Vicksburg weekly herald., 1870-10-22
From the Jackson Clarion
Two sE AleOFusa Pets Gene %
GFlafli

came UeIOFD JubtiCe N M Key ylOus
Yesterday, in which the State Of
Mississippi as the prosecutor Of j..
d. Werles, Jr., (colOred) on the
charge Of larceny. The voluntary
statement of Werles throws some
light on the way the "trOoly lOil," "
takes possession of the peoples
property, as follows:
About q month ago, w. II. Fur.
Miss, then clerk to the Secretary Of
State, gave Werlcs three sets of
Mississippi Reports, running from
vol. 8 Smedes aud Marshall, to the
4lst vol. inclusive. Asked Werles
to box up one set and send to the
Hon. J. N Langslon (colOred,) Prof
Law, Howard University, Wash
ington, d. c., one sci for himself
{ (Werles) and one set for Furniss.
Boxed up one set for LangstOn, but
had no cover for the box and left
it in his room; took his own set
there also, and sent Furniss' set by
a boy named Willie Howard, to
Furniss' house afterward sold his,
{ Werles) to Capt. Cass, for $50.
These books were brought by two
parties from the archieves room Of
the Secretary OF State, and deliver
ed TO Werles in the Library. Was
in the room with Furniss when he
got the books down. Werles con-
suited none of the State officers re-
lative to the matter.
On the lst of October, he sold to
q man named Stevenson a lot Of
old iron aud rubbish, (inuluding.twO
eagles frOm the Capitol gate, val
ued at S50) from the Capitol, for
which he received the sum of IS.
Capt. Cass was the first witness
called, who testified to having pur-
chased from and paid Werles, $50,
for the set of books referred to, but
at the same time thought they were
worth SO per volume. Cass the same
day, Qsst tuesday, informed the
Governor of the transaction.
James Lynch, Secretary of State,
testified that books in the archives
room were the property of the
State aud that Mississippi reports
were worth IS per volume. Knew
nothing of the removal ofany books
from there. Furniss was his Clerk
up to the 9Th of September last, and
in that capacity had access to the
room indicated. Werles had in
courtesy been allowed to go in aud
out of the room at pleasure, owing
to his position as Librarian.
Gov. Alcorn testified that infor-
nation of the sale Of certain books
had been conveyed to him. Sent
for Werles who acknowledged that
he had sold the books TO Cass
Governor asked where he got the
books, when Werles in a detinanI
manner said he didn't care to tell
us they were his own property
The Governor said he would find d
way to make him tell, aud sent fol-
the Sheriff. Werles then became
some hat nervous and told how he
came in possession OF the books.
Judge Tarbell frequently missed
Pbooks from the Library, certain
books that he had seen there and
when he would want them fer re-
ference they could not be found
Several books had been seriptitiOus'
lly removed from the consulting
room of the supreme Court tC
which room Werles had access
For three months past the matter
has given him especial annoyance
and had frequently spoken tC
Werlcs on the subject and only wal
waiting for u meeting Of the Libra
ry Trustees to investigate the mat
ter.
Two complete sets of reports
were brought into Court by tn,
Sheriff, one set being from the hous,
Of Werles, amongst them were
large number of other law book
marked -. Ii. Piles" and some o
the books thus marked were alst
marked estate Library" Tw,
voluuns of Cushings Mississippi
Roports-27 and 29,-Hilgard
Geology, and a copy Of the law
of ~ were brought from the resi-
dence of Furniss.
| w. II. Furniss, (colored,) Circui
Clerk VI Warren county, was mex
introduced, and being informed b.
the Attorney General that he wa
suspected as an aCGOmplice aud neet
not communicate anything tina
would criminate himself pro
ceeded to testify 10 the effect tha
he knew nothing of any book
in the possession Of Werles eXcep
as State Librarian, had never give
Werles books from the archives
room or from anywhere else hal
given Werles the key TO the rOol
Ut different times as a matter Q
courtesy; had sent set Of Missit
sippl Reports TO Vicksburg for th
Circuit Clerks Office shortly aftc
his appointment to office. Wa
present at q conversation betweei
Langston and Werles when Lang
ston asked Werles to give him som
State documents; Werles said h
would do what he could for hin
and Furniss said he would do th
same.
Auditor Musgrovc had met Stew
enson coming out of the CapitC
with d lot OF old iron, amongs
which were two iron eagles belong
ing to the gate posts asked Steven
son where he got them, an
was informed that he had puT
chased them from Werles and ha
II bill of sale for them, and refuse
to give them up. said he wOul
take a dollar for them, which Nj
MusgrOve gave him and took tn
, two aa,,laa IN tho AuditOr'a (fficp