The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-16
COURT or OYER AND TEaMIAsa.

Trial of Thomas A. Lambert. Charged with
Arson In th. First Degree-A Curious Chain
of Circuinsinntinl Evidence.
Before Judge Ingrahsm.
The Peap,e, dc, u.s. Thomas A. Ldnbers. Thomas 4
Lambert was yesterday placed upon trial before this
court upon indictment for tue nrst degree
crime formerly punishable by death, but present
subecng person convicted to Imprisonment for .
term Of not less than ten In the State Prison. The
offence with which the prisoner stands charged CONSISTS
his having IL is alleged wllfuiy Ere on the morn.
ing Of the loh Of August 1857 tho sailors boarding
house No. GO Oliver street. The opening OF the case a.
presentsd by Assistant District Attorney Gunning 8
Bedford, Jr, detailed very minutely the facts
wnicn The prosecution relies, and was follows:-
YouR HONOR GESTLrMEs on THE JURy:-Tnomas
Lambert the prisoner tho bar stands indicted tor
the high crime of in the first degree which In
PLAIN LANGUAGE means the wIfuiy setting fire 10 An in
nabi,ed dSeng house ia The night time TIE fsess 81
this few, but telling aid what known
10 law as circumsantal evidences This evidence gen.
uemen wnen Consistent IN all its details and the facts
in harmony the with the otheresch fact CONSTITUTE
Ing sold ink in the chains regarded by jursts az
strougess ana most irresistible species Of testimony
II be greatly deccs ed the crime charged against
the prisoner will be demonstrated beyond persdven-
ture, and In rendering your verdict you will have the
satisfaction Of feeling you been guided
deliberations by the unerring light OF uuth-truth
runs n NAV read ao. mo- ssnsD 10 call your
ion the follown g facts which will be to
proved trial that the boarding hoise No 68 Or
sreet containing fourteen grown persons and three
children, was wiifully fired about hafiast two O'Clock
the morning OF the 10th of August last nd that
Thomas Lambert had been bOarder In this house. and
at the time u the Ore his indebtedness amounted TO
$2S. The landlord informed Lambert that unless the
bill settled 10 could remain no longer in his house
Lambert ttereupou remarked, ''You Dutch -
will square with you within eniy-four hours;s
thirdly, 1t Will appear evidence that the morn.
ing August 10, about O'Clock, Lambert seen,
accompanied BY man. standing In front OF No 90 Oh.
yer street; and between the hou OF two and three
O'Clock no was distinctly observed climbing the
renee and entering the Of thai house, shortly after
IN shAWn Tim Af thu hrtuA
awakened by the smoke ana fire. And fourthy,
thar me yard was found bundle OF clothing, which
ciohing known 10 have been hung in OF the
Of the house the night before the fire. and this
bundle Tied up with red sash, and, bear mind,
gentlemen the telling TACT that this very sash the pri-
soner was in the habit or wearing, and being ar
rested he admitted that it was his On the prisoner
fitted the closet In which hung the clothes alluded
to. . chisel which fitted the indenations made o. =
clothes, and pocket knife which identical knife Is
viii DO shown, was put BY Mr.. Brown In mis- coat and
hung up by himself, the night before in the closet.
The coat found ID tho bundle tied with the pri-
soners red sash, and remember tho knife itself was
found on the prisoner And lastly. gentlemen, We will
prove that there we're foot prints near that portion Of
the fence over which the prisoner TO climb
The boots takea or from The pr his bong
arrested, and The soles Of his very boots though
very peculiar manner, consspondsd precisely with
the foot prints. Now, gentlemen, propose prove by
witnesses each aud eli Of those allegations 10 which
reference has just been made and IL shal have sue
ceeded IN satisfying you, beyond oil reasonable dosb3
,ha. the prisoner Tue bar = gully Of tho crime =.
pleasure 70 be tho humble Instruments under Higher
Power Of rendering what both the Law and justice will
something appalling aud dastardy in the crime Of
arson II differs from almost all other crimes one
may bs the victim OF the midnight torch For example,
you, whom leave this court ROOM will return to your
are happy attn your family and little onssJ me hour
for rsposs approached the family gathered and each
says to the other 'Good night Good night" They tusn
separate and aer invoking tho blessing Of Heaven
tire TO their couches aud seek the rsnovstns influence
OF 81 aud unbroken sleep That slsop peradventur
ASSASSIN. The match has been applied TO tho domics,
a conisgration ensues disaster aud death tbs conss-
guences. THIS sad result nilemen-which, may kind
Heaven avert-may haIpsn - any one OF you now n
that jury box. You soe therefore, how by peradvon-
ture you all may become personally interested In the
rosress OF crime; its Is ward 10 this cJmmu.
nits and the commonwealth looks 10 you for pro,ec-
ton against tho dark deeds OF the evil doer You have
under toe solsmnly OF that OATH which has been re-
corded In high heaven, ask you TO examine the evil
dence with scrupuous care ami with tho single purpose
The first Witness called for the prosecution James
w Reed the keeper OF the house question: who tes-
tiled IN relation to tho Indebtedness OF the prisoner The
threat ma By him and the subsequent firing OF the
house On The cross-exam nation II elected that no
had times endea ored induce the prisoner
10 ship various vessels and occasion 10
was agreed tnaI prisoner would ship "a seaman on
certain vessel the debt should be cancelled.
The next witness called was the Mr. Brown alluded TO
10 the opening, who testified that he owned the coat
found In tho dundee thai was hung up by him wit
ness IN the closet on the night preceding the fire. and
Identified tho knife found the prisoner bis wit
nessD properly tho knife beng peculiarly notchsd by
witness on one occasion white opening his watch With L.
Margaret Welsh aed also Tor the prosecution, tesli
fed thai about two o'clock tho morning OF the 10Th
OF August last sne saw the prisoner climb Tho
fence OF Tho premises No 90 Oliver street near tns par
cuar place wnero tho footprints were discovered in
the ward.
At THIS stage OF the proceedings tho Court adjourned
al about hale past O'Clock 4. NJ unit hall pas. ten
ibis morning
sUHR0GATE'S C0LaT