Omaha daily bee., 1882-11-17
THE CONFIDENCE MEN.
They Are Being Reviewed in
Police Court, and Some Sen
SatiVnal Statements AIDE,
ellis Still Insists That the
Police Were Bribed.
CoDjsoturss NJ TO the End.

Yesterday the police court was a
point of interest for many, on account
of the examination in progress there
concerning the alleged confidence men
asssulting a crippled song seller named
ellis, whose story was told in yester.
days BEE
The FIVE men accused gave their
names as James T. Conorton, Henry
Seymour, j. II. White, George Max
well and John Howard They ap.
peared in the morning, without any
attorney, and were informed that q
new indictment had been lodged
against them, 1t being a charge of as
sault with intent to commit murder.
John N. Baldwin appeared for the
prosecution, the Chicago, Burlington
& Quincy railway company, on whose
train the affair occurred, apparently
being interested In having the matter
thoroughly sifted and justice gained.
He wanted the case continued
until Saturday, in order to get wit.
ness who were on the train, but the
defendants said they would admit
that these witnesses would swear to
just what the prosecution claimed
that they would testify to. The case
was adjourned till 3 o'clock in the
afternoon, the prisoners giving bail in
the sum of 5000 cash and q 80, 600
certificate of deposit, making so, 600
in all.
In the afternoon the case was open
ed. Col. Daley appeared as attorney
for the defendants. Gillis was put on
the stand and went into details as to
the attack made upon him, as narrated
in yesterdays BEE. He claimed that
he had been instructed by the head
officials of several of the roads to
notify conductors and policemen, and
to warn passengers, when confidence
men were around, and that
he had done SO, thereby getting the
ill will of the confidence men, who
had threatened him with violence on
account of it. He claimed that this
was the reason they pitched into him.
He narrated in detail the ARRAY in
the car, and the arrest of the men,
and how afterwards they were turned
loose, and resfirmed his statement
made to THE BEE that he saw money
slipped into the hands of Officers
Cusick and Sterling, and that he was
also given So In gold.
Col. Daley ross.examined him
closely and ut great length. ellis
denied that he had ever received any
part of the proceeds of tricks turned
by confidence men, except the
So gold piece referred to. He narrated
q number Of confidence tricks that had
been played here lately, and, if his
statements are to be believed, there
has been even more of the business
going on than the public generally
has thought, and there has surely
been enough made public to make it
plain that many confidence men have
been at work here lately.
At the close of ellis testimony an
adjournment was taken until this
morning.
The trial excites much interest, not
so much on account of the attack on
ellis, but because of the alleged un-
earthing of the ring of confidence
sharks who have been plying their
trade here so vigorously the past few
months.
The charges of bribery against Of
icers Cusick and Sterling naturally
excites those officers and their friends,
and they seem confident that they will
show up ellis in a very unenviable
light before the matter is through
with, and will show that his state.
ments are not to be believed.
Chief Field is also interested in the
outcome, and Mayor Bowman sat pa.
tiently listening to the evidence yes,
terdsy, he apparently being deter,
mined to know all the faots, as he
ought to as head of the city, and Of
the police department.
A number of gamblers seem par.
ticularly interested, and general curl
osity seekers helped swell the crowd
1t is to be hoped that n good may
result from this trial In any event. L
is to be hoped that not only tn,
officers chiefly concerned but tn,
others a well will try and square
themselves with the publ, by show.
ing some energy in driving confidence
men out of the city or else puttinl
them through to the full extent ant
making the city hot for them. 1t cal
be done and if officers thus act, the,
can better than in any other wa,