The Morning herald., 1875-09-09
~ ga OHARLLE ROSS. Eoql
The Trial of westcr,vyeit. y

COURT ROOM. IL 10 5IHRH 9d} x 89I,
AtIthe opening of Court yesterday morn
ing there was as large attendance as usual
and the first witness called was Mr.. William
v. Mexican, editor. of the Public Ledger. who
testified to having first seen Wcstervelt soon
after the shooting Of Mosher and Douglass,
and detailed q conversation had with the
prisoner on that occasion regarding his visits
to Philadelphia oiJ q, n'2l frd p. r..s-ald
He also detailed the visit to Rondout. He
said he was asked to accompany Mosher and
Douglass there on a picnic, and subsequent
ly ascertained that the picnic was for the
purpose of robbery or burglary. He being
out of work and out of money, agreed to 20
with them, and the three went together; two
days and two nights were spent by the party
in the neighborhood Of Rondout, but his
(Westervelt's) heart gave out, and they did
not rob any place. The details Of the visit
and the return to New York Were given at
length, but the witness declined to attempt
verbatim report of the conversation with
Westervelt, as it endured for about five
hours. % The story of the Rondout trip, it
appeared, was told to witness in answer to
his questions to Westervelt regarding Mosh-
er's ownership or connection with boats. A
considerable portion of this trip was in q
boat, and hence the recital. Mosher wrote
no letters from Rondout, so far as Wester-
velt knew. Another conversation between
witness and Westervelt took place on the
2Sth of January, 1875, in Superintendent
Walling's office. This was briefer than the
first. Witness accused Wcstervelt of having
concealed several things at the first inter
view.
Witness stated that, at the first interview
he had asked Westervelt very infinitely, and
at this word the counsel for the defense took
instant exception. The word "minuetly"
was strenuously objected to, and the objec-
tiOn was followed by somewhat excited
discussion. The word "minuetly' was with
drawn by the witness, and the word 'tfre-
quently' substituted. He then went on to
say that at the first interview he had fire.
qu:ntly asked Westervelt about messages,
and go-betweens employed in
Mosher's interest, and he Westervelt) had
only admitted having been with the men on
those occas 'ons, and knew of no messengers.
At the time he admitted a knowledge Of.
money being delivered to Mosher's wife.
Witness told him that he had learned that
he Westervelt) had been twice with Doug
lass on the night of the abduction, and, as
had been since learned, had had the oppor-
UNITY of delivering up Douglass. 'i told
him., said the witness, ''that he had acted
Ia bad faith with me and with the police,
hat he was responsible for the fate of the
child; if the child were killed the blood
would be on his hands. He rose up from his
,boir nd roic cirrr 10 md, /
DID, he denied very earnestly having
lcted in bad faith"
After the examination of Mr.. Mexican
he case took recess and in the afternoon
he session commenced with the cross ex-
animation of Mrs. Rier. She testified:
My husband is living and been married
wenty- -four years; have three children, aged
Y; Is and 9; got on the car at 10 O'Clock and
at near the rear end the man child setting
opposite towards the front door; the manner
II the man ATTRACTED my attention to him
md the child and the child,s manner to him;
le was not of an unkind manner to the
hid; he looked away. from his charge out
If the window; this thought strange, it is
luitc unusual to meet children of this age in
he cars who cry, can't discover any Of the
hildren saw cry; the circumstances first
communicated to my family when went
!ome that day, ] noticed at the time that
his was Charley Ross; communicated it to
ny family because when entered the car l
oticed an .exp xpression of playful anziety- on
he child's face and that he could hardly re-
train from tears; first saw photograph of
harley Ross about Christmas; 1t was one
f those pictures; saw it in Supt. Walling'c
flee in New York, his clerk. showed it to
lc; he asked me II the picture looked like
he child saw in the cars and l said yes, /
hink that at the time understood 1t was
he picture of Charley Ross; had not seen
he child between July 9th and the
me I saw the picture and had
ever seen the child before between the
me I saw it on the 9th of July
nd then sawits picture and never saw the
hid before (; was in the car three -fourths
f an hour, from City Hall, Brooklyn to
here he left the car is, l think, about four
lilies. 4a.vI.i0 w5f ~ II ..r"'rD g r.J1,
Q-Can you say whether the child you
wv was a boy or girl. .'sp.0- ..Hle ,.DI'.f II
Al considered it a boy. a1..,. H.. ID 90 I
Q-Might it not have been a girl? ...,.u t
A-That is impossible. ir.u1 ."r. &
Q--Why do you say that n'H'.l .a
A-Because he had boys clothes on. = c
'Q-Dcscribe the dress minutely! ...s.., a
Ale had on a brown linen suit with ,
rye pleats about the waist and blue cot 7
n sash of the material generally used in (
aking overalls; he wore no pantaloons. d
Q-Describe the difference between a boy Cr
ID girls dress. In. n '.r... ,.leaD ., @ a
Judge Elcock said that as the witness f
entitled 1t as a boys dress, intelligence r.
quired nothing more. a.. ..g.. IL
Mr.. Ford-Wc are to understand then "
at you can't answer that question. d., \
Witnees---I shall not try to. g 70 l& lfE1 h
Q-When did you first see the prisoner
ION July 9th, 1875, at Moyarnensing D
ison, when conversed with him in his s,
ii for few minutes asked him If he
d plenty of reading matter and gave him 10
me tracts MY visit was suggested by Mr.. &
wis ] did not give him any
ason why I. visited the prison: G
did not suppose that l led him to Cam "
n, that was u philanthropist coming