The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-17
TIE NEWARK TRAGEDY.
Trial Of George Bolts for The Murder Of
General "Pet'' Halsied.
Impressive Scene in the Essex County Oyer and
Terminer-A Dodel S.yle Of Selecting Jury
and Conducting a Cass-Swif, Sure AID
Satisfactory" Charley Spencer As.
tonished-The Woman Wilson's
Story and Appearance-Ths
Court to the Press

mOntn OF July, IN Inc year OF grace 1871, Will
tong be remembered for the appalling series Of
rors II produced IN this city and In New Jersey. July
has been called the fire month. July, 1871, might
very appropriately be distinguished from its prcdc-
cessors IN years gone by and in those
come, as the month or blood; for on almost
every one OF It's diuTnal pages is written In
crimsoned ink the horrliying details OF appalling
crimes and ca ualties. AT the very opening OF the
month, on the second day, there was enacted IN the
city OF Newark tragedy whose extraordinary
details and character startled The entire Continent
The murder OF General Oliver Spencer Halsted,
the son OF the distinguished ex-Cnancellor OF the
state OF New jersey, whose name he bore; the
friend and valued counsellor OF Abraham Lincoln,
q graduate OF Princeton Conege, and man OF
large ideas and liberal intelligence, and whose
social reatons were the very best. The murder Of
such a man, under any circumstances, was SUM-
Gent 10 canse profound sensation throughout the
length and breadth OF the land; hut, under the
very distressing ana humh atne phases OIL the tragic
occur ence 10 be wondered at that the feel.
Ing produced in the pubic mind was a mixture Of
surprise, sorrow pity and contempt The simple
FACTS OF THE TRAGEDY
were pubisned IN the HERALD III The time O. its en-
actneAt
THE TRIAL
was commenced yesterday i'll the Essex County
Court OF oyer ana Terminer, before Judge DAVID A.
Depue. presiding, and Associate judges +. Ii. Teese
W. IS. Guild, Herman Use and Jesse Wilams. Inc
court opened at mali past nane O'Clock, bu. some
minutes before tuat every seat Ia the
auaitouun OF the large Chamber was
1ed VITA ANXIOUS spectators. These included
slight sprnkling OF females. The attendance alto
ge'her was quite respectable in appearance ana
behavior. II was noticed, however, that none OF
iRe Newark toa were present, as the case at
the trial VI young Laion for the man
slaughter OF the butcher boy Hebring. The
only member OF the Halsted family present
Was the murdered mans brother, MAJOR George Il.
hasted VINO sun wears the dowicast melancholy
LOOK observable from TIE nist An altered is
the Mayor since the 2nd Of July.
THE ALLEGED MURDERER,
george Eoffs, Was quite decently dressed, and
iooheu as though he had just come from baroers,
50 neatly were MS mar ana WHISPERS trimmed. AS
has been before stated IN these columns he is pleas
ihg rather than Otherwise Ill features: hut tie
merest Jyro Ill Judging character perceive that
he is VI the lowest class OF human peInls, lacking
III all the higher attributes OF the species lie sat
quietly through the proceedings without showing
the shgn,est emotion. EARLY NJ the day he sup.
ported on either side by ms brothers, TWO large
men, closely resembling linn in ieaJurss Later In
LIE day his sister appeared, aud was deeply moved
,n meeting HIM. she Impressed every one by her
Tine WCiuanly appearance and demeanCr.
THE WOMAN WILSON, TOO
was In COURT tntil called on the stand she occn
pieG seal in the Grand Jury room. When Called
revealed lace neither prepossessug nor reDu!sve.
II was PLAIN rather than pretty. she seemed to
wards the man in his grave and the man az the bar.
In Ger manner she was modest, ANA excited good
Yea, OF pity.
lne prisoner was also attended by two lawyers
hessrs. II. b. Guild, d., VI Newark and Charles $.
Spencer, OF New YORK. The bearing OF the latter
gentleman wa mucl admir- d. his surprise was
extreme al The rapid, buslness-il&e manner Oh
Gnot ing justice AL Jersey-it was sucn change
iron The Richardson n cFarland farce. AT
THE OPENING Oh TIE CASE
the presiding Judge sad was desirable TO have It
conciaacd INSIDE vi three DAYS. Gut OF paIei OF
about Iorty names a jury was seec ed a. lOllows:-
Joan L. baltimore, Enocn Piummer, William II.
