The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-12-17
Trial OF c. b. Huntington on a Charge OF
Forgery.

Trial OF c. b. Huntington on a Charge oi
Forgery.
COpRT or GENERAL SESSIONS.
Before Judge Cepron.
DEC l6-The People on The Complaint or Wm II
Hsybeck osaina G. 2. Hantingon for Forgery in tls
Third Dsree.-Tbe case Of c. b. Huntington, who has
been indicted charge OF forgery the third degree
and against whom twenty indictments have been
found by the Grand Jury, was brought up for tidal
this morning the Court Of Sessions. or hess indc
ments three have been selected and that founded his
alleged forgeries William Il. Harbeck will be tried
FIRST. Our readers have already been made familiar,
through the columns Of the Herald, With the crcum
stances attending the forgeries of which Huntington
stands accused and which amounted in the aggregate to
over half million OF dollars The special charge
which he s 10 be tried before Judge Cspron the
ing William H. Harbeck OF notes to the OF
o0Oo in the form Of collaeras with other checks ali
OF which have, II alleged turned out to be forgeries.
The prisoner brought into Court about eleven
O'Clock this morning His IMPRISONMENT appears to have
had perceptble effect his general appearance and
80 fer a. casual glance might determine, he does not
seem In the least depressed by tho poson In which be
placed. In fact his expression, far from denotIng
depression Of mind great anxiety of hopeful char
acter The Court crowded to excess, and the
greatec! interest manieaed Ia the prisoner They
crowded inside Of the ratings anxious get glance
him he eat beside bis counsel, AMI 30 pressing did
they become at last that the officers OF tho Court
obliged 70 keep them within their proper pounds
The counsel who appeared for the prisoner were
Messrs james T. Brady and John A. Bryan hle on the
part Of the prosecution were the District AZ oruey Mr.
Oakley Hall, VIM Curtis Noyes ana OK Recorder Tall.
msdge
The Court having been opened in due form, Mr. Bryan
said they ready TO 60 with the trial OF OF
those indlCtments The Court would recoec the Last
term there were twenty seven indictments brought in
against defendant and when the lear District Attor
pey moved 0f those for trial he request
ed TO specify OF the Indictments upon which the de-
fendant should prepare himself for trial but wAs npos-
sble 10 be prepared for trial at the last term He had
however, he Understood. selected three noctm n one
charging the intention 10 defraud Belden another tho
intention To deraud Hsrbeck and another the Intention
10 defrsud Bishop The circumstances In one of those
cares were peculiar and widely ceren. from the other
two, end hence became necessary to call upon Dis
rcs Attorney 10 specify which OF the three charges he
would Try He did mos DO So and counsel left with she
understanding that he was to be notified as to which or
the three indictments would be tried drst. Mr. Bryan
said that he alter took the trouble up TO New
burg, while the Baker Trial progressing, 10 learn
from Mr. Hall upon which OF Tie three indictments he
would have Mr.. Huntington tried. He then stated that
the Indictment charging the intention 10 deaud Charles
Belden would be tried frat ana particularly mentioned
,hst the indictment alleging Tho Intention TO dofraud
was entered into 10 The Of mis- senior ass,ate
(Mr. Brady rncy bad prepared themselves TO 60 70
'A accordingly, but we're not ready TO try any other
TIE Da,rict Attorney replied that NJ. B-yan must
have misunderstood him. for he had recollection Of
understanding OF the KIND named by hts learned oppo
nenr. Hehad given him notice that be would try three
Of the twenty seven indictments one alter the other
and, IN hs opinion, do not make tie sllch,es. dfe
which Of them was tried hrst BE propossd 10
| Try the Hsrbeck Indictment.
James I. Bfsoy ESQ the senior counsel Tor Hunting
ton sAid be could imagine no good reason Why the
dcsnent sing the intent 10 deaui 8slden shouid
be disposed Of drA he regretted that there should
have been misupc erstanaing between hEsed and the
District Attorney, Tor that gentleman had always
Quoted himfel win fairness and unusual hbersliy Mr.
