The weekly Arizona miner., 1878-09-20
Another Letter from Thomas Berry.

l yesterday morning by prisoner in the new county jail who wished m interview. Th' ! request was complied with ard, on taking ; seat in the Jailors room, Thomas Berry convicted and sentenced for life for mai robbery, was brought in by Deputy Sheriff Pierce.
 We observed that he had grown in weight
 and vastly improved in personal appearance
 since the time when he was first arrested
 and examined in Justice Cartter's court, and
 with an air of much more selfcoDfdence
 than when, on the occasion spoken of, we attempted to interview him in the jail yard of the old courthouse.
 Berry said he was wrongfully imprisoned that his minu was constantly dwelling upon his wrongs, and desired us, again, to do him the favor of publishing a letter which he had written, setting forth certain facts which he wanted the people to read. In the ab- sence of the proprietor of the paper we were reluctant to comply, but, afler considera- 1 tion, concluded that the utterances of a man incarcerated for life could hardly af- ford grounds for successful libel suit and feeling that man in his position can have but few privileges, we grant him that of seeing his letter in print:
 THOMAS BERRT's LETTER.
 YAvAPAI COUNTY JAIL,
 September 16, 1878. |
 EDITOR INNER wish to state through the MINER, some of the circumstances at tending my arrest and conviction more ful. ly than did on former occasion, and to show the people how injustice has been dealt out to me without stint
 On January ,, 1877, W. ". Standefer and J. w. Evans arrested Milton A. Vance and myself on charge of robbing the L. S. mail. We were arrested one and half miles northwest of Prescott and lodged in the old jail, now abandoned. At the end of six days, ex-Marshal Standefer then had ex- elusive control over Vance and myself ana concluded that the old jail was not secure enough to hold men charged or accused of sucfr heavy crimes; so e.were bound with hand-cuffs and shackles and escorted to the Yuma penitentiary for safe keeping.
 During our imprisonment at that place George w. Thurlow, prison warden, advised us to send for II. N. Alexander, attorney at law, in Yuma, saying that he was the best lawyer Tn Arizona and man of integrity. We sent for this well recommended lawyer. After hearing from Us the circumstances of the case he agreed to take it provided we could furnish sufficient collateral We oave him bill of sale of ten head of horses. one mule, two saddles, two bridlestB one pack l saddle, two macartes, two hacafhores. two revolvers and one riate.
 The first cost of my saddle in Sah Francisco 1 was S45, and my silver mounted Ibridle cost me S2J. Among the horses was ono Bel | mont mare for which paid $I7j cash My saddle horse was also very valuable. weigh | ing 1000 pounds, eight years old. I paid for him $i4O.
 MT. Alexander agreed to furnish associate counsel out of the proceeds of all this pro- perty, which he did in the person of MT. Purdy of Yuma. They utterly failed. after taking my property, to endeavor to defend me Tn any way or shape, I furnished Mr. Purdy with the names of witnesses who were easily obtainable and he did not try to have them subpGnaed nor did they ever re- fund one cent of the money obtained from the sale of our property
 After being imprisoned at Yuma until the 95th of May, 1877, we were returned to Pres. colt and confined Tn that Libby prison of the north, Fort Whipple. Our case came before the Grand Jury and we were indict 'd; desiring continuance, we failed to get t on account of the prejudice of the Court. !; Dur Yuma attorney failed to appear in our defense and counsel was appointed for us y the Court and although they. Messrs. i Aram & McCusker, did all that was possible I inder the circumstances, we were hurried to rial, wholly unprepared, and under the i 'reIudiced rulings of the Court, convicted a 'n very slight circumstantial evidence and ( to imprisonment for life. Had a uStlce been administered then with the fair less that 1t Is now, I sholld have been oranted continuance and allowed time to Drepars or my defcnse. Before close this letter I r want to state some facts with reference to ny treatment at the hands of W. ". Stande- CT, eX. U. 5. Marshal, while I was in his \ Earge. The day following my arrest he \ ook from my feet par of fine new boots 'hlch cost me SIS, and they have never been to me. He also took from me } '56lO which, after my conviction. I de- handed of him. He told me he could not eturn It to me until reached my place of and that the money would be \ 1ore beneficial to me then. I gave Major | Jake, present Marshal, an order on SIr \ tandefer for the money, and he then said had purchased tobacco, clothing, etc. for N le to the full amount of the money due me E low l want to publicly deny that he ever N lpended one cent at my request. M |,
 THOMAS BERRY. F.