The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-11-04
THE NAIL ROBBERY fHiAL
A YerdiCt of NOk Guilty.

The arguments Of she counsel In the trial OF
Jsmes Burns, on an Indictment for mail rob
berry. were heard yesterday. and the Judge
charged the jury upon the law and the owl
deuce, giving the case to the jury at about 4
O'Clock in the afternoOd.
The indictment specifies rObberies of the
mail March 22d and May 18th, going TO Win
nebago Agency, and May 4th and June 18th,
going to Wilton. 1t was proved that on March
ed and May 18th Burns drove stage from Will
ton to the Agency, and that letters that should
have been in the mails he carried those days
were found, broken open and rifled Of its con-
tents, concealed in the stable where he left his
horses at the Agency. Nwas proved also that
Burns drove the stage from the Agency to Viii
ton May 18th and June 18th, and that letters
which should have been in the mails he carried
those days were found, broken open and rifled
of contents, concealed In the house where he
boarded at Wilton. 1t was also proven by the
prosecution that the mailbag key of the Agency
Post Office was kept in desk, the KEY Of which
was lost in February or March, and that q SINH
lar key, or one that would unlock the desk,
was found upon Burns at the time of his ar
rest.
The defense established the fact that the bus
mess of the Post Office at Win1febago Agency
was very loosely managed; that several per-
sons. not sworn, had had ct different times
charge Of the office during the absence of the
Postmaster. Mr.. Dyer that two other persons,
named White and Wood. had keys that would
unlock the desk above mentioned; that other
drivers occasionally took Burns day for driv-
ing; and that every one who chose had free
access to the barn where the stolen letters were
found. 4 They also proved that other drivers
and all the boarders al the house in Wilton,
where the other stolen letters were found, had
the same opportunities for cOncealing the let
ters that Burns could have had. 1t was also
shown that Burns had no access to the P. O.
desk at the Agency after the LIST of May. The
defendants previous character was proven to
have been good. !.
The prosecution came nearest establishing a
connection between Burns and the stolen let
tiers by introducing person calling himself o.
r. Fletcher. who swore that he gave certain
letter containing money to Burns to be mailed
at the Agency. A letter addressed and signed
as Fletcher described it, upon the envelope of
which there was no postmark. was found
among the stolen letters. The witness, Fetch
er, was subjected to severe cross-examination
by tho defense, which considerably lessened
the force Of his evidence.
The evidence Of Mr.. Dyer. the Postmaster at
the Agency, and principal witness for the pros
ecution, was weakened by direct contradic-
ton between himself and Mr.. Long, another
witness, as to statements made by Dyer to
Long to the effect that the man Wood, above
mentioned, was in reality named Staples and
was suspicious character.
In addition to the singular grouping of cir.
cumstances forming the evidence for and
against Burns, the letters themselves, as found
and introduced in Court, threw but little light
upon the mystery.
The theory of the prosecution seemed to be
that the mail robberies were committed upon
the route between the two post offices, and. of
course, by Burns, and they relied upon the
agreement between their proof of circumstan.
ces and the datings OF the letters and way bills
~ found, to establish the theory. rhc defence
seemed to have theory that the robberies
were committed at Winnebaso Agency Post
Office, (Which would imply conspiracy of one
or more persons to throw suspicion of guilt
upon Burns, and relied upon their proc! to
show that other persons besides Burns were
eliminated by the same facts that were brought
In evidence against him, as well as upon the
lack of evidence on the part of the prosecu-
ton, which leaves the theory of the defence an
extremely probable one
The jury, after celebrating for nearly two
hours, brought in q verdict of acquittal, to
which those not interested who heard the trial
or the summing up of counsel and the charge
of the Judge, will readily agree. The young
man Burns ought to be relieved from the Gus
piciOn which usually attaches to those who
have been tried for criminal offences, and, to
that end. If for no other, it Is to be wished the
really guilty may be discovered and punished.
GRAND LODGE OF MINEEsorA.-Twenty-
nine of the thirty-nlne subordinate Lodges OF
this State were represented In the Grand
Lodge of Free aud Accepted Masops of Mime
sota, which met at tue Masonic Hall in Mac
kubin's Block on Tuesday. The session Of the
Grand Lodge for this year was concluded last
evening by the installation Of the following Of
tcers elected for the ensuing year, the installa
ton services having been witnessed BY NUM-
Der of Mssous of this city and vicinity.
GEO. w PRESCOTT. Grand Master
E. THOMPSON, D. G. N.
E.. WELLS, s. G. w. .t.... t..
A.B. CURRY, ]. G. w.
GEO. l. OTIS, G. Treasurer.
A. r. G. PERSON, Grand Secretary.
GRAND LODGE OFFicERs The list O
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