Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-07-05
Correspondence of the New York World.
The Case OF Dr. BrattOn 4Consmittal o.
4 sol - one or the AbductOrs.

s.at'* to' LONDON, ONTAMo, june IS. 81
The excitement caused here by the ab
ductiOn of the unfortunate Or. DfaLtoh mas
been rather increased than diminished Dy
the committal for trial this morning OF >.
3. Cornwall, one of the abductors. ire
investigation which brought about the re-
suit was begun on Thursday morning. Ihe
first witness examined was q. Manigault,
who testified that he lived in South Caro-
lima and knew DIR. BrattOn there, both as
a surgeon in the Confederate army, and
after the war, as a physician in private
practice. On the 21st ult. DIR. Bratton
came to the witnesses house in London
and requested the witness to find him
lodgings, which he engaged under the
name of James Simpson. He did not be-
lieve DIR. Bratton to be guilty of any OF
the crimes with which he was charged. 1t
was a common practice with SOrtherners
fying to escape military arrest to assume
false names. He had last seen DIR. Brat
ton on the I'd of June. The violent means
with which the abduction was effected
were shown in the testimony of the cab
driver, whose vehicle was used in carrying
| it out. He testified to COrnwalls employ
| inc him on the afternOOnof the 4th instant.
| Cornwall told him to drive to rather de-
serted part of the town, where he met a
man whose description answers to that OF
party calling himself Hunter, who has
been staying at the Tecumseh House. The
two held consultation and Hunter de-
parted. Soon after another man appeared,
| whom Cornwall assaulted. knocked
down, hand-cuffed and forced into
the carriage. During the struggle the
man called upon the cabman to help him,
but he refused, and in obedience to
Cornwalrs order drove to the station.
Cornwall ordered him TO drive across and
as near to the track as possible, which he
did. Cornwall, with his prisoner, got into
a pullman car on the $50 train west tC
Detroit. He saw Cornwall the neXt day
coming from the station. A little girl who
witnessed the capture gave sufficient testi-
mony to show that Cornwall used chloro-
form to quiet the struggles of the unfOrtu.
nate man, and an inn-keeper near the rail.
road track remarked upon his stupid
vacant look when at the station.
| Charles Hutchinson, clerk OF the place
an employee Of Cornwall, testified that
Cornwall had acknowledged to him his
connection with the abduction OF DIR
Bratton. Cornwall said that he had al
rested Bratton at the request of United
States detective named Hester OF Hunter
| who had O warrant issued by the commits
sioner under the extraditiOn treaty a
Windsor, for the arrest Of man nance
| AVERY WIZ was "ACAA AANAANNA II
the States. Cornwall also said that afte
making the arrest he found he was thu
wrong man, but that Hester took him il
charge when they arrived at Detroit
Witness stated that he had seen Hester
eXtradition papers. Besides the lndict
ments against Avery and others for nlirde
and accompanying affidavits, there was Al
authority purporting to be signed by TIL
President of the United States empowering
to receive the persons named in the indict
ments when arrested. Witness, however
did not think there was any authority il
the hands of Hester to take Avery OF an
other man out of Canada. There wa
other testimony relevant to the movement
OF this Hunter or Hester at the time Corr
: wall was chloroforming poor DR.. BrattOI
but it throws but little light on the affair
{ Cornwall pleaded ''nOt guilty." He wi
: be tried at the next court of competent j.
! risdiction, and the witnesses have bee
bound over to appear.