New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-15
j. HOWARD WELLES IN COURT


POS PoNEMENT OF THE cAsE-THE GREAT
EMOTION OF THE PRISON ER-oprNIoN OF HIS
FRIENDS THAT HE is AFFLICTED WITH SOFT
ENING OF THE BRAN-wEILEs's RECORD In
TIE ARMY
Colonel j. Howard Welles, charged with at
tempting to blackmail Jay Gould, was taken
to the TOmbs Police Court yesterday and
arraigned before Justice Bixby. On motion of
his counsel, sAlgernOn S. Sullivan, the examina-
ton was postponed until Wednesday after
nO0n No request was made for the prisoners
release on bail, and he was locked up in the
Tombs Prison to await examination. The ac-
cused man s.much detected. 1t seems ap-
parent that his defence will be based on the
theory of insanity, which is inconsistent with
the story of his financial operations in Balti-
more sixteen years ago, telegraphed from
Washington by the regular correspondent of
THE TRIBUNE. 1t was said in Wall Street
that influence had been brought to bear on
Jay Gould not to press the charge.
THE ARRANGEMENT AT THE TOMBs
PITIABLE CONDITION OF TIE PRIsoNER-rHE EvI-
DENT LINE OF DEFENCE-THE BLAcKMAmER TO
DE PROVED IRRESPONSIBLE INFLUENCE
BROUGHT TO BEAR ON JAY GOULD NOT TO PROS.
ECUTE HIM-TALK IN WALL STREET.
The attention of the guard at Police Headquarters
was directed to the cell occupied by Colonel j. How
ard Weles who arrested on Sunday for threat
ening the life Of Jaw Gould in the hope Of extorting
money, at an early hour yesterday morning. The
prisoner had spent bad night II was evident that
he was i'll aud suffering great mental distress. It
was thought at first that he might have swallowed
some drug TO put end to his life. but when tho
police surgeon was summoned the prisoners illness
was found to be due to nervous prostration. He
was not disposed to talk about his troubles. but
when asked by the surgeon ifhe was the person who
had been writing letters 10 Jay Gould, he replied
that unfortunately he was the man. Saying this,
he relapsed into silence and took the tonics pre-
scrlbed by the surgeon without word. During tho
forenoon and part of the afternoon it was feared
that he would not be able to go to the Police Court
for examination.
A few minutes before 3 the crOssbarred door
leading to the cells the first floor at Police Head
quarters swung back Oh its hinges three men came
out quietly and started down the hall toward the
front entrance. One of them was Colonel j. Howard
Weles His ia-c bore traces of the excitement and
distress through which he had passed. and he seemed
unsteady on his legs as he walked. He wore
| Derby hat, a brown top-coat and striped gray
trousers and carried bamboo walking-stick in bis
| hand. Ills general appearance is that Of middle
SUITS OF retains place in trade because he finds his
pleas re in II. Weles had asked to be taken to the
courtroom in q carriage, but the detectives did not
comply with this request, and walking to adjacent
street corner the three entered crowded street
car on the Bleecker-st. line. There nothing in
| the blackmailers manner to attract notice, and
those in the car did not observe that anything un-
usual was taking place. But one in the secret
could see that the prisoner was carefully
| guarded by two stalwart detectives Welles
looked so helpless in his seemingly dazed con-
diton that he might have been led by q
child. he took note whatever Of his fellow-pas-
| sengers or of the detectives but stared vacantly
| through the car windows. When the car reached
| the Tombs the prisoner conducted through the
side entrance and taken to an inner room. AS soon
as h. was shown to a seat he covered his face with
his hands in great detection.
Meanwhile Inspector Byrnes had arrived at the
Court and had laid his affidavit before Justice Bxby.
II read as follows:
| The Cit, and County Of Ne-c- York
Inspector Byrnes, being duly sworn says that on No
vember - aud divers other days from and nclud-
ing October - no to the day first nelne above, I'm this
| city and County OF New York J. Howard Wees did
knowingly, and wilfully and feiOniousy send 70 Jay
Could letters and writings threatening 10 dc bodily In.
ry 20 the person OF said Jay Gould, with intent 20
tort and gain money aud property from said ay Gould
divers letters and writings threatening 20
I IN do u
Gould Deponent also SAYS that the letters and writ
Deponent further says that said J: Howard wees did
in tile City and County OF New-fork on october l7'
! 1881 threaten TO kill said Jay Could.
General Charles Roome. president Of the Manhat-
| tan Iiaslight Company, Judge Ambrose Mcneil and
| other relatives and friends Oh NelleS, were IN
| another room in consultation with Afternoons. Sui
| Ivan who had been retained as cOtn nvl Jay Gould
was present for a short time. Fih4iy the accused
man was led to the bar accompanied by his counsel
and friends Mr.. Sullivan stood at the side OF his
| client and addressing the court asked for post
| ponenlent of the examination that he might have
| time TO make himself familiar with the case lie
had he said only been retained as counsel an hour
| befoe e. and was consequently wholly unacqnalnted
with details II was his belief that the startling
| and reprehensible acts with which the prisoner
WAS charged would appear on investigation 10 nave
been the result of vagaries OF an unsOund mind FOR
| the sake of Welless family the lawyer hoped it
| would be proved that he was not responsiOle. As
lar as he coud ascertain the accused map had never
before been charged with doing aught that was dis
| honorable or unjust IL was earnestly requested
also in behalf of the prisoners friends that he be
especially guarded TO prevent his attempting to take
! his own life. A..
shaved signs of emotion, tears rolling from his eyes
| down his blanched checks. When ailuslon was mado
10 his family come tiOns ana his past honorable
career he buried his face in his handkerchief and
cried like child. -
the examination down for tomorrow afternoon at
3.3O O'clock and remanding the prisoner until that
| time. No request for release on bail was made.
When the prisoner led down stairs TO prison he
| was searched by an attendant and conducted to
| cell on the ground floor. A small penkniie was
| found in his possession, which he begged hard TO
| keep, but this was refused. In his cell he man.
| tanned the same melancholy, detected manner that
| has characterized him since his arrest on sunday
| afternoon. At his own request, and that OF his
counsel and friends no person was admitted TO the
| prison to gee him, last evening.
TIE MAN DECLARED TO BE CRAZY.
General Roome said in conversation after the ad-
| iournment of the Court, that Welles was crazy
| as a bedbug" He was of very nervous tempera-
ment and had engaged in stock speculaiions against
the advice of his friends Several times when ne
| had met with losses he had fallen into melan-