The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-10


desires"
Witness.-"Let Mr.. whyte speak with respect your
HONOR
Mr.. Whyte then addressed the Court and objected to
the letter going to the jury evidence in the cause the
letter. he sad was not in the hand writing of Cropps but
written by man named 0'Brien, and signed l.. A. o.
Brien the initials M G. above Brien's name; there
is no evidence to show that Crops had any knowledge
Its contents or had anything to with the writing the
letter.
Mr. Gittngs-"There are two letters on the same sheet
of paper, that part signed by o'Bren merely post
crpt, the other part has the initials NJ signed it
Mr. Whyte argued against admitting the letter. he said
this letter sealed and stamped and handed out of the
cell by Cropps but not in his hand writing it is signed
L. A o. Bren and above this the initials NJ c. There
might have been man in that cell with the initials
he believed there there named Marion Cord
Suppose, said Mr.. Whyte, this letter written by
brien to entrap Crops; suppose oBrien told Crops
he had written to his Cropps counsel and sealed the
letter. and Crops hands the letter Atkinson to give
Barrett and Atkinson opens it. and finds it is something
which will crimnate Cropps it fair just to bring this
against the prisoner without proof that it is in his
handwriting that he knew its contents bring here the
evidence of the man who wrote it.
Mr.. Machen.-"I believe he is in the Penitentiaryn
hr. Whyte glad to hear that the man was in the
Pententay the State must that the letter in the
hand writing of the against whom it is to be used
suppose, said Mr.. Whyte that a clerk in banking
house and that bank is robbed and that the actual thief
would write letter and sign my to it, this letter
duplicating myself in the robbery could this letter be
used as evidence against No sir the State of Mary
letter.
Mr. Machen submitted that the letter was competent
evidence against the prisoner here is Marion Cropp said
he in his cell. message is sent officer from
Cropps the officer to Crops Crops hands him
thing don't what it is, it Crops with it,
primd fdce it comes from Cropps presuming it is not in
his hand writing it is brought home to him his
letter no matter who wrote it.
Mr. Cuttings contended that there nothing to show
that this letter written by 0Brien his is signed
to postscript while the bulk of the letter is signed
by the initials of the prisoner there is evidence to
show that 0Bren had possession the
that letter. put the defence to the proof OF its rreve
lancy. If OBrien, said Mr. Gttings had written tie let
ter, why did he not hand it to Atkinson, why make
Crops the letter carrier2 The letter which
ne one knowsof but Crops. If else wrote the
letter. it written at the dictation of the prisoner Mr.
Cuttings then spoke Of the zeal and interest manifested by
Crops in the delivery of the letter. and argued that the
letter the production Of the prisoner and submitted
that it was competent evidence.
Mr. Whyte again arose. and spoke at length against
the admission of the letter He said that 0Bren should
be upon the stand that facts in relation to this
ter should be got at there had been connection by
Crops with this letter. Ever since the commencement
of the trial. said he the prisoner has been presumed
be guilty the States officers have been
ed On December 6th the date of the letter. every man
and child in the city Of Baltimore conversant
with the details of Rgdons MURDER the prisoner has been
hunted down and anonymous letters written the States
officers bringing things to their knowledge which never
could have been heard of
Mr.. Machen said far letters concerned their
contents referred much to Corre they did Crops
Then, said Mr.. Whyte there is something else behind
all this unknown from whence knowled ge
obtained unknown hand directing the States Attor