The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-12

Conviction OF ELI Brown, the Notorious
Western Bank Robber and Counter
feiter-Sent to the state Prison for Five
Before Recorder Hackett
The session OF the Court yesterday was spent in
the trial OF indictment for grand larceny against
Eli Brown, and as will be seen by the subjoncd
report OF the the conviction OF this prisoner
is an event OF more than ordinary significance, the
announcement OF which will be hailed with
pleasure in number OF the Western States,
where Brown has been known for a num-
Der of years as notorious desperate.
The specific charge preferred against him was that
on or about the 10th OF April he stole ST. 400 in
money and q gold watch from Timothy W. Fuller
who was the first witness called by the prosecu.
ton. He testified that he was with Brown all day.
going around town drinking and that he lost his
watch in the neighborhood OF four O'Clock, on
Broadway, near the Astor House. on. Saturday,
and that he did not see Brown till the Sunday
evening; when he met him he accused the pris-
oner OF taking it, but he denied the accusation ;
three or four days after that Detective Farley
showed him the watch ut headquarters. Mr..
Howe, in his cross examination OF the complain
ant, said that he met Brown near the st. Nicholas
Hotel at nine O'Clock in the morning; that he did
not see the accused steal the watch; that
he was quite drunk In the afternoon and
that II he gave Brown the watcn for
1t he did not remember the occurrence, but was of
the opinion that he did not do any such thing; the
money which ne had was the proceeds OF sale OF
some property In Chicago Mr.. Howe asked a. nun II
he had never been in the state Prison at Wiscon-
SIM whereupon he replied that he did not propose
to answer That question unless he was obliged to,
but subsequently said he had trouble twenty years
ago and was imprisoned growing out OF difficulty
e ch u a Sr Ss'fsH se s'Gss Wnss ys
refused to state whether, when arrested In this
city few weeks ago, 1t was because OF swindling
Brown stole the money, and before he left the
stand volunteered the statement that when he got
"pretty tight" the other Gay in Philadelphia he
stood on the street giving away good deal OF
money to newsb0ys.
Onicer Farley testified that he arrested Brown
at the Filth Avenue Hotel on the 23d OF April last.
and upon informing him That he was charged with
stealing $1,400 and gold watch from Fuller he
laughed at it, and said he had never seen the
money nor the watch; at that time he (the de-
tective) knew the watch had been recovered, and
he remarked to Brown, You have been telling me
lies.n
william II. Butts, attached to the Secret Service
Department OF the United states, testified that he
had known the prisoner for eighteen months; that
on Saturday, the 10th OF April, he advanced Brown
$25 on the watch In question, under instruction
from his superior 0fficer, at which time the
prisoner said nothing about the ownership OF the
watch.
This was the case for the people. Eli Brown took
the witness box In his own behalf and said he
came with MT. Butts from Indiana on the 18th OF
April; with Fuller and drank at several places
with him. and that Fuller cut his watch of the
guard and requested him to raise some money on
II, which he procured from Mr.. Butts. The COM
watch, but had made an appointment TO meet him
at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, where the detective ar
rested him.
Assistant District Attorney Horace Russell sub
jected Brown to a searching crossexaminatt0n
waich brought out some startling facts. He denied
ever being connected with the keno gang In