The New York herald., 1870-01-27
THE DUTCHESS COUNTY MYSTERY,
Remarkable Scene In the Court Room at
PonghkecpsIe-Mrs. Pratt Identifies
Two Of the PrisOners-Great EW
Citemcnt--A Butter Robbery
Accounted FOr-Highly In.
teresiing Particulars.

POUGHKEEPsIE, Jan. g. 1870.
Since last wrote evidence has accumulated fast
against the three prisoners James and Peter VIII
hams and James Il. Lee, arrested on the charge OF
robblng the residence or Robert Thorn. Altogether
during che past year Mr.. Thorn has been robbed
four tlmes-the last robbery, as Is already known,
resulting In his death. Previous to the last attack
there were number OF pots OF butter stolen from
his cellar. Believing That woman named Char
lotte MiIlard aas Charlotte Lee knew something OF
the matter procured conveyance on Monday and
proceeded to her residence, three miles and half
in the country. Upon my arrival herself and hus-
band were found, and conversation upon the SUBJ
ject was at once commenced. Her husband said that
during husklng time James Williams came to nm
on MIR. Iodds larm and asked If ne did not wish
to ride He said If he would hitch up he would
ia ke him where he could get some butter, but the
offer was refused. then questioned Dotn Charlotte
and her husband closer, when they suddenly became
quite retcent, aud the interview ended. Returning
10 town next went to Mrs. Relyeas house, In Clin
ton street. This woman said that James Williams
came to her last fail and wanted to borrow i've dol
lars TO hre horse to take some butter to Newburg.
she let him have the money, and ne went Oh, telling
her that he got the butter at Robert Tnorn's, ana
mad secreted IL by the roadside Till after dark.
Some time alter tnis occurrence, according to the
story Of Mrs. kelyea and Mrs. James X. Lee the Wle
ance, aud in conversation with them On the supIect
saId mo can tell Of Us but you ana IL you DO
rl cut your ihroaI, and tnen the whole gang won't
Mrs. Relyea ana Mrs. Lee, having hinted that
empty butter tubs, or pots, might be found IN the
privy OF house Church street. formerly occupied
by Mrs. Hannah Decker olicer Shields made q
search there ON Monday and did hnd tuD. Ihis
tuD Ii Mrs. Relyca's story can DC relied upon, was
placed there by James H. Lee az the request oi MIS-
Decker, and was . tub tnat formerly belonged to
Mrs. lhorna little piece Of iniormation taat nas al
WHO is sJIMr,
One piece or intelligence which mas peen sup
pressed since the last attack on Ar. Ihorns resi-
dence may now be given 10 the puDllc. During the
struggle between the nOuseRceper ana one Of the
burglars the iormer made such determined resist
ance that the burglar was forced 10 CRY lor heip
wnicn lie did by exclamng hurrledly, Come, Jim,
quick % The police are OF The opinion that the
.Jim, referred none other than James Williams
now In jail. cap was also lett Denlnd py the bur-
glars, ana IL ls almost positively known To wn0m II
belongs, though the person suspected ID still VI
large. 80
IL is not now suspected that Richard Akin had
anything to do win the matter, a. late develop
ments point IN another direction entirely.
There is another piece or Information connected
with the beating OF Mr.. Thorn whicn VIII do no
hurt ii told Previous to his death parties called on
nun offered to cause che arrest AMI conviction
OF his assallants II ne would pay IRON one 10 three
hundred dollars for the service performed Their IN
pOrtunites, according to the statement OF friend
OF the family, made .dr. Thorn nervous, and lie III
ways declined the OFFER The men making those Of
lers can without dOuot be named.
The people at 1itnsve have an opinion In rea-
ton 70 The murder0Is AFFAIR whcn viii ne givea
hereafter.
CLEAR STATEMENT.
