New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-01-19
THE VAN EATON CASE
HABEAS COEPCS AND RELEASE


KnARREsT AND DIsAR1,RARANCE.
rne case of v an Eaton. wi:sh has excited |
40 small curio ,ity among tie 9,s'd .,"ncs. |
came up yesterday before Judge Durell in !
tbs United Stascs Circuit Ccart.
There was 81 unusually large attendance |
Of spectators to ses what Nigh. become Of |
the case-ths United States Courts rarely |
attracting tie attention o. any except
clients, counsel and Witnesses. But the !
rumors respecting Naa Eaton. and his.
artistic violations of law. gave his case q
notoricty and consequent interest which |
seldom otsains any where except in tao
Criminal Court.
The circumstances cespectng .he tOr. ler
arrest of Van Eaton. and Of his alleged
offanses. have alreaa,g been publ;shc. III
the REPsBL,CAs. That after the arrest of
Van Eaton at the st. Charles Hote. aud
consequent incarceration, s writ of habeas
corpus. was sued ovt by hi. counsel. Judge
Atocla. before Judge Leaumont IN the Fifth
District Court; that Judge beaumont for
reasons given. discharged the prisoner; that
ol leaving the courtroom Van Ea.an was
ayain arrested ca u warrant issued by United.
| States Commissioner Weller. and carried 70
| tie Parish Prison. Upon this. \ writ Of
| Labe4s corpu. was sued out before Judge
Durell in tie United States Circuit Court.
| and made ,.sturu;t.,Ie at eleven O'Clock yes-
+, :ccday.
! At that hour Van Ea:on wa. produced in
| COR: bv the deputy Criminal Sheriff. jo-
seph O. Bohli. who returned fo- answer %
the VIZ: os habcas corpus. that he held the
prisoner Van Eaton. in custody BY virtue
of . commitment issued ly Lnitcd States
| Commissioner Weller.
Previously 20 :hc ca'-sc, III Of Van
! Eaton's case. several suits were acced on.
and motions offered by counsel. which gave
:ie spectators in court an opportunity Of
taking good look at tse prisoner.
There was nothing liz :he personnel OF
! Van Eaton that might .cad one to suppose
him ia miliar witli treason, strategems and
s,oi.s." He is a rather snort. stout man.
apparently forty years OF age, of u fair COM
plexicn. b!uis!. gray eyes and hght hair.
nearly approaching tow color. His face is
round and fat. his eyes slightly protrude
wha. phrenolosisss call Language large.
Those who know him say that his linsual
requirements fully support this phrenO
iogica! Indication. fo- lie speaks several
languages with ;,!iou.atic CORRECTNESS. and
aucncy His scientif,. requirements, TOO.
are far from contemplate. His general ap-
oearance and deportment are those o: an
intelligent man. used to good society.
, Though there IS not. Oh :he whOle.anyt thing
, remarkable abou: him eithe: for good o. .or
e, ]! yet no one would associate his arpear
! anc. with the crimes watch rlmor lays 20
MS ..larsc. For he IS supposed 20 have
| stolen a large amount G: diamonds and
| other ,a.,,ables III Ea:aua: besides. It IS
known :hat theie are sevcya. acquisitions
or his delivery 70 justice on :ic way to
; .il:s city from California AID other places.
! He Is SPOKEN o. :.s man OF re;narKa Bile
! nerve. bu. any one observing hun Closely
YESTERDAY could see t,ia. al. NJ, nerve cculd
40. hide the niani!.,.at cons OF extreme un-
ca>ine,s. for it appears that he knew that
his discharge from custody yJudge Darrell
would be followed by immediate arrest on a
re-, .,uisiton from the Governor New York. to
an we: the charge IN the atidayit of Colonel
Small. charging Van Eatol. with cmbezzling.
, bv means OF forgery. IDont $4,000 from
, Wells Fargo & Co. of New York. The
lady who was with the prisoner at the time o.:
his arrest. and VINO. if no. hi, wife. seems.
! tN "Eal Is hNONu "a AltI iIiStti ~ bN !ifS
philosopher and friend wa, not present
in court.
When Judge Darrell called II" ca5.. Dis
trict Attorney Beckwit,i arose. and stated
that Il was unnecessary 20 continue the case
further. and that. on the part of the United
States. he asked that i. be dismissed.
Thercupon the prisoner was discharged.
1t seemed to b" well understood tia:
auo.hcr arrest would be made as soon as
Van Eaton ief: court and to meet this. Il
writ of habeas corpus had been already
p!ucured from the Fifth Distric. Court.
SO. as soon as Van Eaton left the Circuit
Courtroom he was at once ''nabbed and
taken down stairs. Here his captor was
confronted with the writ of habeas corpus
from Judge Leaumont's court. To this.
however no attention whatever was paid.
His custodian. Colonel Small, with the po-
lice officers. procured carriage. and enter
ing with the prisoner, away they all drove.
1t was rumOred that their destination was
the jackson railroad. on which they were
, to start by the afternoon train. But how
the prisoner could be legally taken from
, this TO another State upon a reuUisitlon
from its Governor without previous ex'
animation mere, is puzzlins to understand
, We may well suppose that the officer IN
charge OF the prisoner viii take every pre-
caution to prevent his escape on the way to
New York: but nowadays nothing seems
, impossible. and it may be that ne vii! vet
slip through their fingers. legally. Il not
of