The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-12

N IL w ONIE ANO, 81
they were beyond recovery. He then wanted
to make more specific bargain than the
published $1,000 reward indicated. l bid
$780, then $3.50 for those of the papers about
TO be returned, which were thoroughly
identified by my advertisement. He said
that the price would be $500.
l then proposed to take all the undenti
fled at one-half of their market value
agreed to. He called my attention to the
facts that his little fee had been entire v
overlooked. This would amount ordinarily
to $500, but in consideration of my heavy
misfortune and my late loss he would call it
$3.50. l then remarked that would consult
with friends about the matter, aud give him
an answer at my residence, my room, at
OF O'Clock in the evening. | consulted with
a gentleman who had been formerly in the
detective service, who advised me not to
pay more than the $1,000 reward, because of
the evident attempt at black mail. Mr..
Pike, whom | met at his Office at 8 o'clock,
agreed about this matter. | waited at my
room until y o'clock that evening, and OH
arriving at my office at 9 A. NJ. on Christ
mas morning found a pencil memorandum
on the back OF Atocha's card: ~ wish to
see you !; please call at office 10 o'clock this
A. NJ, December 25th:" not signed, but on
the back of his business card.
z. A. A. Atocha, attorney at law. on the
other side
A. Yes, sr-asking me to be at his office
at 10 O'Clock, which did, and found that
he had gone to Recorder Becker's court. A
half honr later he came to my office and be-
gan to talk of the affair. | told him that
his proposition of yesterday could not be
entertained, and made counter PROPOSE
ton, viz: the original $1,000 upon his tee.
After having consulted Mr.. Jones. whose
Office is in the neighborhOnd Of mine, |
made him plump offer of $3.50, which was
to be accepted in payment of all Of the pa
pers Atocha asked the payment in adj
vance, which was respectfully declined. At
noon, according to appointment, l called at
Atochas office, i'll company with my brother.
He then produced the boxes and the confused
papers from a drawer in his desk. From
checking the contents Of the bundles, Alto
cha calling off, and checking from printed
list, found the following items: 500 shares
of Ship Island Company, (the articles are
mentioned in the petition), about $3.50 in
city warrants. regular 1913 metropolitan
warrants, $l4OO Jefferson City warrants, $500
city notes, and $3.50 i'll ten per cent. bonds.
Q. This is exclusive of the money and
jewelry-this rcfers merely to the papers
| A. Those figures aliude to the papers lost,
as Atocha had told NE that the gold and
silver coin and cash must not be expected
He made it purely business transaction.
Finding Alto ,ha unable to fulfill his part of
the contract, took cab and found Jonas
at his club, and took his advice and re-
| turned to Atocha's office. and proposed to
pay him his fee, and pay one thousand dol
| lars on delivery of the papers, according to
| the contract. | had secured the services of
| HoHlihan, the detective to make the arrest
| of Atocha, in case l found it necessary to
make terms. After most exciting debate,
induced Atocha to accept $500 for the
paper, paying him $500 down, and sending
him. by Houlihan, my fathers check on the
Canal Bank for $50, which check was writ
ten at John Casey's bar-room, opposite Mr..
f. J. Harland's. Frank Jarvis then accom-
panied my ia her aud myself to my office,
where we rechecked the documents and put
them in the vault of the Canal Bank for
safe keeping. This was Christmas Day.
q. You got back the papers from Atocha 7
\. From Atocha.
q. He told you he got them from the rob-
b'rs, did he
A. No, sir; he told me he got them from
his clients.
g. That may be two'
A Yes, sir; because he was very particu-
lar in wording the matter. His reputation
Der that in pressing these researches after
the box on one occasion, you, Major New,
council for defendent, accompanied me, as
attorney for Pike. We made certain dis
coveries through the kindness OF the Chief
of Police, who gave us information as to who
the real robbers were, and what steps he had
taken to arrest them, but had been unable,
through the machinatiOn Of certain parties,
to hold them.
~ Il.
terreting out the robbers as much as could
be-
A. New accompanied me on one occasion
to the Parish Prison, with the intention of
having an interview with Sam German; we
found that, through the Intervention f his
attorney, he had been discharged that morn
ing.
Q. By whoms
A. BY Recorder Becker, who had promised
me that very morning, that he intended to
hold him until Friday-three days after
wards.
Q. What did Gain say in regard to that
discharge
A. Captain Cain said that he had done his
best to retain the thief; that he had not
only this charge to make against him, but
another one, emanating from Boston, but had
been completely hoodwinked, and unable to
carry ont his purpose.
Q. Did he say that Recorder Becker had
received money for discharging that pris-
Oner.
A. He told me in answer to question,
that Recorder Becker had received four hun
dred dollars, or about that, for discharging
thieves at the intervention of Atocha, on the
morning that he was secured.
The above testimony was taken in the
Seventh District Court, before Judge Col
lens, and we are under obligations to the
polite and accommodating clerk, Mr. Ber
EOudy, for a certified copy.