Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-09-04

The trial of William Westervelt for completely
in the kidnapping OF Charley Ross is the absorb
ing local topic. No court case since the trial OF
Twitchell for the murder of Mrs. Hill has exct-
cd 30 much interest The knowledge that the
principals in the abduction, Mosher and Douglass
are beyond the reach OF punishment invests
Westervelt with something of the Importance
attaching to first hands. Every item of testi
mony goes to show that he was thoroughly con-
versant with the kidnapping plot in all its
phases and this fact is warrant enough for the
general desire to sec him properly punished.
Tho receiver is as bad as the thief we are told,
and the man who kept such secret AZ the Kid
mapping of Charley Ross, when by telling what he
knew he might have had tho boy months ago re-
turned to his family is no better nor deserves
any mora consideration, than tho real thieves.
That il the homely way of looking at it and
the position can hardly be controverted,
But desire and fnltilment are two very differ
ont things. 1t would be very gratifying to note
conviction of Westervelt il attained on good
sound evidence, and thus to know that punish.
ishment i'll some quarter was to be Inflicted for
this outrage upon all our homes, but we must
not forget that things arc often morally certain
which cannot be legally proven. All reasonable
motives point to Westervelt as the recipient of
the information In question, but without evi-
dence on the point, and in the face OF his own
denial. what is to be done? Suppose him to be
the relative of cne of the robbers and the init
mate of both suppose him to have accompanied
the villains ON como of their secret expeditions,
knowing the object of the same to be burglary;
suppose him to have accompanied Mosher in his
search for carriage suppose him to have worn
clothing and other articles known to have been
stolen by Moshor and Douglass suppose him to
eyen--and this il the strongest point in the
statement made by him in April last and now
admitted as evidence-to have had a conversa-
ton with Douglass in which he charged the lat.
ter with knowing whore Charley was-these
things, though sufficient to convince most peo-
pie Of his guilty knowledge, will, hardly prevail
with jury under the strict surveillance
of the opposition lawyers, and against
the impartial rulings OF the judge rs to
rules of evidence. For Westervelt might have
done and said and seen all these things without
absolute participation. When he went with
Mosher i'll search of the buggy he might not have
known OF the use to which it was to be put : in
his talk with Douglass he might have been,
really, as he would have it appear, only seeking
to satisfy himself about the facts OF the abduc-
ton.
The sum of the matter therefore, is that a
conviction is very doubtful A case of equal
importance, aud when the right is 30 clearly in
view, can hardly be mentioned in which it would
be possible te mako 30 strong defence. The
testimony of Chief OF Police Walling, OF New
York, descriptive OF the search for Mosher, Id
very interesting but bears imperceptiby on
Westervelts guilt. Chief Walling testfes to
the fact that Westervelt WAS in communication
with him, protesting to give information that
would lead to his brother-in-law's capture. Ii
is now understood that this was mere game Oh
the prisoners part, to get into the secrets OF the
police but il it were all it frat appeared to Wal
ling, it would be possible to reconcile it with ig
norance OF Westervelts in the Ross matter
From all that can now be seen the poplar sym
pathy is to be worked upon without practica, re
suit
The arrest of State Treasurer Sooy of New
Jersey under circumstances of a most peculiar
and disreputable kind would have caused more
excitement than it did il tho most determinet
efforts had not been made 10 suppress the scan
dal These were SO far successful that only the
mere fact has escaped OF the discovery of Mr.
Sooy in female society the very reverse of re.
spectacle, and in which he had BquandsreC
thousands of collars belonging to New JERSEY
tax payers. g What doth gravity OUT OF lts bee
at mdnght?" was never question more rea
sonably asked than here, for apart from the
supposed restraints OF his position MIR. Soov II
all old man whom the folies of youth should
| long have passed by. The interest felt by us ii
the affair is explained by the discovery having
| been made in this city, and from the knowledge
| that the stolen money was mostly spent here
| The Pennsylvania Railroad was, also, tho un
| conscious agency of the State Treasurer In hi
rascality, it having paid him large sums OF none,
vndes the fair apprehension that the transfer
were in the course of official business.
Tho old folks excursion to-day was one oil
| the pleaaantest events of the vacation season
| The weather, happily, proved charming, Brea
contrast to the wretched atmospheric condition
| of past days innumerable and warm enough q
satisfy the well-known craving of the aged il
this particular. would like to say here that i
| is a mistake to suppose that old people or
| least the class of old people towards which thl
attention is directed-have any sensitivenes
on the score of uniting in such
| demonstration. l have heard critici5m
to the opposite effect made, view
| expressed tending to tho idoa that such thing
| as this excursion would bo regarded as patron
| izing and offensive. But it Is not true view
| as any one famlar With affairs in retreats fo
| the aged will bear me witness. There Ii
blessed natural provision through which the out
worked mortal lays down with his cares, all
| with his results, great or small in the battle o
life the petty prdes and artificial obstacle
| which divide younger men. TINS does not reie
to people of 90 and 10, but to the really old Will
euch it will be found largely tho fact that they,
far from regrotting their yigor,are proudo or thei
age and of every attention, whether considerapl
or trivial, that is paid them on account OF i
They do not consider themselves patronlzed !
tho lesst by being carried out to Rockland b
tho carload, to drink tea and eat cut peache
and cream, aud to briefly summarize thei
pilgrimages for whomever may desir
desire that information. l have been PAINFUL
amused Mt times when visiting the Old Men
Home on 39th street, with the complacenc
with which the inmates regard their situation
They talk about ''us old men" as proudly o
though to be an old man was the fnest thln
in tho world And it may be there is gret
deal to be said in favor of that position. Th
excursion to-dey was.the most snccesstul on
| of the kind ever given here Several Center
arians were of the party, one OF them Dem
1O9 years of age.
The uncertainty in the National Gaurd hi
been ut last ended by the appointment by u
Governor Of Gen. John p. Bankson to be MaJc
, General in place Of Gen. Provost resigned
The selection appears to give satisfaction. Gel
Baukson has a good war record, having serve
with credit as Captain of the "Corn Exchange
, Regiment, and subsequently upon the stan
| General Griffin. He ls a prominent buslne'
man. now that the "Cruel War ID ovor," and Is
!, fayorite IN society. The change all around ms
he for the good of the SERVICE" but it WI
!, seem strange for awhile. A parade witho'
Provost What an anomaly The gallal
3, Netf. too How can that sodierly mustache
into retirement? 1t is all very sad, but 1t is
i world of change.
The discussion upon the laying of the marb
i in the Public Buildings actively continues al
has drawn ont a letter from MIR. Macarthur u
!, architect But the critics have much the be
| of 1t and it is evident that il the Building Col
!, mission intends to really investigate the matt
it will bring some unexpected and damagli
facts to light. The central assertion OF n y
Macarthur is that ''not single foot OF mari
VI is paid for until certified to by the state neast
err" but tho Bulletin very particularly as
}, il that measurement is not made when the ma
lila ia landed hero as it comes from the quar-
J. II wants to know whether the stone is me'
I, ured at Broad and Market streets when it
fha nj