The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-05-25
NO. 90.

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was made Of Stevensons room at the
Washington Hotel, and in his trunk
was found the undersigned receipt before
mentioned. About this time and before
Stevenson and Parker were brought over,
letter signed "Jizajcc," " or al Ffjend Of
Beaj GJeea," was received by one oE
our police officers, stating, If further
search were made Of Stevenson's room
81, 900 the remainder Of the money, might
be found. The police paid no attention
to it, thinking it only a joke. A few days
after, \. E. Brown, Esq, received a SIM
liar letter. Mr.. Brown, accompanied by
Esquire Buck, repaired to Stevenson's
room, in the Washington Hotel, after
making search found the 81 geo in 500
bills on the Farmers and Mechanics
Bank of Faston, in the closet, wrapped
up in some paper and placed between the
leaves of lrage book. How this mon
ey got there was a mystery, as it was IN
probable that Stevenson would have put
it there before be left; and after be was
arrested, it was not in his powor, even il
he had it and desired to place it there
Parker and Stevenson, about the 10Th Of
Deccmber' were brought here and lodged
in Jail, where they remained till tried
Circumstance upon circumstance accu-
mulated against FIELD, LACHENoCR and
DEcH; and few days after this, they
were arrested and gave bail for their ap-
pearance at the next sessions. At Janu-
rY Sessions an Indictment was found a
gainst Field, Lachenour, Dccb, Stevenson
and Parker Their trial was continued
until April term. The defendants en-
ployed Garrick Mallery, of Philadelphia,
\. T. Brown, Peter Ihrie, NJ. IL. Jones,
O. II. Myers, s. G. Cook, VI. II. Mutch-
Ter and Samuel j. Cooley, Esqrs. The
prosecutors A. H. Reed9r and Il. d. Max
well, Esqrs. They commenced the trial
Of this cause on Wednesday the 10Th Of
April and it lasted until Thursday the
( Ilth of May. Stevenson plead guilty to
the charge and the other four not guilty.
. Stevenson was offered by the Common
wealth as a witness and was objected to
by the Counsel for the defence. They
produced IN imperfect record Of the con-
victiou and sentence Of Stevenson, Of q
similar crime, III Washington county, Pa,
to incapacitate him as witness, and on
( account Of its imperfect and mutiIated
state, was not admitted After a long
and able discussion of the question, Ste
venson was allowed to testify. He un-
rayelled the whole case from beginning to
end, and told all the notwithstanding
time and place of the occurrence Of al
most every material circumstance. lie
was corroborated by other witnesses in q
great number of particulars. He was
subjected to very long and rigid cross
examination and at the end, stood uncon-
tradicted, except in a few immaterial cir
cumstances. The defence adduced wit
nesses to contradict Stevenson and to
prove an al5jj rs to Field and Lachcnour,
but failed. They also adJuccd many
witnesses to prove that the general repu-
tation of Field, Lqchenour and Dech, for
honesty and fair dealing, was good. To
rebut this, the Commonwealth called Z
few witnesses. and, by some, proved the
contrary. Old Benjamin Green was cal
led and after brief argument Of the case
it was thought that his mind was too far
spent and his memory impaired by are
to bo able to relate any Of the circum-
stances and therefore was not admitted.
This was one of the most exciting and
in some respects the most important trial
that ever before took place in this county.
No criminal case ever occupied so long 4
time in its investigation. Over one hun
dred and ninety witnesses were examined.
No legal learning was spared, and but
few cases Of the kind, anywhere, has Lecn
conducted on either side, with more zeal,
learning and ability. Hon. Garrick Nal
lery, at the head ofthe Philadelphia Bar,
Hon, \. f. Brown, admittedly one of the
first criminal lawyers in the State, and
the Hon Peter Ihrie, equal te either as a
civil lawyer, did their utmost for the de-
/ fence; and they were confronted by Max
we'll and Reeder, and found them their
equals The case was tried with great
patience by the Court, all possible latitude
was given counsel or either side, no point
was raised that was not ably argued by
counsel, and deliberately decided by the
Court The Court gave the jury very
impartial charge Of about an hour and a
half, and they returned in about ) hours
with verdict of guilty against FIELD
and DEcH in manner and form as they
stood indicted, and a verdict Of guilty a
/ cainst LACHENoUR on four counts OF the
Indictment. There being no evidence a
gaist PARKER, by direction of the Court,
he was discharged by the Jury, at an
early stage of the trial; and on Friday
last was discharged by proclamation.
The Defendants, except Stevenson, were
all wealthy. Lachenour is said to be
worth one hundred thousand dollars, and
Field is worth, perhaps, the one fourth OF
that amount They have been made an
example to all others in like case offend
ing, and we trust that all others, in eve
ry condition of life may profit by tt
/ Easton throughout tbis ease, has been
Il II