The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-09-09
CHARLEY ROSS.
An. Important Revelation in the
Westervelt Trial.
A LADY WITNESS FROM BROOKLYN
She SWearS 70 Having Seen Him with Charley
Ross in a Street Car.

Attorney would introduce important and hitherto I'M
known evidence the prisoner with the abduc-
ton and retention Charley Ross to-day verified
The surprise has come at last, and Mr. Hagert has
played his trump card just before his hand is out in
cordance with his plan from the first This evidence is
of tho greatest Importance If the statements of the
witness true and the person who gives it is lady
living in Brooklyn and who was quietly Struggled on to
this city give danng evidence against the prisoner
Her story will probably have to be supported by other
testimony in order to make it sufficient to convict
the theory of the law that the benefit Of doubt must
always weigh in favor Of prisoner In BRIEF the story
Of the lady, whose name is
MRS. PEER
is that the 9th Of July 1874 five days after the kid
mapping, she saw Westervet in street in Brook
Ign with Charley Ross beside him crying
II is true that the unsafe evidence in the world
is that touching resemblance The cases of mistaken
Identity are too many on the record to allow the fair
minded to attach too much importance TO the unsup-
ported testimony OF person a matter upon
which any one is liable to be mistaken The effect
of
MRS. PEERS TESTIMONY
however, startling. There profound stiffness
in the court the lady gave her evidence, and it.
was listened to with breathless interest Her
and appearance prepossessing or course it is not
known whether her statements DO supported. IN
til they are they probably will carry convincing
weight with the jury, whatever individual opinion may
be-
DEFENCE
In an interview with Mrs Weservelt after the evil
dence of Mrs Peer damaging to her husband in Its
allegations the prisoners wife denounced the witness
a crazy She had been told so by Supern-
endent Walling she assured the HERALD correspond
ent The Superintendent had told her of Mrs Poor's
frequent visits to him unsolicited and said she was
crazy this subject OF Charley Ross As to her charge
against Westervet Mrs Weservet said that the day
she swore to having the prisoner in street car
with Charley Ross-the 9th of July-was her birthday
and her husband was home with her during the whole
of it, at their residence No 29S Henry street. New
York.
THE IMPORTANT WITNESS,
Mrs. Peer, is woman of about forty years. Should
she be younger she cannot at least deny that she
is both fair and fat She has pleasant face, intel
lgent gray eyes slightly gray hair brushed back from
high forehead, and is graced with regular features.
She has firm mouth, which closed decisively after
every Of her accusing sentences Her evidence
given with clearness elaboration and care, and her
that of who perfectly OF
her statements. She tasteiuly dressed in black,
with pink bow at her throat and blush in her
hat She was evidently lady OF Intelligence. 1t was
observable that when she given the pictures Of
Charley Ross tive in number) to examine she did
not examine them closely She barely glanced
at Thorn, and altogether she seemed to
handle them though they familiar and if she
had seen them often before, which is quite probable
She sat in a chair front Of the witness stand and
perfectly self possessed Even under the search
ing cross examination Of Mr. Ford tho only sign OF
discomfort she showed under the ordeal slight
flushing, and she used her fan occasionally.
MORNING
The morning session Of the court spent in
ming William v Mexican, managing editor of the Pub
Tic Ledger who has taken a prominent part in the
citizens for that object and has spent much time in
questioning Westervelt when he processing to aid
the police. His evidence was not of much interest
MES PEERS TESTIMoNf.
At about three o'clock in tho afternoon Mrs Lucre.
tia s Peer called and She testified that she
lived in Meseroe street, Brooklyn in July, 1874 She
continuod:-I took q at the City Hail. in Brooklyn,
to 60 up town. on the 9th of july 1874 seated oppo
site me in the car was a man with child recognize
the prisoner, William Wes;ervet that man; tho
inc hair and dark ewes. ne Child had brown linen
suit on shoes and stockings; the linen suit was
drawn blue cotton sack; he had no hat The wit
ness was asked the manner Of the man to the child
She begun TO ansyer:-''Ho spoke TO it'-when
Mr.. Brown objected that tho question improper
The question was withdrawn and witness was asked
instead what occurred between the man aad the child
She answered THE child was crying the man never
spoke to the child but once he turned to it and said
Hush hushl' the child seemed frightened at MIN and
screamed; the man said GO see mamma 60 see
mammal the child stopped screaming then, and
Westervet took crackers out OF his pocket and gave
them to the child; the child ate the crackers and
quiet; when to North Fourth street he left the
car carrying the child on his ARM North Fourth street
is in part of Brooklyn known Williamsburg;
this day when saw the and the child in the car
think l had heard OF the abduction of Charley
Ross, but did not remember IL at the time"
Witness was given some photographs Of Charley Ross
by Mr. Hagert and asked DO do they not resemble,
or if not what respect they differ from the child
YOU saw in the car on the 9Th of July Yn Mr. Brown
objected He argued at great length that such evidence
was vaueess; that il was Impossible even for the wit
to decide upon The resemblance of the pictures
the child he saw, let alone TO assert to their being
the same Counsel said he himself was asserted TO look
-o n mol ha cd GDl la
not, because the other fellow was bowegged and lie
not. (Laughter)
rhose pictures bear very strong resemblance to him;
/ consider them very good likeness"
MRS PEER CROSS EXAMINED.
Cross-examined by Mr. Ford my husband is living
l am forty years old and have been married twenty
four years; have three children, aged twenty-five,
eighteen and nine years; took the about halt past
7. NJ sat the back end Of the carr the child
sat exactly opposite me, with the man next him nearer
the front door; my attention called by the manner
OF the toward the child and the chlds toward the
man; told my family what had seen upon arriving
at home; told my family OF this matter particularly
because noticed in the childs face expression Of
painful anxiety and that it could scarcely restrain
tears | did not see a picture Of Charley Ross until
Christmas; it shown to by superintendent
Wallng's clerk, at Police Headquarters, where had
called to tell thom the circumstances of my having seen
the child; no handed me Of those pictures point
ing 10 the one previously shown and asked mo If II
looked like Charley Ross; was in the threequar-
tiers OF an hour IS about four miles from the Brook
Ign City Hall TO the place where the man got out
Mr.. Ford questioned the witness closely as to the
uress OF INC cnlu she saw no" sue kneW y was oy
and asked her TO describe the difference between
tho dress Of a boy and that OF a girl OF that
age Mr. Hagcrt objected 10 tho witness answering this
question, and the Court very strangely sustained H.
that tho witness not obliged TO answer tho
question, and when the counsel repeated she REPLIED
81 do not wish to answer" and positively declined
The counsel sat down with angry flush. Taking up
another branch the subject tho following additional
was brought QUIT next saw the prisoner In June
last In MOyamensing Prison in this city; went there
at my own suggcstioD; was shown 10 his cell
and gave him some tracts; did not try TO lead him
to suppose that was philanthropist; do not know
what he thought; / SAID | would visit his family
if he desired and he said he wished me to do so; he
Favo me their address in New York; went 20 SEQ
them and gave his wife periodicals and tracts"
WHAT LAWYERS THINK
This closed her crosse examination and the lady
quietly loft tho room The effect Of her evidence was
plainly apparent upon all in court A prominent crim-
nal lawyer James II. Bcverin said that the case for
the prosecution had boon admirably managed 10