The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-11-15

MED by His Former AccuserS-An Al
legged Conspiracy of Detectives-Spenc
Pettis Confesses.
1t will be remembered that Andrew L. Rob
erts native of Alfred, in this State, has beel
imprisoned in Ludlow street Jail, New York
since 1873, on Judgment secured against hin
| by the National Trust Company and thu
Guaranty and Indemnity Company in the SUI
| for conspiracy growing out OF the glgahti
bond forgeries of 1878. This week the New
York Court of Appeals has reversed the Judg
ment against Roberts and wife and Gleason
| and wife. The decision of the court will place
the facts of this celebrated case before the pub
lie in an entirely new light, and, it is claimed
| by the counsel for the defence, will cause
complete exposure of many of the villainies Of
detective agencies. During the months Of
June, July and August, 1873, hundreds OF
thousands of dollars in everly-counterfeited
bonds of the Buffalo, New York and Erie Rail
road Company were placed and disposed OF III
the New York and London markets. So per-
feet were the counterreits that it is asserted as
well known fact that even the president OF
the railroad company bought many Of them,
supposing them to be genuine. On the Both OF
August broker bought one Of $1,000 demon
nation. When placing it in his safe with
some of the genuine bonds which he had had
for some time, he observed that the new bond
bore the same number as one of the others. He
notified the railroad company, and the result
ant investigation showed that the market was
flooded with counterfeits extremely difficult
to distinguish from the genuine bonds on even
the closest investigation. The case was placed
in the hands of the Pinkertons to work up, but
it was long time before they could report any
progress. Before the exposure broker named
Charles Rolston had borrowed $4,000 from the
National Trust Company. hypothecating with
his note $41 900 of the counterfeits. Rolston
also en- the 9TH Of June, 1873, borrowed $780,
600 from the Guaranty and Indemnity Com
pany, on $40, 600 Of the counterfeits, and on
the following 18th of July borrowed $4,000 on
$40, 900 more of the counterfeits. On the 9th
Of August Charles j. Williamson secured from
the same company 900 on $4,000 OF the
counterfeits. Rolston and Williamson we've
both arrested after the exposure, tried and con-
victed the former being now in Sing Sing, and
the latter serving a ten-year term in England
for forgery, having fled thither after his escape
from Sing Sing, to which he was sent.
The cheated Trust and Guaranty Companies
looked about for indemnity. Fontaine Spencer
Petts, noted forger, was under ten-year
sentence for forgery in this State. He had
devoted wife living here. He sent for her.
Alter she had visited him she returned to New
York, and calling upon the Pinkertons, told
them her husband knew all about the bond
forgeries, and would "divulge," provided he
was promised liberty. The result was that he
swore to long statement which purported to
give a complete history of the forgeries and OF
every person connected with them. This H.
culpated the Gleasons and the Robertses. Mrs.
Gleason and Mrs. Roberts were both we'll Oil,
and each owned considerable real estate and
much valuable personal property Gleason
and Roberts were both prosecuted, but the jury
failed to agree, standing eleven for acquittal
and one for conviction. Thereupon both were
released on $50, 200 bail each, and the criminal
case has remained in that state ever since.
Then civil actions were begun against both the
Gleasons and the Roberts by both the Trust
and the Guaranty companies. Each obtained
Judgment, the Trust for some 5000, and the
Guaranty for 1871 900. The judgments were
appealed from, but the companies gave bonds
of indemnity and went on with their exeeu-
tions. Over 800 worth of the property OF the
defendants was taken. When the appeal was
taken, the court was so exacting about bail
that the defendants have remained in Ludlow
street jail ever since. The main evidence
which secured the judgments was the affi-
davits of Pettis, corroborated by that OF his
wife. Every effort was made by the prosecu-
ton to secure Pettis' liberation, and the Massa-
chusetts board of pardons even recommended
it to the governor, and Governor Dix OF
this State urged him to pardon the
forger But he persisted in refusing.
When Mrs. sPettls saw llisll slierc ,yss no shvfs
for her husband whom she devotedly loved,
she grew disconsolate and drank herself to
death, dying in this city about year ago.
just before her death she sent for a counsel of
Robertses and the Gleasons, and made dying
statement to them. This was properly wit
messed and executed, and then sent to General
B. f. Butler, at Boston, who took it to Pettis.
The latter thereupon made in General Buffers
presence long affidavit relating to the subject
matter of his wife's statement. Both these
documents are at present in the hands OF
Messrs. Ira Shafer and James Johnston, OF
counsel for the defendants. Mr. Johnston, IN
speaking about the case, said: "This case is
simply marvellous. Our clients have been
imprisoned several years, disgraced, and their
property sold under judgments obtained solely
upon the testimony given by convict en-
deavoring to secure the influence OF a set OF
detectives toward his liberation. OF course, L
cannot, for prudential reasons, make known
the contents of the latter affidavits made by
Pettis and his wife. But this much l can say:
Pettis swears that all he swore for the Pinker-
tons was ia lse, and sworn to secure his liberty
Mrs. Pettis swears that she allowed herself to
be suborned, and to commit perjury because
she wished to secure her husbands liberty
Both swear that all the evidence against our
clients was manufactured. You see, Pettis
was in the forgeries and knew all about them.
He told the whole truth, with the exception
that he withheld the names of two of his pals
and substituted the names Of Roberts and
Gleason, who had nothing to do with the for
geries. Besides, we now know who did make
the counterfeits.'' Mr.. Johnston added that
unless the prosecution went on with the farce
of a new trial for the mere purpose of delaying
the defendants chances Of redress, suits for
damages and for false imprisonment would at
once be begun against the National Trust and
the German and Indemnity Companies.
STATE NEWS.