The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-07
THE ROCKS CASE.
The Preliminary Examination Opened
Before Commissioners Lane.

The Preliminary Examination Opened
Before Comnsi ssioner Lane.
| The preliminary examination OF b. H. and Il
| L. Rocks. on the charge or having counterfei
money III their possession was eommenoet
yesterday before United States Commissioner
| Lane.
The only witness examined for the prosecu
tion WAS the ferret, y. g. @ Malley who arrestet
the accused. He testified 10 having received in
formation OF the fact of u. II. Rocks havine
counterfeit money in his possession and Of
having arrested him On the person of the &C.
cused was found quantity Of counterfeit
money and between three and four thousand
dolara Of good money. The good and bad bills
were mixed. On d search warrant witness had
examined the rooms of the accused. and found
mn additional quantity Of counterfeit money in
three trunks and Il hat box.
Tho defansa placed on tho staEd Massra r. II
Freret. receiving teller Of tho Rtata National
Bank. u l.. lambert, receiving teller OF tho
Ult i, No Bank md MI soh9lt5. paying teller
testified to having received instructions from
u, IT, Rocks in tho art 90 detecting counter feits.
and declared that he Ind shown himself to Be-
an expert: that hia method was " COED one and
that II could not he imualtcd without the t1se or
both genuine and counterfeit notee for com
UMaley was recalled BY tho defense md
questioned as to THO circumstances on which
he based his declaration in the affidavit thai he
believed tue accused Intended to sell or other
witness said that, big belief was hased on his
knowledge Of tho accused. He was In
aharr we md h eo b W. On s 10 tho
who were tried with him. md heard him called
The , father Of IT, gang. Rooks, VIM, acquitted,
been informed by one Ktohum who has since
become notorious that Rocks was In tho bnsi-
ness. us an1nni,nttanoe with the antecedents
bills for n legitimate purpose.
Special Ago9t Wilde was also PLACED on the
stand for the defense. and testified that he had
which would load him 70 believe that Rocks WINS
endeavoring to pass tho bills
y; n. BROOKE was next placed on the stand to
On the direct examination he said in sub
stance that he had boon engaged In the bust
ing counterfeit money, since 1907, and had
travelled through q number Of States following
TIE 3 hn I, e. He had obtained number Of
era, who were In the business before him: hut
the largeat portion OF them had boon given him
~ hnnk officers officers Of counties. States and
tt e, 10 pass any OF tbem.
The, cross examination was conducted with |
considerable shrewdness ~ District Attorney
Lspunrd aud was searching inquiry Into the |
ifo Of Rocks. and ELECTED the foilowlne:s
Had started In tho business In 1867. ~ d means
I, oarn'ne While worsng bis way
he University Of Kansas. aud was d ragged
,are footed farmers boy. He WIS born In 1850
md WINS twenty whine years OF age
This Inst statement created q decided aensa-
lon, Tor ne looked to DO forty years of age mt
he lonst. and tho man he claimed as bis son
vas, from appearances, not lesa than twenty
I've years Old. He explained that this son WIS
lis .witos. and his only by adoption. This son
lad assumed the nama OF ROOFS.
The income Of witness was according to the
york DO did. He considered he was doing well
he made 81 " day. Hts profession was his
My source Of revenue. aud he had been fol-
owing 1t regularly since leaving college In 1879 |
The expenses Of himself and wife were about |
1900 year. He had $4,000 loaned on Interest
wned fifteen acres Of land Ia KHnsas for which
g had paid $50 an acre had invested 5000 In
ther property there. but had lot It 20. The
lhrshhl had between $4,000 and $4,000 OF good
money belonging to him. and he had some in
eated In government per cents.
loney. other than that held by the marshal.
Nd. nfter some hesitation aud consultation
IN MS conasel, he answered that he had that
o had given his counsel d package OF II to keep
pr him for future use In his business in case
mt held blythe marshal was not returned.
Mr. Dlbble, his lawyer. here stated that the
loney had been sealed up and deposited In
~ vault Of the. sub-treaaury by himself
Continuing his testimony. Rocks said that he
~ never made application to the Secretary Of
ne treasury FOR permission to uss tho cOun-
'rfeits.. as he did not think any one could atl-
lorize him to do II. He thought the amount OF
,unterfeit money Id tho hands Of the marshal
nd been overestimated He did not think 1t
yceeded 10000
The cross examination hero ceased. and the
sse was continued until II o'clock to-day.