New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-05
THE CUBAN BOND-ROBBERY

ROBBERY-A GREAT SCHEME BoR TIE RE
COvERY OF STOLEN BONDS -susPlClooS
CIRCUMSTANCES.
The further examination In the case Oh
Peleter and Bennett accused OF attempting to dispose
of H. 6 bonds stolen from Mr.. Castillo, was held yester-
day before Justice Hogan at the TomDs surprising uc
yelopments were made in the and On entirely new
aspec was given to IT, Tie mystery as TO who stole tho
bonds s 500 60 be as far rom solution as ever
but clue is afforded for the discovery OF tho where
sbous not only Of those bonds but also OF many otheis
that from time to time have been stolen feieuer ~
shown TO have conceived novel aud ingenious scheme
for the recovery of stolen bonds OF course With profit TO
himself. and at the same time appears TO have failed
inst m his scheme was be crowned with success
through lack Of power resist the temptation to realize
upon the bonds already in his possession
AT the time of his arrest Peeter stouty claimed that
he was engaged In trying 20 recover stolen bonds an"
was not subject to arrest The effort Of the defense Dc
fore Justice Hogan has been 10 establish the innocence
Of Pellcer's intentions by showing the arfangemeh'S
that he had made with prominent persons in wishing
ton There were present in Court yesterday as VII
vesses the Hon C. C. Cox and Judge l. W. Barley Do'h
of Washington. The Hon. l.. 7. Norton OF Washington
Que % the counsel employed by Peleter, was also eA-
ahmed II was established by the testimony OF these
gentlemen that Peetier ayaed himself % legal advice
in uerfectng his scheme recovering stolen bonds tht
he placed himself in communication with W. H. NesF
brook a socaed broker Of Pine St, ana ODtamen from
him number OF bonds to serve as samples OF WHAT cou
be furnished II could be induced 10 pay Sna"
reward for their return that Mr. Cox was induced ny
theso REPRESENTATIONS OF Peleier 10 come anu
jvoqtig ate the subject within the limits prescribed by
the legal advice furnished by Judge Barley; ana thst
PROCEEDINGS wers delayed by the refusal Of Mt 'asto
TO offer any reward for the return Of his property
The price demanded by the thioYes.i through west
brook was g. 800 for every $1,000 bond returned re-"
letter meantime took I'll 900 worth OF bonds to bIoker
a 1T ht,uf
dollar and hts arrest followed at once HIS acoh ~
thus attempting 10 dispose of the bonds dVoseS con
strued lie may have wished rs alleged to ralse money
upon the bonds buy more O1 the stolen ones from We
thieves or uSa in speculation III cehebt III ~
was concerned with Bennett IL was at least hhONn ~
the evidence that III the matter oI hyPV,nc,,s he he
had done at every previous stel. The grand SIhcIc
for the recovery OF the several millions OF stoeh
which Poeticr proposed TO reach in case OF success I'M
ne Cbar hondi bv convincing tine thieves agents OF
his disposition TO deal fairly with them, therefore rel
The defense OF Pceticr is vigorously conducted three
lawyers beng present N rs h,i hiI ai,o for
SSih i IL stfcd Was about 20 he adjusted when the
arrest was made by an award 81 $1,000 IN H2yueh
yIool ing west Indian less than average hight
about IS years OF age and OF restless movements Tic IS
the hero of many wild fnapcill schemes ana aNthultn
and Sscwherc Nj Castillo is a CubIn spanard, ps,t
GO. OF small stature, projecting chn, arg, WtrniH
hacker Of the Cuban Cen Qur.ad'i, ana Is "Wdhieu III
the Florida case. which u now on tllJL
The crossexamiuation Of the witnesses by Justice
Hogan very searching and ELECTED many important
details .
