The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-12-13


fresh in the memory Of the HERALDs millions Of
readers Naturally, az that day approached, public
| interest began to manifest itself In the murderer
| and all the singular phases OF the tragedy.
| No man had fuller or q falrer trial; every ndul-
| gence and privilege asked for HIM and In con.
sonance with judicial proprleties was promptly
granted by the Court and ar the close OF the trial,
when the dreadful sentence OF death was pro.
nounced, the entire force OF public opinion agreed
that the verdc. was Just one, and for the sentence
| the Court had no option. Judge Depue was merely
the moulhpecc Of the law as lald down in the
statutes
Within tho past week, since people have begun
to recur TO tie Tragedy aud discuss 1t once more
| Ill It's bearings, some statements OF an equally
singular startling character began to be breahel
certain quarters These were, In orief TO the eff
feet that, after all, there was some ground for
| thinking thai Bolts was
| NOT MURDERER;
| that, had he been allowed to go on the stand ana
! tell his own story, rs new law IN New Jersey
grants him power to do, and he desired to do he
would have been able to clear himself least from
murder in the first degree; and thar In short, his
| who're case, so far Gs his counsel was concerned,
was mlserably botched. As matter OF general be-
lief in Newark 1t may be proper to say here that the
transportation ol the insanity dodge from its BIOS
! somng place In the Courts OF Gotham to the pure
| atmosphere OF the Jersey Oyer and Termlner
| entirely robbed 1t or Its bloom, and 1t
! initiated against the prisoner rather than
| otherwise. With desire to develop any state
| ments such as these and ind how much They were
| 10 be relied upon HERALD representative, accom-.
| panied by two friends, visited the Essex County
| JAIN on sunday and sought an interview with the
| murderer. The Warden, Colonel Johnson said that
| Bolts was greatly
by reporters and mad declined The day before to
| one from New York two Cent sheet ''However."
said the Colonel "lll see what Can be done IN your
/ Warden returned with smiling c0untenance
| which read as plain as PRINT, "Al right" Bouts
| would receive the HERALD interviewer, and IN he
| ana his friends passed to the jail proper The
murderer's Cell Is erected on the ground floor, the
fourth from the corner, and was distinguished from
the others in that It's IRON bound gate shut,
| wnlle those OF The others wung open, tenantess.
Swinging open the gate OF the doomed mans Gel!
the writer his friends passed III ana were intro
| loo ked the gate ON the outside. The doomed man
from his seat closed the large jail Bible which
he had been reading and removed Two chairs on The
bed to the floor, so as TO make the visitors COM
Portable belng over six feet nigh, ne mad when ne
stood erect, nearly touched the ceiling OF The cell.
He was dressed In q blue coat ana vest, shepherd
plaid pants, white cotton SOCKS. oxford tie shoes
aud White shirt and collar. minus . necktie.
Warden's own table, 1t was plainly visible that he
LOST GOOD DEAL OF FLESH
snce the day OF his sentence. He Is moderate
smoker. and was enjoying cigar along with the
expression OF counenance described and noticed
on the trial. His great gray eyes were more sunken
tnan ever. Decidedly ungally In general personnel,
and not the least prepo sesslng In features he has,
nevertheless little OF the chronological, facial or
| bumpIial characteristics OF tne murderer. In his
| manner there crops out now and then evidences
OF a considerate, thoughtful ana even gentle nature.
| In his speech there Is On impeachment winch makes
IT uiticult for him to continuously interest the
listener In his narrative. Hts cell was comfortable
as cells 20, and was carpeied. On the viii ewashed
| wal were couple OF cards. sucn as are placed In
| Sunday schools. On one OF them, In good bold
type, was the verse OF Acts IN when the ailer asks
| .wuAT MUST DO TO BE sAvnDr'
or his own accord he began to talk or his trial,
aud went over several points which he considered
| important In the first place he required TO the
po mSrs ne had 10
1 say to somebody that he was "going to have a
settlement soon" rms re aarS was believed to
! 1t re.erred to his business relations with one Dan
Tucker. In relation to the pistol he saws he bought
/ 1t so as to defend himself against Hasted, who ne
had been time and time again warned had declared
his intention to snoot me lgnoramus tRotts on
sight" Inc point did not come out IN evidence.
Bolts said that he mad twice tried TO sell this pistol
once to man named Frank slruole; lie said that
| alter he broke up housekeeping with Mrs. Wilson
/ he tried To forget her; but wherever he went his
acqaa ntances sept rigging MN about her and Hal
I sed ana what Halsted mad threatened.
| HIS STORY or THE MURDER.
Bolts said That ne had no nope OF beng pardoned,
| but whether ne lived or died he would speak the
| him she had leased merely TO stow away ncr turnl'
ture IN: lie denles having mad any knewiedge mat
|
morning, but learning positively tna5 she herse'l
was there, thopgn tpis had been denied repeady.
| during the night AID eai7 morning, he was deter
mined not to be denied admission TO her presence
even by herself and SO he burst in the door. lie
declares that the moment he came into collision
with Halsted the latter grabbed him In part OF The
body intenseiy susceptible TO pain, and that wild
with seony he pulled sne pistol from his breast breast
whether III pulling II out it went on or he pulled
the trigger he declares himself unable TO state.
| In giving her testimony, however. Mrs. Wilson dis.
| tincuy declared that Bolts held the pistol In his
hand when ne appeared FIRST through the , broken
clutcned Bolts round The body anu Tor brief time
held his arms. There was little doaoi ~ Tue . tria
| son's sympathies were still with Bolts and could
she have helped him she would: EVERYBODY was
winch she related the terrible details prior TO and
on the morning OF the murder. Bolts declares
further that or Two weeks alter his Incarceration in
| Jail he bore the marks OF Halsted's terrible grip,
anu was injured SO that he passed blood. Nothing
about this grip or It's alleged effects was developed
at the trial. Had 1t, and oeen proven, there can be
little doubt but IL would have formed an important
'N"'s BoTrs AND HIS COUNSEL
ad you been place. on 'he stand Bots 40 you
asked the HERALD representative.
ayes, sr,' replied Bolts. ION, how wanted to
get up there ana tell the ruth Tao truth was all
wanted, sir. But they wouldn't let me. Insane
Why, was no more insane than you be. If Pa only
go. up there as wansed q, ama Psayed M TO- raegd
gree In Gods world. they cou!dn't with the facts
"Did you tell your counsel you wanted to go on
| the stand, Bot,sW
eyes, sir, ana Mr.. Spencer told me he'd hammer
my brains out X didn't stop talkin' so.r
"Were you carefully examined by your counsel
before the trial on all these points you have now
| brought outf'
"No, sir; they Wouldn't never stop long enough
with me TO ~ me chance to tell em everything"
In the meantime the Colonel returned aud, listen-
ing TO Bolts story about his personal injuries, said
that several persons IN me jail could swear 10 inat
II was now near time Tor the afternoon service IN
the JAIL at which Rev. Mr.. SegIred presided SO the
writer and hts trends withdrew.
| A SCENE IN THE JAIL HOSPITAL
Although Bolts In the course OF the interview,
/ declared that he still regarded Mrs. Wilson with
passionate love, he made reference TO some facts
1 which nave leaked out beyond the jail. soon alter
his sentence he felt inclined throw the wretched
woman overheard and 10 authorize his relatives 10
take from her house some property IN trinkets, lur
nlture, &c, belonging to him In her possession; but
! latlerly the old love M that heaven.oorn word can