, 1860-12-15
The Rock Island r. r. Bridge
Conspiracy Case.
Recorder Court nj tbs ci.y of Chicago -Reca7dc-
Wilson, PrsEding.

opening argument Of N1r. &faven for
the Prosecution.
Recorders ceuTt :f tAs fl:ye5gh5oago
THE PEOPLE vs.. J. W. BISsELL.
MORNING SESSION.
TESTIMONY or TIE OFFENCE.
Mr.. .McALL1sTrE read to the jury the minutes
ffo1n the Clerks docket showing That v. F.
Chadwick moved fur a separate trial, which
was agreed to by the Stato's Attorney.
Objected to by prosecution Objection over
ruled.
Henry FARNAM: svozn-E.an4in<zl ~ u.
-Nc4Nister.-RcsIde in Chicago: have Lesn
President Of the Rock Island Railroad CoI1-
rany SINCE 1s54; | built the road; witpces
Rock Island Railroad Company aad the l!rsdse
t,on,,sny. which the defence proposed to olier
In evidence. =.
Counsel lrr the prosecution objected to their
admission, on the ground that they we're mere
coniics;n 1
nate diisent search for the original contracts.
The contracts show that the bridge i. owned
and controlled by tile Rock Island and afissis-
sippi and Missouri Railroad Companies.
Mr. NcAL11sTER proce~.leti to argue TINT
there was no such corporal ion In existence ~
the Bridge Company. Aecr a lengthy arsu-
ment on both sides, the 'Co1rt decided tI:t
the copies Of contracts we're inadmissable rs
evidence. Exception taken
Counsel then offered certified copy of tA,
decree nf the Judge IF tic Circnit Cont of
1owa, declaring that the weat end of tine b.i],o
was built without authot;ty, and common
public nuisance This es ldencc was offered
I" show that the defendant had no motive 10
burn the bridge, rs tllc Court had already Of.
dcrcti thai it he removed
Objected to by the Prosecution.
The Court decided to admit it As testimony.
ticated.
Mr. Ksoz-Does the Court hold that II a
man Is Indicted for adultery it would be pFn-
rerr to prove in his behalf that lie had good
wifi. at ho!ncs ::
Tnr CorRr-Thc Coart might hold tl,.,:
that If a man were indicted for ,,sin. instr,,-
,nen.s Of any kind it wor1i be proper to prove
he had HOT got them. However, nron this
point the Court will defer 70 the knowledge or
counsel.
Mr.. KSox.-Ah, sir: I have entire conf
dencc in the opinion o{ th: Court upon tuca
matters.
.Ts'nes Hooker srorn-E1amfnod by If. NJ
-aHiteT:-Rcs!tlc in Rochester, NY; am hr,,-
ther-in-law Of Hi.scE; lie WIS in Rochester on
the 18th Of July, abnnt noun: hare Travelled
from st. Louis to Rochester; the journey
takcs rs much as twcnt s. -four hours; at least
that; am positive l saw him on the 224itf or
.fuly; know Mr. Bissclt's sani iwritiny; have
been acquainted with Eisse!E twenty years: I1e
was my partner in burintss about one year;
have since occupied AL office with him during
another year: have seen linn write a}n,cst
every day during the lattcrperiad; the l,an,!-
writing on tic back Of this envelope (So. ~
+ v:ry similar to his handwriting, b:s diGer:
som :yliat.
Ciosv-t17n;7ation.- -Cou6uetff by Mr.. Kxo::..
