Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-06-17
Up Gelegrapg,
The Trial.

SVu hVSOuut IN tu6L D0nks witness said
that Thompson originally made requisi.
ton on the bank for $25 900 in currency
10 favor OF Benz. Wood, but tbis was af-
forwards changed by direction of ThOmp-
son, In favor OF D. s. Eastwood. The
draft for this amount was dated August
10th, 1864, and was drawn on the CITY
Bank of New York. The back of the draft
is thus endorsed :-"Pay to Hon. Bepia
man Wood or order. D. s. EAsTERAND."
George Wilkes and Abraham Russell
testified as to the signature Of B. Wood,
and that he was member of Congress at
the time, and is also proprietor of the N
Y. Daily News.
Col. TOmpkins, member of the Court,
was not present at the session to. day, on
account of indisposition.
Examination of Robert PUrdy, By Judge
Allocate Holt-Witness resided in Yir-
GINA, and had been in the government
service since 1861. A letter, heretofore
published, appearing to have been dated at
South Branch Bridge, Vs., April 6, 1865,
addressed to "Friend Villains" aud re-
ferring to certain oil speculations, and
suggesting an escape by way OF Thornton
Gap in case the party failed TO get through
on his trip after striking tile," was shown
to the witness, who stated that he bad
that the allusion TO Purdy contained 10
the letter, had reference to himself; that
the writer was known 10 him by the name
of James N. Carter, aud that some of the
operations and especially those with ref
erence to difficulty with the oil spoken
Of was untrue.
CrOsS Examined by Mr.. ALleH.-The South
Branch Bridge is on branch of the Poto-
mac river, about % miles from Cumber.
land, Nd. Letters are not usually mailed
from South Branch Bridge, but from a lit
tie village known as Green Spring Run just
above. There is no Post Office at South
Branch Bridge.
Examination cfD. S. EastDOOd.-Live in
Montreal, Canada; am assistant manager
of the Montreal Branch of the Ontario Bank;
am acquainted with Jacob Thompson,
formerly Secretary of the Interior of the
United States, aud with the account which
he kept at the Ontsrio Bank the moneys
deposited at that Bank TO his credit &C.
crned from the negotiations of bills of ex.
change drawn by the Secretary of the
Treasury of the so-called Confederate
States upon their agents sst Liverpool,
Q. State whether or not, in the course
of the disbursement made by Jacob Thomp-
son, of tbefunds placed to his credit, this
iIiug to witness paper given beloW.1
A. 1t was in my hand writing.
Q. Please read it to the Court.
A. Reading the paper.
"MoNTREAI, Aug. 10th, 1865.
Wanted from the Ontario Bank on
sight, in favor of BeUj. Wood, Esq, TWEEN.
ty-five thousand dollars, current funds"
The requisition was originally drawn in
favor of Benz. Wood, Esq, and that the
name of D. s. Eastwood was afterwards
substituted.
{ Q. State the exact condition of that pa.
per.
A. AS it reads now it is draft on New
York, payable to the order of D. S. East
wood-that is myself.
Q. State how the change in the requi-
sitiOn became.
A. The name of Benz. Wood, as it ap.
peared originally, WAS erased at Thonp
sons request, and ny name as an officer of
the bank was substituted.
Q. That is the original paper, is it not2
A. 1t is.
Q. Now look at this bill of exchange
another paper exhibited to WITHSTAND
state whether it was drawn on that rcqui.
ton.
A. 1t was.
At the request of the Judge Advocate
the witness then read the paper to the
Court.
tits dated Montreal, August 10th, 1864.
and is directed to the Cashier of the City
Bank of New York, and the wording is as
follows:
cat three days sight please pay to the
order of D. s. Eastwood, in current funds,
%, 900 dollars, value received, aud charge
the same to the account of the branch"
The endorsement on the bill directs the
payment to BeDjamin Wood or order.
(Signed) "B sF. WooD"
Cross Examinations By Mr.. Aksn-Did
not recollect of having cashed any drafts
or checks in favor of james Watson, Wal.
lace, Richards. Montgomery, Jas. B. Mer-
ritt or Wilkes Booth. About the last of
October Booth purchased bill in the
bank at Montreal, with which witness was
connected. Never heard the name of Jno.
H. Surratt mentioned before.
The Judge Advocate exhibited to witness
list of localities in which drafts had been
made by the Ontario Bank, and requested
him TO give the dates and amounts Ofdrafts
which. as shown by the paper, had been
drawn in New York.
The witness stated that the following
were among he number of drafts drawn:
On the Sd of October last draft for SlO,-
600 in gold; on the llth of October, one for
So. 900 in gold; on Nov. Sd. 4th aud 9th,
bills for about Sc 600 in O. S. currency,
add on The l4th and 2lst Of March last
several drafts were drawn.
Examination of George Wilkes By Judge
AdvOedts Holt-Am acquainted with Benz
Wood, of New York, and know his hand
writing; the endorsement B. Wood on the
back of the bill of exchange given above,
was exhibited to the witness, and the hand
writing identified by him as that of Benz.
Wood, of New York; witness stated further
that at the time at which the paper ap-
peared to have been dated, Mr.. Wood was
a member of Congress ofthe United States,
and he believed editor and proprietor of
the New York Daily News.
The court then took a recess.
Upon re-assemblipg, Judge Advocate
Holt puggested that If the Argument for
the defense was now commenced in the
absence of Col. Tompkins, member of
81, f. T.. 4