Judge 7. W. BARLEY, the first wnrss called by the de-
fense briefly reced the circumstances of his business
relations with Peeer and then read at length copy
OF tho legal "opinlon" furnished by him. The i'm
poItant passages Of this paper 50 far as concerns the
subsequent action OF Pellcter, are rs follows:
81 further instructed Capt icileer Inst be could not
lawfully, or with safety TO himself act as ne agent Of
the thief IN any IoriL 'ui.c,f VI ~ hin ar ina
OF harhoring or c9uce.ihs' o. provtns nm 81 "a
NEGOTIATING selling the stolen property Tor Tue thcI
10 make profit for him out AZ IT, hut that ne might 4"
fnlv and properly The agent OF the Owner Of the
stolen properly ~ asserting nm ~ tno I,'uNcIl VI s
TlIIcc Of money if necessary, TO recover
the property even although that money mlght' IN
benefit Of the thief himself that his Intention pr
pose solely 9" recover She property Tor the o"ner
was lawful and not criminals that fconous intent was
an essential element in larceny III every form anu grade
Of the oense; and tnat where man doei o at
even accessory after the fact Iie told me That ne Ih
made application to the Secretary OF the Treasury for
autbor and Explained the whole matter him; that
Secretary had referred him to the solicitor OF inc
Treasury aud that be had conferred with the solicitor
on the subject and explained the whole matter to HIM
told him that if he could be appointed detective by
detective appointed by The solicitor OF he Treasury
he would DC safe long he acted within The scope OF
the authority given But he 2d that the brokers, WIN
whom he in concentration. had told hlin most
positively that they would have nothing whatever To do
with the matter if he had detectives about him"
Judge BARLEY said that he had mentioned the subject
Emore, the counsel OF the ocean Bank OF NeT-f0!k.
which had lost bonds; came TO the conclusion hat Pei
Letter. with his VCCuiiaritics and numerous Hcquant-
anccS in NcwYOTE, might become useful Instrument,
only in tho discovery Of lost property for the owners
but also in tue discovery Of facts which m9 iead IT,
the detection Of thieves and robiers ADVISED COX mat
Pcllrtier showed me two $50 L. s. bonds, which had
been stolen, it said from Sir Lawrence or from Tie
trH.fnd to linn ~ sample by broker; when
hir Cox returned from NcwYrrI. he informed me that
United states bond. alleged 10 have been soen nut that
lie had refused to receive the bond or 10 have anything
ity obtained from him for it, recovery; and that he
CoN) had the reputcd owner of the bond who re-
fused give any writt,nuhory for its recovery say
l9s DC w'5 ad 70 40 81, @ SCa nv Nv sad
no had here dropped the matter; heard no more of il
until the arrest al Pceter Was announced III the pa
pers; had personal knowledge OF whom Or when, or
how Pcllcer got the 10000 bond IN all the CONVERSE
crs i'm The rncover, Of their pioperfy know nothing
MT. Bennett in connection with this business except
and elsewhere and Ia, character has always been good
Cross-examincd by Justice HOEan-I think in some Of
the interviews Peeticr mentioned that Castillo had lost
bonds and had offered some percentage for their
covcry Pellecr IN the course OF these Conversations
exhibited two 500 bonds TOOK no note Of ther CON
bonds belonged to Mr.. Lawrence, and that they
furnished 10 him merely TO show that he was cdpa'e Of
producing bonds OF that kind and Of recovering them
he told the Of the broker and produced letters
celyed from him; his manner vi communicating the
name OF the broker showed that he did wish ntdc
public in all the interviews the subject Of the business
OF recovering these bonds spoken of for the bc
fit " the owners; the first kn0"ledge Lad OF these
stolen bonds after came To Ncw-lOrk have no
recollection Of ever having communca ed with Mr. Ben
nett on this subject Mr. bennett had taken some inter
est in the inventions OF Pceter, but do not know Of
his being concerned in the matter OF the stolen bonds
am disposed suppress the Of the broker but
WOud prefer TO leave that 10 the prisoners thcr
il would I've impossible for to identify 500
bonds shown as those before exhibited by Peetor.
hon. c. c. CoX's TESTIMONY.
Dr. G. C. Cox, az. Northumberland of Maryland,
testified a. follows: Calling at the office Of Barley "
Casey in Washington, about the middle OF yenbcr
Inst, my attention was directed by Judge r. ".
n.f.Ia AIi. ID.