Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-11-18
I.O('NI. NEWS


veyed into the lines Of the enemy, wss resumed
this morning at 10 o'clock before the military
Commission on street, Of which Major General
Double 'Ay 10 President, and Colonel John A. Eos.
ter 10 Judge AdvOcste. Ex-Governor Thomas
Ford, and A. @. Riddle, ESQ, of Ohio, appeared as
Easter, James H. Easter and John Easter, Jr.
The following 10 the testimony ofdefencei
Jonathan Longmete sworn-Re,des in Rock.
bush, Long leland; knows James II. Easter; saw
him In New York, on the 7th OF septemberi sold
him goods on that day.
acquainted with James II. Easter; saw him there
on the Sth of September; looked at some goods ip
his stores came again on the 9Th and purchased
some goods, The character Of the firm OF Hamil-
ton Easter & Co. 10 the very best.
Charles NJ. Carpenter testined-Rosidesi In Brook.
lyn; am acquainted with James II. Easter; saw him
on the Sth Of September, about II q. m. The firm
In New York, with which he is connected, is OF
thirty years standing. Hamilton Eastet's firm
bears the very highest character.
The affidavit OF Alex. T. Stewart, OF New York,
relative to the high unblemished character Of the
casters, wa, read IN open court
Robinson w. Gator, sworn; Hts lived In Balti-
more for twenty-five years; is acquainted with
James II. Easteri went with him TO New York on
the 9TH OF Septemberi occupied adjoining seats,
and parted with him in the city Of New York.
Archibald sterling, sr., sworn: Resides in Balti-
morei was born thore; knows the hrm OF Hamilton
Essteri 10 President OF the Savings Bank Of Balt-
more; knows personally Hamilton Easter, and also
James II. Easter; his Acquaintance with Hamilton
Easter 10 more intimate than that with James II.
Easter; there is no firm which bears higher char
Hamilton Easter 10 an exceedingly estimable man
regards the social relations Of life; he did not
know James H Easter intimately enorBh to know
Questioned by the Judge Advocate: Have you
ever hesrd anything about the loyalty Of Hamilton
The counsel for the defence objected to the wit.
ness answering the question on the ground that
the defendants were not charged with dsloy atty,
and " was not Just to trump up new aud unex-
peeted charges, for which the defence was lot 80
yet prepared.
The Judge Advocate stated that the s,sence of
the crime charged was treason, because they sold
goods to the enemy knew that the enemy had
safely received thsm and were comforted thereby
| # was therefore very important to know whether
they were loyal or not, for loyal man would not
do any act which would be detrimental to his
eountry's cause, whereas a disloyhl man would.
general charge OF treason 10 ade up OF specific
| charges, oue OF which 10 assuredly disloyalty.
The court was cleared for decision, and upon
being reopened It was announced that the OH &c.
tion was overruled.
Mr.. Riddle answered yes, that he had hesrd-
The Judge Advocate then asked what he had
heLrdl
| sdered that Mr.. Easter sympathized with the
South.
Questioned by Mr.. Ford Witness han not
heard OF the Eaters for three or four years
on the subject OF loyalty. He did not think
that their BympAthies with the South would lead
| them to the commission OF the crime. He had
| always considered Mr.. Easter such prudent nan
| that when the arrest was msde he said that he
| did not think Mr.. Easter would do such q thing,
i no matter WHAT MS prlNhte views were OF how
much money might be made.
He did not consider Mr.. Easter disloyal, and al.
though Mr.. Casters sympathies were with the
South three years ago, be did not know where
they were now, for he had not had recently a con-
versatiOn with Mr.. Easter on that sui ject. He
| had not heard OF Mr.. Casters being = prominent
man In aiding the Union cause by contributing to
the Sanitary Commission or fairs for the benefit Of
| disabled soldiers.
| Question by the Judge Alvoc.te: Some men,
| however, who were dislOyal three years ago, are
still so now. He never heard OF Hamilton Esster'a
| raising company for the South ut the commence.
| ment OF the rebellion, nor OF assisting any such
| John 4. Field sworn Resides in Baltimore: is
employed by the hrm Of H. Easter Co. as q store.
| ndikeT, to see that the clerks do properly their
work-in other words, he had gener.l surerin-
tendence OF the hOor, and has had since February
the firm ha' three main floors for butiness; has os
or so cicrkG; the business 10 large; last week IL
was some SI3 600; the Btore is from IS to 100 feet
| deep and about so feet vide; has heard orders
| about selling goods to blockaie.runnersj many
goods have to pass through the custom-house, and
the firm gave explicit orders that the greatest cSre
| he exercised, so that no goodB might be delivered
| to improper persons.
He did not know Pardon worsely by name. but
probably would by sight, as he recognized great
| many persons whs had come to the store. He did
| not know Mrs. Chancellor. He remembers that a
were talking to Mr.. Weeden. He heard Mr
| Weeden say "HsNo you permits for those goodsl"
| They replied that they had permits for anything
| they wished The man mAde the reply. II waI
on the main hDOr from the street about the centre
nt the hall Inc reply TO MIR. Weeden was that
the Government gave permits for them to buy sl
that they chose. The man was medium size, hAd
black whitkefsi had not a Jewish cOuntenanCe
but rather wicked 1he woman wsB plump and Of
medium size.
The reason that he remembered this e0nversa
tiOn was the after occurrences-the closing of the
store and the arrest Of the clerks, and reading OF
the &C .Ourt OF the trial in the papers which have
| brought the circumstances to light. The orders
to see that goods were delivered to proper
were given particularly by James II. Easter. HC
did not remember that the word blockAde-runueI
was particularly used. The order referred to goods
that passed through the custom-house. II The
parties purchasiCg intended 10 ship these goods
the firm did nothing but sell the goods W shed snt
paid for.
James NJ. Fisher sworn: Has resided 10 Baltimore
for 10 years. 10 employed by II. Easter n Co., and
has been for ten or eli ven years to last Febuary
hiss been there since the breaking out of the rebel
lion; Mr.. James H. Easter gave orders not to sell
goods to pcrEouH going into insure ctIonary dis
| trcts, unless they had permits.
William p. Carroll. sworn; Is dry goods clerk tc
H. Easter Il Co has been thoi 0 ten years; had or
ders from Mr.. James H. Easter not 10 sell goods tC
persons going Into oinsurrecionary districts, unleL
they had permits.
After the conclusion Of this testimony the cas-,
| was postponed, TO allow the defenjants' cOunse
| time to go to Boston, for the purpose of takinl
| evidence on the character of Pardon WoTsely.