The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-03-31
! THE !. MISSING LETTER.
LAST ACT OF THE FARCE
WITNESSES NOT EXAMINED.
Case Dismissed.
THE ACCUSED D1scA4RGED.e

Lry Case Dismissed. - q
- y 8 THE ACCUSED DLscA4R GED..@9
,SGIA - = -. - AtsiG
The accused again appeared before the
| Commissioner, at noon yesterday.
Mr.. Beach read telegram from Mar
shsl Van WinkIe stating that Mr.. Watkins
| James, the witness whose absence neceasi-
tated continuance on the day before,
would leave Washington for Richmond to-
night. BE proposed in the mean timet go
| on with the examination of the witnesses
who were present. 4ac .:r14
Judge Crump said this would be agree
| able to the defence.
| The names of the Witnesses were then
called, and they were about to 1besworn,
when Mr.. Allan arose to say that as Mr..
James was not yet present, and another
witness (Mr. Robinson, Of Madison,) was
also absent, he would be compelled, though
Ereluctantly, to renew his protest against
any further progress at this time. He
| submitted in behalf of himself and Mr..
Samuel the following formal protest: s-' e
"tThe witness protests against being
forced into an examination at this time for
| the following reasons: vrTT UrIET-g
| First. That it has been stated by one
Of the counsel for the defendsnts in this
cause that the District Attorney was absent
at the first hearing of the case from the
| fact that he considered the charge Of q tri-
| vial nature, and presumed the innocence Of
the accused. ~
Second. That the witness is unwilling
to accede to the proposition of the District
Attorney to disclose what facts the prose-
cution expect to prove by absent witnesses.
"Third. That the witness is unwilling to
&c into the case in which he is prosecutor
until all the witnesses are in the custody Of
the court. EDGAR ALLAN"
The Commissioner overruled the protest,
| and again ordered the witnesses to be sworn.
At the request of Mr.. Allan subpoena
was Issued against ). j. Robinson, of Msdi-
son, an important witness for the prosecu-
| ton. ..-.-... I'll s.e-.@ u.
~. " VIII. SAMUEL SWORN.
William Fl. samue! was then sworn. He
| testified: In December, 1868, resided in
the city of Richmond. During that month
| ION or about the 18th) I wrote and ad-
| dressed q letter to Mr.. Edgar Allan at
Farmyille, Prince Edward county, Va.
When sealed and addressed, delivered it
| to colored man named Alexander Burwel,
o messenger at the rooms Of the Grant and
Colfax Association, to be deposited, as was
his duty and his habit, in the pcst-office Of
| the city. .....
ALEXANDER BURwELL SWORN. ss
Alexander Burwell (colored) was then
called, and deposed Mr.. Samuel delivered
to me o letter in December last to be de-
posted in theF post office. 1t vas directed
to Mr.. Edgar Allan at Farmville. |
| deposited it in the postoffice box. l had
two other letters at the same time to take
| to the post office. | went to the box Of the
Grant and Colfax Association and took the
letters therefrom. l then raet Mr.. Dudley,
who came up at the same time. He said to
me, "Sandy, what have you got there?" l
replied, 81 have letters and papers," He
took them out of my hand and looked al
them slightly, and handed them back to
me. l deposited that letter, from the
| other two, in the letter-box, and heard
and thought no more of it. So, Mr..
Samuel sent me over to the Governors
house with note addressed to Mr.. Dudley.
This was in Christmas week-before New
Years. After l started out of the Cover
nor's house Mr.. Dudley called me back and
said, "Sandy, has anybody said anything
to you about a missing letter. l said
"No, SIR" I got confused in my mind at
the same time about it. At that time no.
body had said anything about missing
letter to me. Two or three weeks after that
Mr.. Samuel asked me about it. l didn't
know at the time what the letter was going
to amount to, but thought some person had
been taking letters out Of the mail-box. A
great responsibility rested upon me, and
goes to Colonel Humphreys and gets note
to take to the post-oflice to keep anybody
from getting letters from the box except he
was recognized as o member Of the Grant
and Colfax Club.
The witness here exhibited the note Of
Humphreys to the Commissioner. I.
| Cross examined The letter which took
was addressed to Mr.. Allan. The reason |
took particular notice of it vas that Mr..
Samuel was going on to Baltimore, and he
said to me that he wanted the letter to go
to Farmville that day ; that he wanted MIR.
Edgar Allan to get it. The address was
very plain, and could make it out for my
self. can read Mr.. Samuels writing ex-
cept when he writes very fine. I went
down to the York River railroad to take
Mr.. Samuel's carpet-sack at about half
past in the morning. I reckon it was a
little after s when I went to the post-ofice.
| I didn't get the letter until returned from
the depot. l met Mr.. Dudley near the cor
ner of the post-ofice boxes, after l
got the mail for the Club, and before
| put Mr.. samuel's letter in. 1t was then
that he looked at the letters. handed him
all | had in my hand. One of the letters
that got out was directed to Mr.. Painter,
and there were two papers. Mr.. Dudley
was member of the Grant and Colfax
Club, and I had been getting and keeping
his letters for him. 1t seems that he had
stopped his letters from coming to that box,
but didn't know it at the time. He didn't
have his office OF the club-rooms at that
time, but was staying over at the Journal
Office. Think he was chairman of the Cen
tral Committee Of the city or State, don't
know which. I think l was messenger OF
the Grant and Colfsx Club at that time.
The Central Committee was the Grant and
Colfax Club, or the Club was the strength OF
it at that time, and I think it is now.
Don't know whether Dudley was chairman
of both. The members of the Club and
Committee were the same, and the chairman
was higher than the rest. did not gene
rally carry the mail to Mr.. Dudley for
distribution, but distributed it myself.
When could not make out the address
/ -, a 1ottar nv SoTnue1 nr 1nmp-