Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-19

wESCOTT BEFORE MILITARY CoNNnSSION.-From
information received about four or five weeks ago,
detectives Goodrich, Tyler and Knox were induced
10 believe if they could arrest a man by tie name
of hit Harding, Of Rockets old field, that they
could bring 10 justice certain parties charged with
rObbing the Government Of property. About
week ago Harding was arrested at his mothers
house, and acknowledged tAat he could give the de-
sired information. One p. q. WescOit was there
upon arrested by an order Of MajOrGeneral Turner,
aud turned over to Libby Prison 70 await his trial.
On Saturday, WeScOtt was brought up before
military commission fortrial Captsin Layton, Judge
Advocate. The following evidence was given;
hit Harding was sworn, and said that Parker {.
WescOtt employed him, and gave him money in adj
vance 10 buy mules or horses in an underhand way
from attaches Of the Government; he got two
horses and employed Jack Darby to take one Of
them TO WescOtt he taking the other that he alter
wards got three mules and carried them TO WescOtL
a boy named Mitchell SachO taking two Of them TO
him, he taking the third one.
Harding further saws that when he heard that the
detectives were after him he left ecity and went
out on the Nine Mile road 10 his unces; that after
he got there WescOtt came out and said that he had
better leave right of, arc gave him twenty dollars
10 leave with. He also SwearS that he never gave
Wescott any receipt for any Of the mules or horses
Jack Darby cOTObOrated the statement Of the
above witneO as far as the taking Of one OF the
horses TO Wescotts stable for which he received ten
dollars.
Bill CurleW saws that ne went Win MT udIulug 10
Wescotts stables with one mule, and saw him have
three on the same morning. He also saw Eacho IN
Rockets Old-ield with two mules aud afterwards
saw him at the stable with bride in his hand.
Allison, a Wagon master, says that he went to the
stable after the horses were stolen, and recognized
them as the same that stolen nom Carroll. He
says that this was about hve months ago.
Harding, n blacksmith, on the Nine Mile ROAD,
says that he saw, the day that his nephew, hit,
came there, WescOtt and Kelly come and take him
Afterwards MescOtt told him that he gave hit so
but does not know whether he owed it to him or not
He also heard him say that he expected the detec-
tives would soon be out after Kit
HoratO Moore, stable keeper for WescOtt SAYS
that he remembers when the horses weregt the sta
bic and that Kit Harding did not bring the same
there; another person brought them there to be Ia
ken care of.
Here the defence produced two government re-
ceipts signed by Kit Harding, and which we've in
WescOtts possession, for two mules and witnessed
by Joseph Kelly.
Joseph Kelly was then sworn and said that he
saw Kit Harding give the above receipts to NeScott
and that was the only dealing Ire ever saw Nescoti
have with him.
The defence then produced the following witnesses
% prove his character Daniel Ward, Duman. rom
Petersburg, II. Smith, Ledley Bankenship aud W.
Depriese.
At the conclusion Of the testimonySh Court ad-
iournedt TO meet next week in Franklin county, for
the trial Of other cases.
An application has been forwarded to Major Cen
eral Turner, by WesoOtts counsel MeSsrs. Gilmer X
Son, for his release on bail For the present he has
quarters in the Libby"