The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-30
THE UNITED STATES MAIL ROBBERY.

Close of the PrOtractcd Trial at Trcn-
tOn-Arguments of Defendants Counsel
and of the District Attorney-The Jury
Render a Verdict OF Acquittal.
The Rockatellow trial was resumed yesterday in
the United States District Court at Trenton.
Daniel Porter, the Postmaster, was recalled ana
proceeded to explain the $1,000 matter. In speak
ing OF that translation to Mr. Clark he had reference
to the amount he had lost by the robbery; all this
was done prior to any complaint being made before
the Grand Jury and prior to any proceedings being
taken, and, indeed, prior to having seen the Dis
trict Attorney, or before 1t was supposed he knew
anything about it. question was asked
witness as to how he fixed the time
when he saw Rockafelow on Monday morning,
October 7, at ten minutes past seven, deposlting
the letters in the Post office, to which he replied
that as soon as Rockafellow deposited the letters
in the office he took them up and said to his son,
''Now, we will stamp these letters SO as to fix the
date;" he also made explanations as to how Judge
Williamson and others helped themselves to their
own letters 10y saying that they were near the
slide, and that the letters OF Barcalow and OF the
Somerset Bank could not be reached in this way;
the salary OF the Somerset Postmaster was 81, 200
per year. He then cross-eXamined by Mr..
Vanatta, but nothing important or conflicting was
elected.
Culver Barcalow was recalled, but he threw no
John H. Emory was called to prove the facts in
regard to the time tables and the arrival and de-
parture OF trains at Somerville; he also testified
TO Rockaleowls good character.
George Porter son of the Postmaster then testi
fed as TO the manner the business OF the Office was
managed; knew thatletters had been lost, bur did
not know who was implicated in taking them; he
denied having said that he had hit upon the time
previously when the Post ONCE would be robbed
Mr.. Clark was recalled, and said that lie was
positive that the proposition to settle first came
from Mr.. Barcaow, after which George Britton, Of
Trnn cal n n i'm n n
ferent styles OF writing, but his evidence was ruled
out.
Mr.. vanatta proceeded to address the jury. his
first point was that 1t had not been proved that
any letters whatever were taken on the days s.. set
ing OF and opening OF letters was not larceny, but
might be regarded as malicious mischief In this
single dollar was lost. There was not proved
case OF larceny IN all the transactions. He
which he said that the return OF the papers, after
they had been rined, was evidence against the
presumption that they had been stolen. A man
who would do this ought to be indicted for idiotcy.
man who would steal letters would hardly place
back into the Post once the evidence of his guilt.
lie would be much more likely to deal with them
as pirates do on the principle that burned letters,
like dead men, tell no tales. The defendant was
with Its AFFAIRS, and so far as any Suspicion
arose from this circumstance 1t might as well have
been settled ON ANY other citizen OF Somervilie:
OF experts. He said 1t would not do to rely on the
opinions OF persons who called themselves eX-
perts. This case should be decided on evidence.
Alter reviewing the testimony OF several witnesses
he concluded by say ing that 1t was clear case OF
ignorance, sustained by the highest grade OF evil
dence, and that 1t would be- no doubt, the pleasure
of the jury so to declare.
District Attorney Keasbey followed on the part
OF the prosecution. He spoke OF the sacredness of
the Post Office and referred to the fact that the
evidence did not, as was intended by the defence,
involve the son OF Mr.. Porter in the matter. He
said the law quoted by Mr.. vanatta in regard to
larceny did not apply to this case. The Court
here said that man who takes letters from the
Post ONCE was unquestionably guilty OF larceny.)
The counsel then proceeded to sum up the evil
CASTOR saw Rockafeow, on the morning Of the
sth OF October, deposit letters In the Post ONCE
CASTOR then rushed into the office, informed Mr.
Porter, and they went together and FOUND the
contents OF these letters to be the same
as those which Mr.. Porter mad specially made up In
his decoy envelOps. They had been put there for
detection, and there they had found them. on the
preceding morning Porter and his son saw Rocka
fellow deposit letters in the ofce Porter then
went to the newspaper office, procured Rockafe
lows handwriting and then compared them
Counsel alluded to the similarity of the handwrit
ing, and dwet particularly on the word "Somer-
vie.n He then said that Mr.. Paine, the best ex-
pert in the country, had proved that the handwrit
ing on the envelops and that in Laura Gardner's
letter were written by the same hand.
Judge Nixon charged the jury, and, after being
out three hours, they brought in a verdict OF not
guilty.