Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-07-28
Hearing on Miles, Case.

This hearing, which has been 30 many times
postponed, was begun last Friday before Governor
Proctor and Judge veazey at Rutland and con-
tinued through Saturday forenoon without com
petng it. day will be set by the governor to
finish it. Mr.. Ballard, in behalf Of Miles, read
affldavits OF several New York parties tending to
prove an alibi lie endeavored to show, by letters
from Wggin the detective, to Mrs. Miles, that
Wiggin was corrupt man. In one of the letters
Wiggin tells Mrs. Miles that George" will not
be released until what they Mrs. Miles and Wig
GIN spoke about was carried out, and when that
amount $4,000, was paid he 1.-THE wrter) would
go at once to Vermont and get bail reduced, and
her husband would soon be in New York, a free
man.
long affidavit and petition from Thomas p.
Somerville, Miles original attorney, were read
His most important point was that the Miles that
was captured was not the Miles that was wanted
There were six George Mileses in New York
George L. Miles affidavit was to the same effect
Somerville gave as a reason for Miles not making
a good defense on his trial that he was poor; he
could not compel the attendance OF witnesses,
and was too poor to pay their expenses. In his
argument Mr.. Ballard claimed that they had es-
ehphshch a toiupictc UtOt lie stu Niles Hhu
never been given an opportunity to prove his in
nocence. The present tribunal was the first and
only one before which he could produce this mass
Of evidence, and he demanded either an uncondi-
tional pardon for his client or an examination and
disapproval of their testimony.
The state relied almost wholly upon the evil
dence produced in court at the time of Miles con-
viction The state also put in letter received
from F. f. Lane of Keene, New Hampshire, who
was county solicitor at the time OF the robbery OF
the Walpole savings bank in 1874. Mr.. Lane
said Miles true name was White; he lived, prior
to 1874, in Westmoreland, New Hampshire, whence
he moved to Boston, and while living in Boston
he robbed the Walpole bank. He had a confed-
crate who was convicted. White, alias Miles,
was put on trial but escaped through a friend on
the jury. Mr.. Dillingham; also put in evidence
certified copy of an indictment found in Washing
ton, D. c., against George f. Miles alias Albert
Williams for completely in the celebrated safe
robbery; and a certified conviction of Albert Will
liams in Jefferson county, New York, for the rob-
berry OF the Hungerford bank lie claimed to be
able to prove that Miles and Williams were one
individual
Mr.. Ballard objected to the introduction of hear
say evidence but the court decided that, having
no rigid rules to guide them they would hear 1t
and give it its proper weight. Mr.. Dillingham;
desired to go upon the stand and testify to his
personal knowledge of the case. This he did and
gave an interesting account Of the whole case, be-
ginning at the confession OF Curey, and dwelling
with particularly upon the efforts to get Miles
out OF New York city, explaining what Miles
friends were pleased to call the kidnapping of the
prisoner.
Mr.. Dillingham; did not have an opportunity to
make his argument, This he will do at the ad-
journed hearing, at which time Mr.. Ballard will
finish his argument