New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-06-03
NETWORK TRIBUNE.
THE GREAT TORPEDO CASE.
K.amtua.ion OF one.Eyed Thompson.

William II. Thompson, was resumes TINS morning. I
before Justice Osborne, al the Halls OF sustlce'
great deal OF interest IL manifested In the case, ana
a MANY persons an the room would conveniently
hold were in attendance many Of them patiently
standing during The whole of The tedious prolixIty
az CONCENTRATIONS A long time was l0st Ia
waiting for prisoners counsel ar. Saith, IN consul
,stion. after he arrived between himself, MI camp
md the prisoner and in sUbpenaing witnesses.
THE fir,t witness called 20 the stand this morning
on the part Of the defense was ,
WiQ,am II. Th0mPsoH, the dslenaS Wn,L AZ Inc ;1e
easel am IS years old born In New-fcfki hVe
a. la1 caril,t Brooklyn am printer al nave
,o saw in regard TO the charge against me 49, tnaI
am "a innocent as any person ln TINS room can POS
sibv be that this charge 10 only preferred agaihs'
me by the guilty parties, for tue purpose Oh en-
h;ns them 10 escape justice; that could 60 iu,o
1slstion. II il woald benefit me, Of ny connection
u;th these parties, and which would show my IN
orcrca in connection with them, but as It would
occupy long time, and would not DC Necessary
refrain from doing so. The statements OF Mr. pen
nets witnesses are altogether iaIsei never M
such a conversation, or any conversation WIN
him NJ tho Kind testified 10 by his witnesses the
.a.,;,oony also of the Bird IS false IN lts iu
norts 10 the point that Acknowledged making ane
ffsrryino such box; 1t is not likely mat "Ooie
make such an admission when large re"a'u WIS
nasres for the detection OF the perpetrator eie
,.;t,ssses fIom Canandagua, believe, swear 10
that which they think they are Justified In stating
lint in the important particulars they are never
tbeess wrong; since the conversation they speak
M various statements from different sources, pup
6sbed. and probably verbal have improperly or IN,
-rar,Iy ;nAnenced them IN their impressions. i
don't know that have anything further to state on
Ere snhiect TINE above was then read to the
witness and he signed -,
-.Mr Smith stated that he proposed 10 prove .naI
diving The examination Of Miss b ennet and Miss
Cu,tin. Mr.. Bennett was in their sight and indica'
tod to them the manner in which {hey were %
snswer. that the theory Of the defense was TO
show that this prosecution was for the purpose Of
destroyine Thompsons influence In charges against
the really guilty ,..-.a..,;o. 81, a..
n,onosed Testimony in regard TO nodding to wit
nasses and pointed out the roles on the question.
A, TIE request of Justice Osborne examination
on this particular point was ior tne present de-
feyred. that be might refer to authorities.
''' Tyn.as Harner to whom the torpedo was sent,
,hsn sworu for defense.-I am counsellor at
law reside in New York the torpedo box In ques-
ton " A sent or directed TO me; TO the question,
" MID YOU ever have any conversation with Thomp-
-. ~ regard 10 making a torpedo box for you Z"
Nr phillips objected. The question was ruled IN
IV:,ne,s-Neyer and some of those who assert to
the contrary, assert that which they know to be
fs.e not excepting Horace +. Clark who is rep
resented to have said 90 In the Court oil Sessions
LIT Saturday when l was absent. QueSti0n-ln
,ha Month Of October last was there any hostility
~ fssl;ng between you and Thompson? aus
No nor At any other time l was the counsel of
Or Moffatt in November last, and have been tor
several years employed Thompson to detect per,
sons Who oounterfsited DR.. Ms labels employed
him for two or three years because believed him
comoetent for that business, and in order to afford
him mode Of obtaining an honest livelihood.
Cross-eramined.-Th box was delivered on the
morning Of the Sd Of May iirst saw IL on the 4tn'
the dsv on which ii exploded opened 1t myself;
Relieve Thompson was arrested on the 18th OF
Nav. I suppose il was on the charge OF sending
the box / had no hand in the arrest have heard
Tbompson speak OF having before made box to
terrify or otherwise annoy or inure some policemen;
think he gave some description OF the manner Ia
Which the box was made but it was some years
aso; he gave me no distinct impression OF the
manner OF its make, nor half as much knowledge
A. have unfortunately since obtained; do not
know how the box he told me OF was made;
have the impression that il was like those l
had heard Of in Europe; this is not the first
intimstion that have had that Thompson de-
elsred that he sent the box TO me; think Thomp'
son left Dr. Moifatts employ about the first OF this
year, am quite certaini he was In DIR. MS. employ
a the time or since the trial Of Drury spoke then
10 Mr. Clark about II; DIR. Ms oiice-lstoppedl l.
Never heard threats Of Thompson against myself or
family. except that after the explosion and after
about last September or October, when Mr.. Wilkes,
ofthe Police Gazette took up the discovery Of the
suilty parties and Thompson was engaged, as
UNDERWOOD, in that object. have understood that
he said very hard things of me and made use Of
threats against me- which, as was informed was
20 enable him to accomplish his object do not know
of Thompson's having been lettering near my house
previous 10 the explosion or subsequent, any far
ther than this; all the business we did Tor A'otfat
was transacted with me and at my Office and as a
general rule, Thompson was directed to see me in
the evening, because j was then most at leisure
and sometimes have found him waiting near by
Tor me.
Direct Resumed-The threats made by him
were not ia the "Rat Council" Thompson told
me he should say oil manner OF hard things about
me- and must not about il did not heed it I;
il wss after the Drury trial. or at ii, that heard
that Thompson had said that he made the box and
sent Il ct my mitigation.
George a. Gillespie s~orn-Am Policeman
was in Warmers Office; saw Thompson there; the
box was there, and I. and examined 1t; it was
soon after the explosion.
Cross-eramined.--Tb box was split on the top
have been much with Thompson; been Ia Mofat'
employ; never heard Thompson say who made ths
box ON the day OF the explosion Thompson ant
myself were there about twenty minutes after the
explosion; saw the Chief and aids come there
Thompson there stated TO me that he believed h
knew who made the box, and if he had the priv
leee given him he thought he could find who right
did make the box in twelve days, in comPan
with
Direct-He put me on the trdck Of person whor
he said he thought had made il and mentioned th
name OF the person; also who sent IL; more di
fering on the legality Of the evidence; no idrthe
questions were asked
Emanad Josephs was called, but was not pre-
sent
Tue defense said they could not close without hin
The Court then adjourned until this morning at
O'Clock.
CouNrprIAI Am M0NEY MATTERS