FRANK Wink, William JacoDus, Daniel Paxton, I'd
ward q. Reilly, William schwarz, Charles MInck.
ereIi Ia sior. VINO begged 10 be excused upon the
ground that he objected Oh religious grounds to
prosecution. Augustus Book desired TO DC excused
On the pea that ne had had "a difficulty with The
prisoner IN saloon. Alter some diiculty the Juror
REARED under the Judges direction.
ihe jury having been sworn aud settled In their
seals, the County Prosecutor, Caleb ). Ellsworth,
Court and jury. After expressing Tor congratu
iaon that, IN his service Of tour years, there had
been but TWO persons placed before the bar TO an
swer the highest crime known 10 tae law he turned
10 tue jury.
Mf. Ellsworth then traversed the particulars Of
the murder ana defined the law bearing on the
various deg e;s OF murder. diagram OF the scene
VI ilie murder was exhibited, and sworn 10 he
Gu ate 10y MIR. surveyor Young.
the EYIDESCE--A rolICEMAN's STORY.
0cer James beg Am one Of the police officers Of
the afternoon Of the LIST O'Clock cuty
mex. . morning went Gown fair TO OAK, through alley
East lamp sa@ so eong ' icy Tesy ssrs
Sses ro kstoss 1ns he ABOUT ten
% M sn % no DO Know nUr he
went, yesey above street; Her
mon street = The sst parallel stree east Of the 10
street, which IS next TO vesey.
Cross.eaamined by Mr.. GuidI no, acquainted with
Bots do rot know now he when he spoke
mt said very pleasant twice. he the south SIDE Of
Redireci Saw him about hours afterwards in the
GAyoR HALsrRAp,s STORY.
George b. Raisiead swern-i am me brother OF Oliver
this year him dead that day, a house Soub
where he lay be was n h. iSrd resr and hvea II
ea Bis srTsa srss ne ns ss yns hay awe mas a.
married aaushtsr On Long Isand they had been there
JOHN SPIES STORY.
John Spies. sworn-Lve No. 81 South streets have lived
there thirteen years tie two back OF the
,hrd toor Of my house were oeeaped on July BY Mrs VIZ.
by ,ish several years on the morning Of juy him
N the store corner Hermon and south streets
saw him That morning; Mi. Gauaold and another man
and dd so casaela said HSis inendea to saoo HAN
s.ea 90 moi 1now that Bots heard hm Bots was twenty
ruled tae conversation evidence as the prisoner
+: asked a:sss %
cong S q to ' DaS sa SON Of 20 me- d ne %
6 fool wGS5 e buns ,a hs ssa
nothing about he did not say p what par. Of the house
La t e as re
before he put pistol 10 his pocket he again TOOK
out but said nothing; he then went on, In The yard,
where he ftait about hive door leafs
IRON the saloon into the back part the hall IL was
locked locked after he showed the pistol; he came
from The yard nis the he remained IN the saloon
when he came down alter shooting Halted; he got
Into TIE house from he yard when there the second time,
by the back hall door: barrel lui stood
against. the door; before he came down stairs
] heard -solse; did not hear hIm 60
floors bare: the .tairs 10 the third 1oor
cacicd heard him knocking doors; that was
less than minutes after he
utes after the broken he stairs was
be saloon stsfted 70 hut
Lrsi stairs nesrd shot before that two eapsed
between <Le breaking OF the doors and The
one ~ stairs say anything; said nothing when
roet Bots went into the Gloon and then out;
blood the brs OF bis shirt followed him
for Ogoer Caen, who lived 3shenor Bolts
into II. Neei did not know Mr. Halsted after
ing for she oco went sairs found Mr. Thomas Gaen
AND hrs wilson there Hased was lying lounge in
INST ROOM he was UNCONSCIOUS; s Id about two minutes;
.beior. fosg Gales and laid him the hoor two pl-
.sows. he sad nothing; saw kc shot.