Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1866-01-26
The Trial OF Lafayette c. Baker
for False Imprisonment
and Extortien, FL
LIVELY DEBATE AMONG YHE LAWYERS


1890 sssaaNa VS. nWohhf anu ttsthNu hhah IN
November last he was a clerk for Gen. Baker.
remember portion Of the Transactions when Mr..
aud Mrs. Cobb were brought there. On the
evening In question, after coming from supper
about six o'clock, saw Mr. Cobb In the room
down ,tAirs. heard Gen. Baksr'a bell ring,
aud went up stairs TO his private Office, and Gen.
Baker requested me TO take . seat. Ms. Cobb
wss there. took a seat, and Gen. Baker went
out and remained 10 the once two or three
hours, and until Baker returned. Baker simply
told me 70 take a seat, and did so. l found q
man named O films 10 the lower room with Mr..
Cobb, bat we had no guards or sentinsls at the
headquarters. ..-. ... -.....
While was In the lower room Cobb was part
Of the time sitting on a lounge, and part Of the
time walking about lie was not restrained Of
his liberty. answered Gen. Bakers bell about
soven o'clock, and he simply asked me to take q
seat. He did not say whore he was going when
he went ont He was absent Tossibly three hours.
When he returned he came Into the room and
said he hhf been to the Executive Mansion. l
can't recolleot all Of the eonversaon that trans
pired between Gen. Baker and Mrs. Cobb The
substance Of II was that he had been to the Presi
dent about the pardon business, and that the
President was much surprised. and said Y was
time 1t was broken mp; Mrs.: Cobb seemed to be
hour after Bakers return before she came down
| went to the door aud paid the hack bill.
Mr.. Cobb refused TO enter the hack with his
wife, alleging that she was too polite TO Baker.
complain Of ill-treatment, not did l hear Mr.
Cobb say anything. Therewas no one about the
room when Mrs. Cobb and ! were there. ! re-
member II distinctly, because she wanted q drink
Of water, and wAs DESTROYS Of getting II for her.
but could see no one about. I cant ssy for what
purpose was taken to the room, but as II was
private apartment, and there were great num-
Der Of important papers there, was asked 10
take q seat until Gen, Baker returned. ..
Cross. examined by Mr. Bradley: do not
think was placed there to guard Mrs. Cobb. !
do not suppose should have stopped her II she
had attempted to go ont. did not understand
that was TO detain her. aud II she had felt in
elined to go should not have felt disposed TO
keep her, as had no orders or authority to do
so. .I
By Mr.. Stanton. / had NO orders to do any
By Mr.. Bradley. 1 never told any one who
was brought to the once that they could not 20
Just yet. | may have done so, but do not re.
member 1t. We did not keep prisoners there.
There was another room, and II was not my
duty to hold them In custody.
By Mr.. Riddle. When we had occasion TO have
guards at headquAtters General Baker was sup
piled with them.
BY MI. Bradley. / have sometimes kaDwn the
detectives to be called upon to take charge Of .
room, but we did not keep prisoners at head
quarters.
Court adjourned until ten clock. this morning
Third Day.
The court was opened this morning at half past
10 o'clock-the accused aud his counsel (Messrs.
Riddle and stanton) being present. Msssrs. Jos
II. Bradley, sr. and IT,, Judge Hughes, and Dis
triet Attorney Darlington for the prosecution.
The room was crowded long before the meeting
Of the court, and by IL O'Clock not an inch OF
standing room was to he had.
Judge Hughes said he desired TO make word
Of ex PLANTATION. He saw In one Of the new pers
a remark made BY the Judge. to the effect that II
haA lfnn nRfa MI hnRin al
whore, the trial would be proceeded with. and
could not be postponed on account Of his absence,
the case being postponed several times He was
kept away by another engagement, though he
was here on the nrst day the case was set for
trial.
Judge Fisher replied that he did not intend to
iusinuAte that Judge Hughes had gone of and
left the case. He said the absence Of one Of the
the case when District Attorney Darlington and
Mr.. Bradley were present, In whose hands the
case would not suffer. Where three or four
counsel were engaged In a case, the absence Of
one was not 4 SUFFICIENT reason to postpone the
case.
The hrst witness called was Capt. Hine. Be-
fore he was sworn, Mr.. Bradley, Jr. stated that
he desired to read the return Of the subpoena for
the record Of conviction In the case Of Henry
N. Hine, which was, that the papers were not at
present In the bureau OF military lnstiee. He
had obtained information as to the whereabouts
Of the record, and would have 1t In court day.
He hoped reasonable time would be allowed to
have the record in court
Mr.. Stanton said tbey'also desired to have the
record here, as II would show the proceedings
had been annulled and the trial was without
authority.
Judge Hushes. would like to inquire by
whose authority the trial was aunulled. No one
but the President could annul the record.
MI, Stanton produced letter from H. b. Burn
hem, Judge Advocate, directed to Gen. Baker, In
which he declined 10 give up the record unless
upon the proper order from the Court.
Judge Hughes stated that he was under the
impression that the chief detective Of the War
Department had access to the records whenever
he wanted them He understood on former oc-
easiou, when Baker was srraigued here as
criminal, counsel was employed for him by the
Mr. Stanton said II would be most extraor-
diuary spectacle presented Of the Government
prosecuting on one side, and the same Govern
ment defending on the other.
Samuel g. Jones having been sworn, testified
that he resided In Washington. Knew Mrs.
Cobb.
Q. Will you state what conversation you had
with her In regard to procuring this pardonP
Objected to by the prosecution.
Judge Fisher decided that they could question
the witness as to what he know about this par
ticular transaction.
witness that he introduced Captain Hine to Mrs
Cobb for the purpose Of procuring this pardon.
The gentleman bad offered that the character OF
this lady could be examined into, and they would
now show by this witness that Mrs. Cobb made
a most indecent exposure Of Der person to him.
Judge Fisher said the witnAss could state any
facts he knew, but no conversation between the
witness aud Mrs, Cobb would be admissible.
Mr.. Stanton said he understood the gentleman
TO make the offer yesterday morning that the de-
fence could inquire into her character, and they
the prosecutionl threw open the doors for the do.
fence 10 inquire Into the counsel
Mr.. Bradley, IT,, stated that the prosecution
had given full permission for the defence to
cross -examine Mrs. Cobb in regard TO when she