National Republican., 1883-11-10
THE COURTS.
Mr. Bigslow'S Appearance Under CrOss-Exami-
nation Not That Of a Guilty Man.
indictments by the Grand Jury-GenerHl
Legal Notes.-The Record.

examined through the entire session by Mr..
Taggart. The court room was crowded all
day and there were few ladies in the audi
ence The noticeable feature of the trial
thus far is the demeanor of the defendant
upon the stand under u long and try
ing cross. examination. Lawyers familiar
with the trials of criminals said
that. if guilty, Bigelow was the most aston
ishing defendant ever examined in his own
behalf. Defendants who are cool, wary, oil
guard constantly, and who never got caught
because their wit is rs keen and sharp as the
examiners are not uncommon. Defendants
who plainly assume an air of innocence and
who become embarrassed and confused or de-
fiant and ugly under close questioning are
plentiful. Bigelow was neither. He was
evidently nervous, and the evidence of it was
his constantly stroking his whiskers or turn
ing about the book or paper which ho hap
pened to have in his hands; but his voice WAS
clear and full, he never appeared to be con-
fused, and he told his rather improbable
story with the air of man explaining mys-
terious things which only needed his explana-
zion to be clear rs day.
He testified that he had been connected
with the Bank of the Republic since tho fall
of 1873. He had also been in tho First Ma
tional bank, and had been in the business
seventeen years. He did not profess to be an
expert in anything. When he was receiving
teller he put money or checks received in his
money drawer. and the deposit tickets upon
which the amounts were written upon spin
die, from which afterward the amounts were
transferred, usually by him, to a blotter
which he kept. At the close of the days
business the footing of this blotter should
correspond with the money in the drawer
The other officers of the bank had access to
the money drawer and to his blotter. He
showed by the book itself that very many
entries had been made in it by Mr.. Witherow
and by Mr.. Bradley.
Mr.. Taggart then took up each case in
which credits had been entered on depositors'
check books which did not appear on the
blotter kept by Bigelow. The defendant
made the same explanation in each case He
said that the deposit ticket must have been
taken from the spindle, and the money
which it represented must have been taken
from the money drawer by some one during
his absence. He was out of the bank for some
time every day, and anyone in the bank had
access to the spindle. When credit ap.
peared upon the botter Mt later date than
it appeared upon the pass book, he explained
that the same hand which removed the ticket
and money must have replaced them later
He would have discovered any discrepancy
when he footed up his blotter at the close of
the days business.
This explanation was given by Bigelow
without any apparent desire to throw the
blame upon any particular person or to con-
vince the jury of its truth; simply as if it
was the only explanation he could make to
his own mind for the occurrences, and as
such he gave it to his questionor.
After this explanation, which, being given
for each case, occupied long time, Mr.. Tag
CART asked the witness in detail about his
night from the city. Bigelow said that he
was suffering from mental alteration at the
time, as he now believed, and he was not
now clear as to what he did or why he
did it. He went to the Baltimore and Ohio
depot that night, telling his family he was
going to Baltimore. He did vptend to go to
- ljaltimoreybut finding there WIS no train for
TINT J-cfry he went to Pittsburg, from there to
Cleveland, and thence to Toledo, where he
first saw by the papers that he was branded
rs an embezzer. He went to Port Sarnia,
aud aferward to st. Thomas, Canada; but he
visited some other places which he did not
remember. He corresponded with his family
through a relative in Philadelphia, using al
assumed name which he did not remember
he first wrote directly to his family, but
found that tho letter was intercepted. Ht
also wrote to Maj. Brock but had been Sine
informed by the maj that the letter wa
never received. His i'll health and financia
embarrassment undoubtedly had something
to do with his mental condition. His fnan
cial embarrassment had nothing Whatever Il
do with the bank.
Mr.. Taggart began to inquire minutely int
the reasons for his financial distress, and MI
Cook objected The court ovcrrulcd the oh
lection, and asked if the trial could be con
cuded to-day. Mr.. Cook said it could not
and the court inquired if he wanted to fuisl
on Sunday. Mr. Cook said that he feared il
that case n higher judge might condemn then
all. The court having other business to-day
the trial was therefore adjourned to Monday
INDICTMENTS BY THE GRAND JURY.
The grand jury yesterday returned tru
bills against Geo. Litchteld, housebreaking
Jos. NJ Beard, larceny and embezzlement (tw
cases) Frank Il. Sellman, housebreaking j
B. Louden and Henry Scott, rape on Doll,
Moxley; William Thomas and Robert Harris
larceny; Caleb Lancaster assault with il
tent to kill; Archibald Fletcher, assault witt
intent to kill; Daniol Montiord, murder 9
william j. Murphy; George McCauley, aid
ing abetting, and counseling housebreaking
Henry Wagner and George Miller, arson
dismissed, Samuel Lusby, larceny from tn
person.
GENERAL NOTES.
The suitof the Fifth Baptist church agains
the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad com
pany for damages for maintaining round
house and shop near the church was com
menced in the circuit court yesterday.
In the case of S. j. Fague against w. "
Corcoran, to recover for services in connec
tion with claims for securing revision {
assessments on the property of the defendant
the Jury are still considering the case.
The will of Mrs, Elizabeth b. III. Gibbs Wa
uleQ yesterday. one leaves TO ncr nuADau
all real estate, and to her children paid-u
policy in the Penn Mutual Life InsuranC
company
The will of the late Adam Dade was file
with Register Ramsdoll yesterday. In it tn
entire estate of the testator is left to Ii
widow.
The last will of the late Eunico c. Youn
of Warren county, Ohio, was filed yesterda!
The will is dated in ls7I She leaves certai
real estate in Warren county to her husbanC
and makes bequests in favor OF her children
Her son, Warren S. Young, is named as e.
ecutor
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT.
The proceedings of the United States 81
prcme court yesterday were us follows: N
9G5. The Louisville and Nashville railrot
company, plaintiff in error, vs. Manu-
Palmes collector &C.; argument concluded
No. 10i. Stephen Porcy Ellis ct al, appe
lants, vs.. Jefferson Davis; argument cor
menced. This is a suit brought by the ne.
of kin and collateral heirs of the late Sart
Ann Dorsey, of Louisiana, for the purpose
setting aside the will by which the said Nj
Dorsey left all her real and personal proper
TO Jefferson Davis 1t is maintained by b
heirs that the testatriX, at the time whom S
made this WILL WAS not of sound mind, al
that she was subject to undue influence. A
jOurncd.