The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-09
IMPORTANT FROM HARRISBURG.

| Court-Bev. Alvey II. Rutnn, of CoIum-
! biR County the next Case.
HARRISBURG, Dec. 3, 1854
Tho cases Of WILLIAMs FIELDING ana THoMP.
soN, tried before tho Commi SION here as Rebel
stles, were concluded this afternoon and the court
| Is now about denberatng tho evidence. or
course ts decision cannot be certainly known until
/ the orders OF tho command nq general touching tho
cases are pubishedi but there good grounds tor
supposinP that at least ono OF the prsouers, WIN
| thompson, has beon adjudFcd guilty. While thero
are circumstances which must mitigate the offenses
/ OF WILLIAMS Tor rather WuDEYl and FIELDING.
these very circumstances have served to more firmly
/ iasten guilt upon THOMPSON In my despatch OF
last night related the strange dcveo pmcnts made
| In tho case OF " WILLIAMS" on tho arrival
! of Detective WrLDEY. How THOMPSON had
asserted that no could prove by WILDLY
| that no boarded with the latter just three woeks
| prior 10 his arrest tho Cumberland Valley Rail-
| road. Although this was no loss than tho fourth
contradictory story the part Of 1HoMPsON the
Judge Advocate determined TO give him every
opportunity 10 prove his innocence and therefore
despatched to tho address named by Thompson.
The result OF all TINS was, that when WILDLY ar.
rived here, he distinctly denied ever seoing or know
ing THOMPSON who then asserted in turn that n,
mistaken in his man and did not intend TO send
for WuDEY. The most sins gular part in this dramt
s the recognition Of WILLIAMS by WuDEY, as his
son WGLFBED W1LDEY, who had been missing from
homo for some five years. Ibis appears tho moro
interesting, nasmuch that alter trial of over
two weeks in duration, when il was supposed by the
Court that the testimony in tho cases had been
closed one of tho prisoners sends for a witness who
when he arrives declares he does not know this
quOndam friend, but on turning around suddenly
ana Unexpectedly recognizes another tho prisoners
as his son, who in turn presents a cold shoulder
TO the first applicant with whom he has been assO-
ciated, protesting not TO know him. The son at
first refused to recognize his father but when his
mother appeared upon the scenc hrs natural and
maternal affections conquered his cauiionary in
stincts and he comics cd to the relationship. There
Is evidently very interesting story connected with
this very complicated affair, Here is opportunity
for q second Every Hard CASH" on which another
CHARLES READE might work up another hrst-class
novel for the HABPEB's The plot is as deep laid rs
the romancei might desire. There are adventures
and hair-breadth scapes in abundance. There are
the Rebel spy and tho Government detective IN the
plot. There are civil war and numborlo3s Water.
| loos to depict. plot not unworthy he genius OF
| VICTOR HUGO. The characters are marked aud de-
! cdcd. There IS insanity, hereditary insanity per.
haps mad-houses and ylanios, which indeed,
not unworthy the philanthropic genius OF READR.
who shall unrayol this mysteryS
Mr. and Mrs. WuDEY were called on TO testify in
Court to-day and present below the evidence ell
cited. Young WILDEY, alias Williams, whispered
to the guard yesterday, GLOW is my agoing to
turn out since my daddy las Gomez" He is rather
anxious now, whereas before nc seemed unCon-
cerned as to his nte
THoMPsoNis is now, how ever, by far the most scared
OF the three These unexpected developments have
seriously alarmed him. lie was much chagrined
when Mr.. WILDEY faied to recognize him. lie has
made no defens statement prior TO the clearing
OF the Court Tor dcliberation up pon the evidence.
