Minnesota weekly times., 1855-11-03
THURSDAY, NOV. l, 1855.
Graid Rergssy Case-Citizens Of Minnessseanseress
sA ed-.A Lesson for the Future.

t.e
II 10 well known to most of our readers, that
early in the Spring several spruce looking
young men came to our city and occupied their
leisure hours in running the Bank of Messrs
Borup & Oakes, Dragging about town that they
would break it, &c. At that time we took oc-
casion to alluds to their conduct as remarkably
silly and childish, but did not suppose that the
sequel would prove that one of them was a
rascal; but Judging from what has already
transpired, we are led to such conclusion-
Hall and Wilcox, to whom mention is made in
the article which follows, are residents of St.
Anthony, and bear excellent reputations.-
Rorison boarded at the American House, and
for aught we know is an honest man, but if we
are to take the testimony Of Belden these men
are both rascals, and deserve places in the Pen.
itentiary. We give the material portion of
Belden's testimony, believing it will be interest,"
ing to most Of our readers. The report is ta-
ken from the Detroit Daily Advertiser of Octo-
Der "a, and the testimony was not all in. when
the personswho gave us the paper, lef. Detroit.
The FORGERY CAsE.-This case against John
Lee Rorison tand Denny M. Hall, was finally
brought to an examination this morning before
Justice Cicotte. Messrs. II. D. Terry, D. Staurt,
and VIM. Gray, appeared for the pro ecution, and
G. V. n: Lothrop, and Ii. Nj. Cheever, in the de-
| fense.
Edgar Belde,, sworn reside in Detroit !;
! know the defendants-- became acquainted with
Rorison in Dec. last, and Hall in May; saw Ror-
son first at his fathers residence Ypslan !;
first saw Hall on the boat on the Mississippi on
the way to St. Paul, Minnesota; Rorison lived
| in Minnesota last May with his family, but wheth-
er he does now or not don't know. CThe ex-
animation was here suspended and the one draft,
four protests, and one letter, taken fro the per-
son of Rorson at the time of his arrest by officer
A. w. Sprague, was produced by Mr.. S. and hand
ed to the Court.) The draft was dated Detroit,
Sept. I'd, 1855, and called for ST, 900 payable at
sight, payable to the order of John Lee Rorison,
and numbered A.. 1t is signed E. Belden & Co.
The protests were then read-all dated New York,
Sept. 18th, two draft numbered 4S, for 81 800,
two on draft numbered 49, fer 81, 500, for non
acceptance, and addressedto E. Belden & Co., as
makers and Rorison as endorser. Two drafts
were also submitted dated Detroit, August 25th,
one numbered 40, for 81 500, and one numbered
4S, for 81 900, made payable to the order of ID.
| NJ. Hall at sight, at the Metropolitan Bank, n.
York. No. AZ is endorsed by Hall to d. Morri-
son, by Morrison to Geo. Woodman, and by A. X.
Rogers, Woodman's Attorney, to the American
Exchange Bank These were taken from the
person of Hall when arrested. Two protests da-
led New York, Sept. 10th, directed to Hall as
endorser, and E. Belden Co. for the non pay
ment of the drafts were then put in. Also two
notices of protest for non acceptance, dated New
York, Sept. 7th, for the same drafts. A letter
dated New York, August, Both, signed E. Bcldcn
s Co., directed to Hall, was then offered in evil
| dence. 1t was postmarked Chicago. Another
letter was also offered, dated Detroit, Aug. 25th,
directed to Hall, and purporting to be signed by
E. Belden. Two copies of drafts were also put
in, sworn to be true copies of the originals, by
Carlos Wilcox, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and
by him received through the Post Office. They are
dated Detroit. Sept. 10th, for ST. 500 and $500
| respectively, and purpOrt to be drawn by E. Bel
| den, and j. Lee ROrison and directed to Winslow,
Leechy & Co., SO Wall street, N. Y, to the order
OF Carlos Wilcox, made payable at sight, and
Reimbursed. These papers were all taken from
the person of Hall at the time of his arrest
The examination of Mr.. Belden was resumed.
The drafts dated August 25th, Nos. 4S and 40
were shown him, and be asked if he had ever
seen them hefOrc-said he had. Saw them for
the first time two weeks ago last night about four
miles from Detroit, on the cars of the Central
Road while going west. Hall had them and he
showed them to me; was in their custody at the
time, under warrant purpOrting to issue from
the Governor of this State on a requisition from
| the Governor of Minnesota. Rorison also ex-
hibited to me the draft dated Sept. Cd about five
minutes after Hall showed me the others; Hall
and were talking together shortly after the cars
started; l told him there was something very
wrong about this matter and would like to know
what it was; | told him thought there was a
damnable conspiracy got up against me, and
suspectedit when l saw Mr.. johnson come up to
the outside of the cars, while they were standing
in the depot and put his hand up to his nose i'm a
peculiar way; Hall said he didn't see that, if he
had he would have gone out and kicked hmI told
him he was getting himself into deep trouble and
referring to draft which Rorison had shown me
| at the Larned House, said that it was forgery
and r. knew it, and believed he (HalD knew it;
he then said he had lied to me about these drafts
as he had some himself, and added with reference
to the plans by which they had got me into custo-
dy, that he had lied to me more that day than
he had ever lied before in all his life; he first
spoke to me about the drafts at the Michigan Ex-
change; asked him where Rorison was--that he
seemed to avoid me, and that wanted to see him;
he said Rorison did seem to shun me and he wan
ted to set together for he would like to have
have a talk; then mentioned receiving some no.
tice of protest on drafts and also a letter from
Rorison stating that he had received some drafts,
and | presumed that was the reason he avoided
me; he said he had no knowledge cf the drafts
whatever; we went from the Exchange to the
Larned House and there we saw Rorison standing
| on the opposite corner; | asked Hall to 20 and
get him to come over as wanted to see him; be
| went over and talked with him about FIVE minutes
.and they came over together; Hall said s'can't we
20 into private room together" said that was
useless-we could say all we had to say there;
then told Rorison had received bis letter ac-
knowledging the receipt of some drafts and that
knew nothing about them, and asked him if he
| did; he hesitated for moment and then said he
got letter which he supposed came from me and
which had some drafts in it; asked him to pro-
duce the letter and he handed out letter contain
| ing a draft: 1.-THE letter was here produced in
Court; IL took them I'D, read the letter twice and
| also tho draft, and then asked him where he got
them, to which he replied that he got them out
of the Post Office at st. Paul and supposed they
were from, me; l then took his letter from my
pocket and holding the three up together, l said
to him, "who do you suppose wrote those pa
pers 7" to which he replied he supposed did,
then responded that did not, but he had and that
the similarly of the handwriting of the three doc
uments was plain, and that a jury of twelve men
would hang man on such plain evidence; he re-
piled ,'thats cool, and left the room Hall said he
had to urge him very hard to get him to come over
at all.
Then was arrested and taken upon the cars
just before we left the Hotel, Hall said he knew
nothing about the drafts it was all these cireum-
stances to which Hall referred on the when he
said he had lied, &c., he showed me there while
on the cars the drafts to which have alluded
looked at them carefully and pronounced them a
| forgery asked him what reason could have to
send him drafts---I owed him nothing and he owed
me SO 900, 81 500 of which was secured by bond