National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-03-10
EFTIDsTlIs CHEEP FOR eREESB.cKs
That TREASURY ROBBERY.
The Trial of BB. HslIsck.

1900 @@N@ASSNA A@S8S1n4"
The Trial of 3 B. HalIsck.
The TRIAL Of Benjamin B. RaIleck, Asrge l wi, b
purlo!ning $4,000 from the Treasury in June
last, was resumed yesterday in the CrimInSI
Court, Judge Ulin presiding. The accused was
accompanied by his wife and mo her In Law, who,
as on the previous day, sat quite near the pris-
oLeE, and eyIneed much Interest In thu proceed.
Ipgs. The hEst witness introduced was Mr.. JAS
A. MeDevitt, a Metropolitan police detective,
who dsposed that on the It'll of August last he
arrested the accused at the Globe Insurance
Gnice, New York, and took him 10 Washington
TIE same night; that while he was conveying the
prttoner 10 this city on the train, he eonversed
freely with him. The prisoner showed the wit
KeEe memorandum book, in which he had made
some notes, among other things q mathematical
calculation showing that the sI7,0g7.o5 had been
ttvided by two. Prisoner said this was made TO
allow what bis part Of the money would have
amounted to had be been engaged in the "steal."
The prisoner was then Locked up in the central
guard. house, and searched, and the notebook in
question taken from hin. The next day be saw
The accused in the ststiOn-houss, aud advised him
10 make "a clean breast Of IL, and promising
TO KEEP SECRET ANY DISCLOSURES
which he might make Prisoner then made
fail and complete onfesEion of his connection
with the robbery, which he would not relate to
the court, unless to save himself from imprison.
inert for contempt. At this juuc:ure General
HenkIe spoke a. length, urging upon the cour:
the ipadnissibility Of MeDeVitt's evidence; that
the witness had ex.or;e1 the confession from the
priEOner by threats and assurances Of immunity
II he would disclose; that the confession was not
9 voluntary one. ana therefore did no: come
within the pale Of the Law permitting such EVIL
denee.
By Mr.. HeukIe: Did HaHeck want to send for
counsel On Saturday Zig o. Sunday morning?
witness: Not before The confession; did not
say: "HallecE, Twill act as your COUNSEL bsfore
The confession. witness went for accused's wife
and TOOK her 10 her husband, and requested her
10 have ter husband tell all he knew about the
Treasury robbery, ard &c would not uss It
aESInst her Husband; on Sunday moraIng wit.
ness may have said to the wife Of the accused
that he would be the counsel Of accused and
would advise him.
General HeBkle here desired to INTRODUCES pre.
ImfEarJ witnesses to show that HcDeyi:t was in
error as to the tine be promised he wO1ld be-
actual circumstances under which the confession,
IfHhv, was made. In other words, he wanted 10
Eh1W what inducements were held out to ob:aIn
other side; that he would shOE that the confes.
sion was Lot such as should be considered and
taken SIS voluntary.
JypGE WILSON, Fee THE PROSECUTION.
held that this was simply question whether or
not this was a confession which, LHaer toe law,
should be excluded, and be cited authc-Nies TO
khnv that this confession should not be rejected.
During the arguments that ensued the pris
oueE's wife became much Affected, and burst into
tesrs. She finally became calm, and assumed
her ordinary appearance
Gov. Wells e-arended that McDevitt must
him by HsIleck. He was reluctant to exact this;
but IL is required by the law. He would haIs
the confession from half dozen others. Hs
would have more from others, in all probability,
than the witness knows; but yet right and Justice
must be done; the law must be fulfilled, and to
do this, McDevitt must testify as to the confess
sion he received from the accused. He cannot,
however much he may desire TO do so, withhold
this information from the court.
RULING OF THE COURT.
The Court thought the evidence of witness
the cOnfession-wOuld be admissible; but he
would rule that the evidence would be reserved
with the understanding that the jury rule IL out
accused was induced to make this confession b.
reason OF any inducements or promise: by reaso0
OF any hope Of reward or fear of punishment, and
To this ruling Gen. HsnkIe entered an exc,p.
tiCn.
After recess the further examination of Mr.
MeDeytt was postponed until tomorrow morn
sisted BY Gen HenkIe that he IMcD' ! went for
Hslleck's wife and mother-in-Iaw, but he did so
at the request OF relative Of theirs and the con-
like 10 have it so appear.
The second witness for the Government was
HORACE a. WHITNEY, A TREASURY CLERK.
1t was witness duty to arrange packages of money
that had to be sent OF. ReesG1npeTs thEt on the
I'd Of June he caused Si7oT6 e5 to be placed in an
envelope and placed on halleek's desk. Halleck's
duty was to recount the money and place seal
en- nc uIGuIe CT Iue envelope: Tue money was
il tie hands of several other persons besides the
Curdy, was in the room thai day, and left for
Baltimore about Il N. When the money was
missed the accuSed accompanied him In a search
tcr It, and did not by his manner indicate trepda-
ton OF confusion.
The District attorney then exhibited to witness
twenty-seTCn $500 Treasury notes, and asked him
II lie could identity them as the bills he had put
n the envelope for the Park Bank on the ID OF
Jure, 1872 His reply was, No; cannot say
they are"
TIE character of the accused previous to tina.
time he'd been coed, go far Es lie knew.
John 5. WoodEoI Shipping clerk in the
TresEpry, was next Evo!n: Was on duty Uu the
ID Of June, 1875, and took several money pack.
ages to the express Cfice. In counting them over
che was found TO be missing.
IT PROVED TO BE THE 81, 900 PACKAGE.
was satisfied that it came down the elevator:
that II not lost on the way to the express Office
made an Intellectual search for the lost package
in remote places in the Office where l thought it
might be concealed, but could not ind 1t. Knew
accused we'll. Previous to this trouble his char
acter for honesty, &c, had been good.
Thos. ]. Philips was peXS sworn. He wasra d.
rector of packages: on the u o. June, 1875, oc
cupied DECK No. in the cash-room. He remsn-
bsrs 10 have addressed the missing package to
the Park Bank, in New York. Said Nc urdy
had been lOafIg around the cash.Toom the day
the money had been Lost. Did not know who
Treasury sitter the loss of the package contain
ing the 81 600. Knew the accused we'll; always
REGARDED his character for honesty, &c, good.
Detective Sargent was next sworn. COnvorsed
with the accused IN the guard house. He de-
posed that the prisoner had made a full comics
SIGN of the robbery to him. (Here General
Rerkle again objected, bus he was 6reTruled by
the court, and he filed his exceptioa.) Accused
admitted 10 witness that the Memorandum book
which contained the entries in his handwriting
would convict him. General Henkle again OBJ
jected to the continuation of such evidence, and
ADDED bis belief that the prisoner under fear had
made these alleged admissions, If made at all.
He thought It unfortunate that his client should
be subjected to these grievsnces.)
At this poibt the curt adjourned until 10 a. N.
he