Brady associate and himself certainly under tho
Impression that the Belaen Indictment would be tried
mat BY trying tsat case ttey would have full posi
ton OF III me is1ts ena sai saaa w,ald
be abb 20 ueteTu the true character OF Huntington
act whether he he'd committed tue crime OF forgery
not. A there enty indictments, and as
The fate OF Of t3ers might possibly mscr,sy affect
the disposition be made OF ali sLs others, Submitted
10 the Court and tho for the prosecution that IL
would be highly conducive 10 the OF tho people
as well a. Just 70 tho of tho accused that tae Bel
den indictment should be tried nst There we're peculiar
sssons, .ss',,o Sos Necessary Tor MN 70 Sise'o,e
the Court but not at all connected with any
peculiar advantage to the defence, why ina, Indictment
coton would certainly be very simple In pro
sentaton OF VI 10 the jury. They ndot for forge
~, they find forged ooucments In his possossou and
they alese ptsnded defraud ,onsb,dy their
cssc 20 iar rs the ccct exsmiLatoo goes, viii oocuDy
shcr time. Mr.. Brady had various deences IN Law and
In iaot the merit and oemert Of which would b passed
upon by his Honor and the jury; and should 40 hap
pen that Huntington would be convicted, tue legal
questions mnai GO disposed Of before nnai Judgment
aIr. Hall remarked that there wero several reasons
Why The Habeck indictment should bo tried before any
The Court ,ad that the District Attorney had charge OF
all the nciciinents ard be which the public duty
required hin TO Ly nrst lie could mol Interfere In The
W1he empannens Of tho jury ihsn p ocoe1ed with,
ErIest A. Hoshcr wss the nrst Juror s~orn 10
was accepted competent by Mr. Brady but cxcued By
The Court in consequence OF having been engaged Tor So
veral days In previous criminal cAse
Leonard b, LoyelAnd was challenged porcmp,orly.
Thomas NJ Lewis was challenges on principal cause sad
Joseph b Harris was The mex, juror called.
Mr. Brsdy requested that triers be appolr.ed. Alder
man Huntey, Of Brooklyn and Mr. Carpenter we're sp-
pointed 10 discharge thai duty.
Mr. Bsrris was chaersei on the principal cause, and
the challenge was susned
Questions ssd be had formed arpnion in regard 10 Hun
lnetons sunt He Vas, therefore, excused
Charles Groves was examined nj length by Mr. Rra-
dy The iriers declared bm 10 be o competent Jvror.
Harvey v hinnsry was sworn, and Questioned a. 70
whether bad formed or expressed an opinion in reie
renee 10 the gut Or innocence Of Mr. Hurtn on from
what appeared in tho nes spapcrs He said he hst not
and hence Was declared competent, and accepted By
counsel for the prsoner But he asEod the Court 10
cuse him from attending. - he suffered much from
chronic pain IN the knee; which request was granted
smon Farfar was chslens ed peremptoriIy.
John Moreypsnny was examined By Mr.. Bryan. The
uyere declared the chalenge true.
Morris ", Samuel wss duly examined and accepted.
He tcrged 10 be excused from serving Consequence Of
derinsss but the rdge AceLousy remarked that they
would rrn the risk Of his ears
fFcoeTck " fosstf was Chaifnken " nrs brA1y. hs
ehcr read heard Of the alleged forreries and came
10 the corclusion that where there much SMOKE
there must fire. that H. when many pieces Of
forged paper In huntingdon possession wAs very
likely that he bad romcshpr 70 do with forging OF
ihem. Mr.. Foster was declared competent Juror, but
challenged percmptory.
ssmuel Ktfman uss then called.
Mr.. B,acy-You heard about Huntington bcng arrest
ed Yee, cir; was In Europe Al the ilms and heard
great deal about in private circles. md you hear
said that be vas chsrgcd with cgre paper upon Phelps
Dodge Co. . rame2 Yes. Did you form any OPINION
to whether Huntington guilty innocent did.
You have that opinion nowi ] have. This gentleman
set aside.
PsuiD. Burbark wss sworn and challenged by the pro-
secutscr.
Mr. ball. Have yor formed or expressed an opinicpyn
reesrd 10 the guilt of Mr. Huntington the
charge OF passing forged paper Mr. Harbeck purror
Declared incompetent
Arthur Dorren observed tns he had formed opinion
about the guilt Of Charles Huntington and
sdded, sriphsiiosiy, q made up my mind"
w.. hair s,a ,rcl hv Ne