; he said mo- then showed
It to Thompson in the country and he said he could
put in false eye and 60 and draw 1t; his false
eye; he finally concluded. however as he was 40 well
known be would decline; to disguise the fact Of the
a, :; - ii. a. .sr s ,.t mad. sSs
con m unication of the forged bill TO MIR. Lott;
can't tell when IL was think 1t Was after his follow
Ing me cut on the lawn ana giyns me sss ne ~, kors
bad fellow the place; think told him that night
about the bill when he said. Be still and watch; by
the expression /" blow OUT mean the using Of bad
lasguage sc; returned home after the bill at
Beers and called to see Thompson joccsely told him
that had the bill when he called mo liar, and
ssid that had betrayed him; was In the rrsdesmens
Bank; IL IL banking corporation In Chatham Square,
ihink nsys seen ,,. Vn sneSs, ,s,sr ~ ~. nr.s.
Of my (he came to ths premses) that ne had
been indicted eleven times for offences against the
laws Of the State and had got clear BY his adroitne
he asked II had never heard Of him before; this
the fret Sunday after he took the premises ne
then stated that he distinguished man In bis
profefsop a. Vas In mine; this Dr. Thorn pson then
told that he had finished lot OF ten delisr bills on
the Bristol Bank, at his house.
The crcss examination was waived for the present.
Charles Lawrence sworn Il reside In New York; my
business salesman and cutter with Mr. Beers corner
Of Chatham and Streets lrst saw the bill the "a OF
last November sold coat for S4 did not know the
nan Who pres.nt.d the bill; IL is genuine 81 altered
n
Bank the bank Is banding Institution Of this State
the $50 genuine note has bulls head on IT, judge
this to be an altered bill by comparing With others
the difference i In the plate; James Arlington Bennet
called At MI Beers store ELK or eight days after TOOK
the bill; there was young man and boy IN q. the
time; showed him the bill he called ON me three
Cro.s eIsmined.-Think should know the man who
pssed the bill on me- he vas shorter stoutsr through
the shoulder and thin faced his hair rather dark
should think he WAS aged about 3s years he vas
dressed in blue froek coat dark pantaloons and had
on hat; he WAS In the store sbout ten or fifteen MI.
nues he boush, drab oyercoat for sl3 and the shirt
OF drawers (uernsey white) VI morei there was no
Bros. WAS in the store and sold the coat be handed
the bill 70 me- be fret accosted the young man sna
conducted the chief part Of the con,ersation' re.
ceiyed the bill and gave the chaDge Thompson is not
the man that passed the bi put mark on the bill,
and put II in the drawer discovered the fraud imme-
change changed nj. vas sf,.r sen. il out; am po.Iiv. IL
IL the Identical BILL the boy was gone about ten or
fifteen minutes; Mr. sspnst called .bout eight dsys
second time the third time he called two days be-
fore he arrested did not know Mr. Bennet before
stsn dollar counterfeit bin passed u.s. tod him
there vas not; told him that bad taken 500 PHI
seen /, before: e. nr.s ala not know him (Nr By
thought he would be able TO ds,ectth. man.
Mir Bennett further tsthed that he was sirty-one
years OF age formerly lawyer but for the last twenty
four years farmer had been worth property since
December 31, 1874 except . conditional deed made
by his niece, which ha. sinc. been destroyed his
wife died december 8, Isss, at about which time he
destroyed the will; made complaint against Thom p
the day before he arrested and before he kne
that there was . complaint against himself he sav
pewspaper In John Apthonfs once, stating that ne
Bennet, vas charged with forging . mote Of 5000
against Foster but paid attention TO H. u Vas after
thst called on Mr.. Duryes, snd hckeou, and Judge
Smith. Mr.. Bennett swore that he did not charg
Thompsop sner he the report asd before he made
the complaint with trying TO mplicats him In the for
gerry and told Mekeon that Thompson he'd tried
piicate him In the forgery but since he made the
he had preferred that charge against Thomp-
| son; he vas first introduced 70 Thompson In Mr
| Byrpe's ofhce in New York; has knovn Mr. d. sincs
1S4s r Byrne did his Law busness for him more than
ayesr ago; he had kno~n Ashley for two years. never
had any business With him except TO get him 70 borro~
| money for him; never had forged check or note
drsvn By John Apthon and endorsed By Harper
Bros A,hlsy visited his horse but once, and that
vas With Thompeop; Bepnet borrowed set OF Ashley
| at the place where Drury and Thompson meet; tbs
money vas obtained to ibsure bis cons buildings on
the farm he esid he did net know that Ashley vas
had before he obtained the loan he heard ths
| Re vas srrestsd on o charge Of passisg counterfeit
money; and his Impressions IRON what he hears we're
that Ashley vss bad man Mr.. Bennst further teeti
| fed thst Ashley requested him 70 do bim hvor 81
ssyirs that he IB bad received tome bills OF son'
psrsops In o legitimate business snd given them y
him (Ashley) In good faith, which Mr Bennett ssid n
decinsd Bepnet said that he did not give him an an
| rrft ia gcf uon this cOuversattcn will