Yesterday morning at O'Clock mad an interview
with Cyrus Woven, boss IN the chair snop, where
spoken OF above, works Tor Wolven. he says that
when the news OF the last attack on M Thorn
transpired Charlotte came INTO The snop when the
conversation turned upon the SUBJECT Snc asked
Wolven II he mad heard OF the affair, and when
he replied IN the affirmative, the ioiowng occur
red:-
CHARLoTTE-Did you hear about some butter
stolenS
WoLvgN-Yes; DO you know anything about it9
CHAKLoTTE--les; three fellows were Into It
James 4. Williams Peter Williams ana James L..
Lee. Tney took eleven pots OF butter.
WOLvEN--Where did tney take the butter?
CHARLoTTE-rney TOOK 1t 10 Mrs. Dec@er's, In
Church street.
CHARLoTTE-Ihey TOOK the butter oai oi the pots
and threw the pots down the closet, and II Tue police
had appeared at Mrs. Dec9crs the next day Cney
would nave found the pots.
WoLvEN-Where did the butter go TO?
CHARLOrTE--rneY took 1t down 10 new Hamburg,
then crossed the river aaa WeaI 10 AeWburg Win ~,
where they SOLD 1t.
WoLvEN-Aow did they get into rhorn's nouses
CHAkLorTE-They took the cellar window out.
There were three OF tnen, aud had his face
blackened. You must be careful what you say; lor
tney nave threatened to cut any one's throat tnat
reveals wnat nave told you. The same party has
stolen chickens aud put them lii bags.
the greatest interest was manifested early this
morning over the examination or the prisoners VINO
are under arrest charged with the several roDDeres
at Robert Ihofn's residence, on the Hackensack
road. Tne n0uf SET DOWN Tor lne proceedings to
commence was ten O'Clock, but long before tnat
nearly all the space III front OF the Recorders
office, IN City Han square, was nlled by crowd OF
several hundred persons. In the court room the
throng dense that the railing ABOUT the ju-
dicia bench was pressed down and the miserable
hole called the "kecorder's CourLn looked like q
fourth rate gin shop.
Jane Pratt, Mr.. Thorns housekeeper, came into
town between ten and eleven A. NJ, put at the sug.
gestlon OF George b. Adrjance got out OF the wagon
In ain street and for some reason or other did not
go to the Court h0use for some time alter. In the
the prisoners, all present rising their
q glimpse Of them. Tney were escorted TO the prison.
Next came Mrs. Pratt, attred In black, Upon her
forehead was plasLer, which covered wound
given her by the burglars on the night OF the attack
Sne took a seat near the reporters aud many eyes
were rveted upon her. Recorder Taylor took
seat upon the bench, and then quiet was restored
and the proceedings were commenced.
Jerome Williams SAID, the cases beng of such a
nature, 1t was Impossible to do any thing but hold
an examination. There were three or ionr persons
tie part OF the defence Will be vastly different In
each case therefore II was agreed tnat the examl-
nations should be separate.
The case OF James r. Williams as called first.
THE HOUsRxEEPERs TESTIMONY.
Mrs. Jane Pratt sworn knew Robert Thorn In
his nIetIne; ] lived with nan for the last nne
months; remember the night OF the 4th and tno
morning OF the 9TH OF January, the time OF
s ass sSO0 M e nres ee s s
dollars; saw one OF the burglars take the money;
II was in bills; lhey broke in the house by taking
a
trap door to The milk room, aud then entered the
Kitchen; three came In; saw the faces OF Two Of
them; did the lace or the one VINO held Mr.
Ihorn down; would know the other two faces II
saw them.
AN IDENTIFICATION SCENE.
Here the prisoners were mingled in the crowd for
Mrs Prats to identify II she could the two burglars
referred TO- and tnon the following occurred
Jerome Williams counsel for prisoners)-Wl you
| now PICK out the two you saw
ME-. fratt pointing 70 the prisoner James r. WILL
liams aihlu great sensation)--ro the best or my
Thuf
0i Mr. In0rn,s pocket and counted IL. lSensaion.)
Jerome Williams poialing to a stranp erl-Tnal
man9
Mrs. Pratt-No cir lpoln,ing again to James VIII.
| liams); that man, and tp0intng 10 Peter " Wlams,