Detective Omcer Elisha IL. Widey, Sworn.
reside at No. 24S East Thrte,h street. New York
city am a police officer, employed N he New York
City Int lgence Othce, in which capacity have
served Tor seven years; ] know the accused; he IS
my SOM he Will be nineteen years old In February;
he left Iome lour five years ago; he had q home
several tim before when he was small boy, and |
was once brought back by an ac4uaiEG nc' and
raj times by myself; IN mental capacity hc has al
WAYS been deficient, which have no doubt what
eyerIs the cause OF his erratic from infancy;
at times he has appeared bnght and intelligent; the
inmIy is disposed TO insanity which has been hore
dIaTY; one sister died ~ at BTattlebOrO', Vt;
brother IS partially insanoi the boy was awa's
erratic, but not prcdlsposed TO criminaly; he IS
easily influenced by superior minds and led asIayj
VIM. H. williams Is an assumed name IN I. oth sr in.
stances oi ms running OH ne had every tune chnnJed
his name; hs real name IS WtLFRED WILDEY. Ihave |
only heard of HIN twice since his loaV ng home, |
hNe years ago. once, nearly four years ago, when |
he came home, as he said, from Newbern, North |
Carolina, where he asserted he was living with
fttnd, but no Gid moi appear capable OF giglHg a
thorough account OF hImself he was home a ain
some time after the first visit, but did SOC him
then; my profession keeps me away from home a
great DEAL so that could not pay particular atten-
hon TO the subject, but it was mposs bic to kee,
cOrrObOrated by twenty or more prominent citizens
oi New lork, if required by the Court
Mrs. REBECCA Wildly was also sworn, prluci.
pallY coTrObOratlng the testimony OF her husband
iho prIson,r JAMES II WIDEY alias vii ian R .
Williams l. her SON. and will be nineteen wears old
on the 10th OF February next. He was at home Tor .
two DAYS about two Years ago, but did no. state
whore he had beon. The iamIy mad received
let ers from him.
Rev. Alvey II. Rutnn,
The preacher " no was connected with The Columbia .
county conspiracy is the next on the list Tor tnal.
Ills case viii come NJ tomorrow. Mr., ALRICRS ,
has leen engaged as counsel Tor defense.
Al other alleged Rebel spy was arrested day be-
lore Yesterday, on the Gum orland Valley Railroad, /
near Harrisburg. by detective, who deemed the |
circumstances sufficiently strong 10 warrant his ar
rest. The man gives his name as JOsEPH CLAERE. /
lie had in his possession when arrested some $3.50,
IN denominations OF 5's, los, 2Os, sos and 1OOs,
half of winch were Confederate notes and half
grecnbacks together with somo countCr.cit gold /
pieces. lie had also sec eed ON his pou on, beneath
MS vest and coat, bundle OF luciier matches from
which il il assumed that perhaps the individual was
an inccndiaty. CLARKE has been aced in cOnfine- .
ment on the charge or beng a spy and Will bo tired
before the Commission.
Daniel McHenry,
One of the Columbia county prisoners, against /
whom it was understood the m Ost damhing oy denco
would be eIced,t viii be rcco ed by the readers
OF The INQUIRER was under trial fore the itary /,
Commission ere be ore the November election, |
when the Commission adjourned over unui attor the
election, the case no. having been concluded. In I
Il e interim Of the members OF the Comm ssion /
ordered est, on other duty, leaving the num-
Der IN the Commission below the requirements of /
the law. new member was appointed, and tho /
Judge Advocate moved toT q new tnal, Gb inttiO, |
which was aPreed TO By the Commission when conn |
sci TOR defense entered the plea that the Commission,
having been reduced and thereby eiiectuav dsbaud.
ed dunng o former trnl tho prisoner was, through |
such disruption without sentence, hOnOraby acquit-
ted of The charges against Inn and thai he could not
te put in Jeopardy second time the Same charges,
The plea of the defense was sustained hy che Court,
and the proceedings remttod 10 General CoUoH for |
action thereon. The case was referred by hlm to the
War Department whence the following
Decision Of Judge Advocate General Holt. !
WAR DEPAGTM ENT, BUREAU or MILITARY JUS !
TICE nov. 26, 1854 .-l liRdOrseReHt l-RospectuliY /
returned to Major eucral Couch, or succes,or.-
In the within case IN" accused pleaded IN bar of /
Trial that he had been previously tired and put in |
ieopcIdy before a military commission on the samo /
charges; the fact beng that the comm ssiOn had |
toen reduced by competent authority below the !
minimum number, and thus rendered incompetent
l. ND url.nmnE Mnl