Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-04-10


sworn to by his deputy, and will hang him.
See here"
The clerk opened his desk, and took from it
small box. committed to his custody for pro-
duction at the trial of the accused, and poured
Its contents into the hands of the apparently
wondering Counsellor.
Costelloe examined them, piece by piece,
with the most intense interest, turned and re-
turned them in his hand, and again regarded
them with the concentrated attention of a Jew
money-changer. The scrutiny lasted So long
that the clerk manifested impatience. At
length CostellOe restored them, observing,
The fellow has undone himself
What fortunate foresight Was it not,
Counsellor?'
Providential, as you just now properly re-
marked. Never was proof more clear"
After few words further on general SUBJ
Jects, the Counsellor left the Office, with mind
seemingly disengaged That evening his oon-
hdential clerk and secretary was seen to 90 on
board Liverpool packet which lay at Sir John
Rogerson' s quay, and sailed half an hour after
wards.
Some weeks later the prisoner was brought to
trial at the Commission court, Green street,
aud In the presence of as numerous an audience
as had ever been cOngregated in it. As usual,
the counsel for the accused sat Immediately i'm
front OF him. On one side Of Costelloe was
placed his clerk, with whom in the course of
whose hat was on the table before him on the
other hand of Costeloe was the attorney of the
prisoner. When called upon to plead, the un-
Fortunate man, at the bar, with much emotion
exclaimed Not guilty" With solemn as
severatlon he added that the rouleaux of coin
tarthIngD found in the safe were those which
had existed there for years and formed part of
''the rest, as he had been given to under
stand; and he had received them from his pro-
decessor at the value indicated BY the ticket
attached to each packet. He had never opened
them.
Costelloe cross-examined, but only slightly.
the witnesses who deposed to the preliminary
facts At length came the turn of the deputy
cashier, who swore that he had freq uently seen
In the chest the Identical ten Dutch pieces of
gold which the Counsellor had 20 curiously ex-
amined at the Crown Office, and which the wit
ness now again identified
AT this testimony Costelloe looked serious
Inc examination in chief of the deputy cashier
oelnS over, and no movement made by CoStel-
l0e, who seemed deeply absorbed in thought
the counsel for the Grown was led to believe
that no cross-examination was intended, and
accordingly told the witness that he might 20
down.
Stop a moment, young man. said the
counsellor, rising and with an abstracted and
vacant gaze; stop moment. have uues-
ton or two to ask you on behalf of my unhap-
his life was placed, began to weep bitterly
The witness reseated himself, and Costelloe
went on " And so, sir, you accuse your friend
Of robbery?'
. am sorry that my duty compels me to
give crimnatory evidence against him.
No doubt, no doubt. His conviction will
gain you step, eh -
preston, and with such view, that gave my
testimony 30
g Certainly do'
A murmur of disapprobation ran through
The court at this insult to the witness The
counsel for the prosecution looked towards the
bench for protection. The judge, however, did
not interfere, nor did he reprove the warmth
with which they exclaimed against the "inde-
cent insinuatiOn of Costelloe towards g. witness
whose testimony, from all that appea red, could
not be impugned;H - but his iordship evidently
looked with interest TO the development of Coz
telloe's motive, knowing well that he would
not have committed an indecorum 50 powerful
without some powerful secret reason. The wit
ness himself, disappointed at the failure of the
counsel for the Crown to interest the court in
his feelings, became red with Indignation. Of
these circumstances C0steloe took no notice
but proceeded
. And so you swear, sir, that those identical
pieces of gold in your hand this moment
Where are they ~ he asked rudeIy of the SOL
handed to the witness, and Costelloe resumed
" And 20 you swear, sir. that those identical
pieces OF gold in your hand were in the prison
ers keeping now mind, you are on your
oath 10
Il do swear it''
Hand me those coins SIR" said Costelloe.
In tone that expressed rage and fury The
witness complied, and handed them to the
counsellor, who looked upon them with dismay.
Inc witness was triumphant The prisoner
trenbled. The court was hushed Costelloe
sighed.
- fou have sworn positively, sir" said he,
= and 1t Will be we'll for you, if truly. Here,
sir, take your blOod-InOney.'' lie stretched
out his hand, with a countenance half-ayerted.
rs with disgust; and, missing that of the wit
ness, let fall the mass into the hat before him,
by the sheerest accident in the world. % 1 beg
your pardon, sir, for my awkwardness," said
CoStelloe to the witness; the only approach to
civllity he had as yet manifested towards him.
Then, putting his hand into the hat and taking
up single piece, he said:
. lou persist in swearing, sir, that this piece
of money, the property OF Mr.. Gleadowe, was
In the prisoners custody? Now mind, sir,
none OF your assumed contempt"
. L mean nothing of tho kind, sir"
Then why look it? Recollect that YOU are
swearing away this poor mans life Do you
still say, fellow, that this piece of money was
III the keeping Of the prisoner
The witness, brow beaten and bullied, be-
came more irritated. He took the dueat into
his hand, and scarcely deigning to glance at it,
said; - swear it ="
"And this also ?' sad Costelloe. taking up
another one, and presenting it to him
and that also?'
And this?"
Yes"
And this, and this. and this ?" said the
knave, producing from the hat, in succession,
twenty other pieces Of a similar kind
The witness was ror-stricken, his hair
stood on end. Th- counsel for the Crown
looked blank; the judge family smiled The
case was abandoned, and the robber saved
The affair was quite simple 1t will be rec
objected that Immediately after his scrutiny of
the ducats at the Crown Office, which enabled
him to fix in his memory their dates and eff
gies, Costelloe returned home; and that in the
evening of that day, his confidential clerk
sailed tor Liverpool, the least observable of
routes. On arriving there the man went by
mail to London, and thence by Dutch packet
IN X Otta bo g