Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-08
Superior tCriminaD Couff@ Rockwell, j.
TRIAL OF THE GRAFTON BANK ROBBERS

superior (CriminaD Couff~ Rockwell, j.
TRIAL OF THE GRAFTON BANK ROBBERS
SECOND DAY.
Wednesday, FEB. flames NJ. WEIGH con-
cluded his testimony for the government, the
cross examination by Messrs McCafferty and
Goulding, which was very severe, lasting for
some two hours in ALL The facts elected did
not differ materially from the testimony given
by the same witness at the former trial. the first
week in June last, full report of which was
published. The testimony embraced all the de-
tails of the visit of the alleged participants in
the robbery ut Wclch's, their leaving for New
York, his going then and seeing them, what
transpiicd between him, and them, &C., as also
what he knew about them personally previous
to the robbery.
The next witness, Catharine Welch of Spring
field, reco gnized Docherty and Gleason as two
of those who were at her nephews with Ker.
rgan, Dunn and Sam Perris, early on the morn
ing of OcI. 26. She testified in detail concern
ing the transactions there, substantially as at
the former trial. She got the breakfast for
them, at about eight o'clock, ordered by Welch
for four or five persons.
Nellie WEIGH, Is years old, daughter of James
NJ. Welch, mentioned the names of Kerrigan
Gleason, Docherty, Dunn and Sam PERKS, as
having seen them at her fathers at break fast
that ming. First saw them coming from the
barn to the dining room. (Recognzed Docherty
Gleason and Sam Perris.) Saw Dochetty and
PERKS in the spirit room after the breakfast.
Abby l.. Welch "a years old) daughter of
James NJ. Welch-Saw the same parties come
into breakfast at her fathers that morning.
naming them, between eight and nine O'Clock,
inst bpforp she loft ia
Peter Rice, Worcester policeman-testified to
seeing Nelch take the cars Tor New York, at
the Western railroad station at ten A. NJ, Oc-
tober27
The testimony for the government here rested,
when Major McCaferty, counsel for PERKS,
opened for the defense, beginning with a state
ment Of the great Importance Of the issue, the
necessity of sufficient evidence to convict his
client, young man in the flush of manhood,
of so heinous an offense, for which more should
be required than the uncolroborated testimony
of an accomplice and confederate in the crime,
a confessed adulterer and thief He said it was
his purpose to show, by competent testimony,
that il Docherty, Gleason, Dunn and Kerrigau
exhibited bonds ON the grain chest, at Welch's,
on the morning of the robbery, they
were carefully kept from the view of
Samuel PERKS. He should introduce
testimony to show Perris arrived in Worcester
from the west on the morning of Oct. %, 1870,
too late to have participated in the Grafton rob-
berry; that Mrs. Pcrris came here from Farm
ingtou, Me, Oct. It'll, where she met her hus-
band, and both left on the afternoon of Oct
21st following, by the northern train, he going
north by way OF Rutland, Saratoga, &C., and
she going TO Albany, or rather Greenbusb,
where they met Oct. 2Sd; that they were there
on the 23d, oath and 25th, and he left for Wor-
cester by the eight 2. NJ. train of Oct. 25th, ar
irving here as stated. Mrs. Perris and others
of the family, who were too i'll to appear at the
former trial, would give in their testimony at
this trial. as also the defendant himself.
At this point, one O'Clock P. NJ, there was an
adjournment for dinner.
AT 2i O'Clock P. NJ, Mr.. GOulding, one Of the
counsel for Gleason aud Docherty, opened in be-
half of their clients, closing with motion for
the quashing of the indictment, on the ground
that there was in it no sufficient allegation that
the corporation whose property was alleged to
have been stolen had authority to be a body
corporate or to own property. The district at
court, and the trial proceeded. The irst wit
ness introduced for the defence was one of the
defendants, Samuel Perris, all the other wit
nesses for the defence being required to retire
during his testimony, as those for the govern
ment had previously been separated in like
manner during the testilying on that side.
| Samuel Perris, 81 years old-Lived iu Worces-
| ter 1G years; moved from fathers house in 1859;
my wife was in Pennington, Me, during sum
| mer OF 1870; Oct 20, 1870, was not in WOrces-
| ter or Grafton, and had nothing whatever to do
with the robbery; had no previous intmation
| or knowledge that it was to be done; met my
| wife here at Worcester station, Oct.7, 1870 at
| 10 p. NJ, she arriving from Maine by way of
Boston; we stopped at my fathers; went with
| wife for Albany, via northern train, leaving
here Oct. 81, and reaching Albany Saturday
night at 8. Stopped at jeremiah Cashman's
| house in GreenbuSh. Went over to Albany
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and back each
night to Greenbush. Took supper at Cash
mans Tuesday night, Oct. %, at O'Clock.
| Told eastman, whose wife is my we's sister,
that was going to Worcester that night, and
he went TO the depot with me to take the p. NJ.
tram east. Saw policeman Robert Mahar, and
| 500 win nun on the way to depot. Talked with
Leonard Vandcrhoughton and Peter L. Friday in
Albany during Tuesday, Oct. %. Arrived in
worcester by owl train morning of Oct 20,
walked from the depot up railroad to Green
| street TO James Nj. Welch's saloon on Temple
street (this was between and A. ny; saw no
one there, then proceeded to fathers ON Penn
avenue. Saw Wech standing by his barn door.
Saw Eve or six persons at Wechs. Did moi
take breakfast there, but drank there Saw nd
bonds or grcenbacks there. WEIGH, Gleason and
Kerrigan were there. Never saw Docherty 10
know him till in municipal court. The cross.
examination by Mr. Very elected testimony
that witness had been in Albany one year in the
fish business, and trading horses. Hal known
Alahar II years. told him Oct 20 in Albany
was going east that night. Kerrigan and two
Others were in the spirit room at Welch't
that morning. Two more came in, Gleason
and oncI other. Welch was also there, and
Gleason and one | did not know. Could not
say whether think Docherty was one OF them
| staid there from 8 10 A. M, in spirit room
Jim and Gleason were there all the time. All
except Kerrigan said they had been out on .
spree. | went into Welch's house at 81 I'M.
or Whereabouts to see Gleason and ask him If h,
| xyaa poinp IN New York Had nraviouRlv seer