Il made memorandum of'tl,e date when he
was i'll Rochester, at Mr.. Eiescll's request. ca
TIC 33tl 1T August: nv memory was yerT
clear at the time; I fix it in my mind from the
day of the week and the .imc Of day when
first saw him on the 18th O. July; anl in the
nurte:y business; when Hissell WAS my rar;-
ner ht furnished the m0ncT for onr business
he WIS also at thai tine in the Insurance hus;-
nets, and nof1cy-''-okcr; that WAS eleven
wears ago; wc ot1iccd Together in 1857: he WIS
in the brokerage husines4 up to that time;
ATE. That Superintendent of buildings, Al
architect and ciyf3 engineer: he WAS t.c en.i-
nccr Of tlc the SH*rcnsion Bridge at 1:ochr=-
ter, and supezintenttcd The putin: up Of tire
structure: the bridge s:netl about one vcar
and then fell f7o1:, lie wcis,t Of heavy fall #
snow.
Q,ux.in-1yas Bissel e3cr inflicted IN Ro-
cllcstcr for obtaining uorFy under false pr
te1ess' 1Ss:ir,of oe}sstsS ;s led ts; Snd;a -:
Direct examination rrsun'n3.-DisseN's family
has resided in Rochester since he went to ST.
Louis; hc visited them from time to time.
.}p<ia5 EfsscR, II. kstorn.-EEatntnatfo hy 3fr.
WALKER--Thc defendant is 1ny father: It took
e or p hours for me to conc to this city; nv
father was in Rochester, July eth; he arrived
in the midnight preceding: this was on Atn1,-
Il e ,ifr3,f Trn T
it distinctly; subsequently male \ meme
rananm Of it. about three weeks afterwards.
ctoss<zamination by III. Knoz-3fy father
wrote to mr. mother requesting me to MAKE
the memorandum 1oo't think any date was
mcutioned in The letter; ! hive rncmor7n-
Tas made; I wrote It down in Rochester:
none Of the family .vcr- unwell while my f.
thcr waa there; he lift on the 7th Of Aucns:.
HH. WALKER-Dia you not 20 hunting on
the morning Of the 9Th Of August, before your
father got npe
Eisxsl-I did, and when returned he was
gone.
tr.--Au1 in no business At present; was con
suctor last summer On the St. L., 4. &; C.. r.
r: It takes ab,ut 9, hours to 70 from Saint
Louis to Rochester via the St Louis. Alton IL
Cliraro. Michigan Southern and New York
Central r. r.
tFp13EL13Hl1dt10H ~ llfF. hHot-t1aTEnETef
bccn to Rochester: have hetn as FIR as BntE,-
10; Il takes about g or - hours to 70 fron1
St. Louis to Buffalo; think the shortest route
is via Terrc Hautc.
.]oha Nrhoac;, snor7,.-Ercm;7.5 by .Mr. n
.tN;Arr.--On the 2tsl Of July. 1SCo. hv an or,
.ler left on i book in the Office cf the Z. s.
Express ca. on the n. f. corner Of 2t1 anil
Walnut ste., in St. Lot,is, went to the house
Of E. Sanders, and got bog of ahout a me-
tliun, size; there is a memorandum book EcI.
in the office; check the good. when talcit
srum the hook and again when bring the
goods to the Office; I did no sec tue order
made: can swear that the orlcr WIS writ
scn on that date; it Is INF s1usyto examine tho
honk every taay and sec that the orders arc
brought to the of11ce.
Crussf1a,nination Iy W. Ccok.-Mr Sanders
!crfs drug fto:c; suppose he IS chemist:
l gut til. box fFnrl the drug store: don't
snow who tho order camc from on the book
I don't know rho wrote it. THE nrtler book
was here produced by Mr.. McAtll5ter, and
identified By witness and the entry read to the
jury I did not know Bisscll at that time;
never knew him until came to Chicago.
The entry was. rs follows: "E. Sanders,
y. f. corner or Second aud Wa1nut-occ
box"
N7!ness-I went for The box in the afternoon;
executed The orders in the order Of couvcn-
icrce OF localities.
To Mr. kSox-Tl,e drug store is neither
small or large one suppose it to he rcsY.rct7-
bl': ii Is pretty nice looking; / got the o7t3rr
book from one Of the employees Of the Emitted
State: Express Company; think his Harnc is
Cranlall; l have never seen ~ 1cll have tho
book.