Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-05
TRIAL OF BREvET BRIG. GEN.
JOSEPH q. BRIsCOE, ny COURT
MARTIAL, FOR LARCENY OF ".
q. MONEYS. - 10

8. Moneys. d. o. - ri
Altar our report closed yesterday aftsrnoon, on
the rsopening Of the court the President an
nounced that the objection to tho question o.
counsel for the defence was sustained, and Gov.
FoRD proceeded with the cross ss.examina,ion Of
hCapt. ALBERdRR:
Witness resumed He had several conversa-
tons with Gen. Briscoe on and after the 10th Of
September; Gen. Briscoe asked witness for his
key, aud he gave 70 himiwhen be said he could
make one like IT, Mr. Lsekey was In the 0ener1
ais room the next morning, and said the General
was all right The General then questioned Wit
ness regarding the place where he kept the money.
Witness. told him he kept some Of II In the
Bank Of Exchauge. Witness did not see the wax
Mr.. Laekey said he hadin his pocket. Mr.. Lackey
proposed TO take the money, and witness con-
seated. Witness received the duplicate Of Lackey
on train OF cars, as he was returning from Rich.
mond. Witness tried the key In the safe In pres.
ence OF his clerks, but did not tell them the
cret; did not ask Lackey what he wanted with
the key. Witness was told to take care In the
witness would receive some Of the money, he
| presumed. He did not say he would take any OF
n; he said he would take care Of himself. Wit
ness removed the confederate money from the
keep the money in, aud the other safe was used
to put books In, which, VI stolen, would not
amount to much.
Second Day.
The Court met at ten clock, and the proceed
ings and imony OF yesterday were read by
Mr. James Murphy, the Photographic reporter q
the Court, aud approved. a4I
Governor Ford, for the accused, proceeded with
tho "' Z
oRoss-R1ANrSANIoS or. CAPTAIN n. n. Al
.... 49, BERGER. .i" '.t
Witness hrst saw Mr. Lackey last February or
March used to sec him frequently about that
- ~ frar. A Ill
in September; had seen him two or three times
before the 2lst: he was under the influence or
liquor. Have known Geu. Briscoe since January
~ 1858; first knew him at Deep Bottom, army of
the James. ..
was assigned to duty at Lynehburg August
2lst. Ny relations with Gen Briscoe have been
amicable up to two or three weeks before this
occurrence. He had threateued to have me dis
missed the service, as ! was told. Cannot TX
the date Of this threat; felt no personal ill-will
toward him. Capt. 6irard gave me the informa-
tion. ...
By the Court: I considered the packages Of
Confederate notes as good as so much money, for
had given my word for them. Witness was
under the immediate orders Of Gen Curtis; COM
municated the proposition Of Gen Briscoe to the
War Department on the first impulse, and re-
ceived orders from the Department. Did not
communicate It 10 Gen. Curtis until the night be-
fore the 2sth Of September.
Gov. Ford. Was there among the packages In
the safe one Of 900 bearing the stamp OF the
New Orleans mint2
The Judge Advocate bjected, but the question
was put by the Court.
The Judge Advocate desired the court cleared
for deliberation.
When the court was reopened the record was
corrected to the testimony of the witness, 80 as
to read that one Of the bags contained ffty new
one dollar gold pieces Of the coinage Of the New
Orleans Mint.
When the Court assembled at one o'clock, af-
ter recess, the examination Of
or Lynchburg- superintendent Of the Quarter
masters Office, under Captain Alberger, was
proceeded with (: Received Instructions from
Captain Alberger. About the 9Th Of September,
when the Captain came from Washington, he
said "there will probably be a muss here soon
and want you to keep your eyes and GAYS
open" Thursday, 2Sth, went TO bank and
drew some money, and returned to Office where
Captain Alberger was counting some money aud
sealing II up. Witness described the sealing mp
and putting up the money. Tho Office Is In the
Court House at Lynchburg.
Next day, Friday 18th, In the afternoon, the
clerks moved down Into lower Office. Captain
Alberger told witness to let the safes remain On
Thursday morning, after the money had been put
In the safe. the chief clerk, by Capt. Alberger's
orders, locked the safe, and the Captain, when
bis back was turned, unlocked II and asked the
clerk why he had not obeyed him. The clerk
was much surprised at seeing tho safe open. |
Witness was told on Friday evening to go up
into the attic aud he would mud man there, and
they were to look down through hole where
they could see Gen. Brisooe's movements
Witness did 10, aud when Captain Alberger
had given signal that All was right, by whist;
ling, he went down stairs; heard a noise as Of
shutting a safe door, and then General Briscoe
came In sight with one hand In his right coat
pocket, and apparently something held against
his breast with his left hand and arm. He went
out and witness went down aud gave q signal Of
three raps upon General Curtis door. Witness
found the Key broken Of In the safe before going
TO General Curtls' room.
dan ad IA kav In % Than al
ages OF money and the gold bar were prod uced,
and the witness identified them.
Cross examined by Gov. Ford.-Captain Al
berger mentioned that something was coming of
the next day after he came back from Washing.
ton. The Captain said there would be devil Of
4 muss kicked up before great while, and need
not think strange II man wearing star was
mixed up with 1t. Witness did not know
until Friday that General Briscoe was the party
suspcc ed saw another general with u star on
come mp there, and didn n't know but he was the
one. The man in the attic, witness learned after
ward, was Mr.. Odell, detective. Two or three
weeks before the arrest there was some unfriendly
feeling between Captain Alberger and General
Briscoe.
ExAMISATIoS OF JOHN oDELL.
By the Judge Advocate: Witness was sent to
Lynchburg by Gen. Baker to report to Capt
Alberger week ago Saturday. Capt. Al
berger told him the nature Of the business, and
both came to Washington. Saw him again on
the train to Richmond and went again to Lynch 4
into the attic OF the court house to look down aud
watch what might take place in the room below
Saw Gen. Briscoe walking out with his right
hand under the bottom OF his blouse and some
thing under the left breast Of the coat
Witness went to Gen Curtis room after Gen
Brisooe. Witness was requested to go to the
room by Gen. Curtis, at the suggestion Of Col.
Asmusson, OF Gen. Curtis stat, aud search him
Witness found the money aud bullion In chest,
and then searched the General for the key OF the
safe. He desired to speak to Gen. Curtis, and
while they were talking together witness learned
that the key had been found. The room In which
the packages were found was Gen. Briscos's
private office.
IThe money and bullion and the money bags
and packages were identified by the witness.
Cross examined by Gov. FOrd.-Witness was
sent down to Lynchburg by Gen. Baker. At first
examined the nature Of the business referred to
in Capt. .Alberger's dispatch Capt. Alberger told
witness that proposition had been made by a
Mr. Lackey to have his safe robbed, which was
supposed to contain large amount Of money,
and the Captain was to share in 1t. Lackey said
Gen BriscOe was all right in the matter.
At witness second Interview with Alberger,
at Gordonsville, he said Gen. Brscoe had spoken
TO him on the matter, and proposed to get him
out Of the difficulty by throwing suspicion on u
former rebel officer, who was the owner OF the
safes In eOnVersation Capt. Alberger said,
'they appeared to be down onIhim.' The act
was committed some i've hours earlier than we
had not been In town a week BEFORE and said DR..
Hull had told him so.
After General Brscoe's arrest he said to wit
ness, 81 thought | was better detective than
you wanted TO get the principal - Witness
replied, "that IL too bungling, General don't
see how you can catch the principal after having
committed the burglary yourself
- . -. ggZI laaV