National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-27
TIE belt DIVORCE CASE.
Trial of samuel jackson for Perjury
The Testimony.

Trial of samuel jackson for Perjury
The Testimony.
Samuel Jackson, colored, was placed on
trial IN the criminal court yesterday morn
ing 10 answer to an Indictment charging
him with perjury. District Attorney Worth
ington and his first assistant, Mr.. Taggart,
appeared for the government, and Mr..
Joseph Shillington, jr., for the defendant.
This is one OF the cases growing out OF the
taking OF testimony here before Commits
sioners G.. T. Lewis and Frank T. Browning
In the divorce suit Of Mary Alice Belt dor
merly Gregory against Eugene N. Belt, OF
Baltimore, Md, and cross bill filed by him.
Tie suit was instituted in the circuit court
of the city Of Baltimore by the wife, on a
charge Of desertion by the husband. This
was denied, and, in a cross bill, Mr.. Belt
complained OF immoral conduct on the part
OF the wife prior TO their marriage, and
which had comet TO his knowledge only since
their marriage bad taken place. Mrs. Belt
Indignantly denied the charge, and chai-
lenged the production Of proof TO sustain IL.
The taking OF testimony was entered
upon, and both parties, anxious to have
witnesses examined In this District, the
commission named was agreed upon and
evidence taken. During the course OF the
examination under the cross bill Samuel
jackson, Benjamin Cooley, and Battle
Minor gave evidence which subsequently
they came forward and admitted was false;
that they were not acquainted with Mrs.
Belt; never knew her as Mrs. Godfrey;
neither had they seen her at the house
where their testimony located her, and they
did not know anything against the reputa-
ton Of the house in question. Two OF the
false witnesses went further, and disclosed
how they came to commit the perjury, be-
N,,a- a 4. 1.Na H..
named Cunningham, who entered into an
agreement with Mr.. Belt TO secure adverse
testimony against his wife.
Shortly after the trial Of jackson was en-
tered upon yesterday the point was raised
that no perjury had been committed against
the law OF this District or in any cause pend
ing before any court OF this Jurisdiction,
and therefore the indictment against the
defendant would not hold good. The court
did not sustain the objection.
Mr.. G. I. Lewis, Of Baltimore, one of the
commissioners, testified to jackson being
sworn on the "Holy Evangelist OF Almighty
God to tell the TRUTH" &C., and then giving
his testimony, which he afterward. signed.
Col. w. G.. Moore gave the residence OF
Mrs. Wysong, where Mrs. Godfrey, It was
asserted, had roomed, a most excellent
reputation.
Mr.. Frank 7. Browning, the other COM
missioner, described the manner In which
jackson had been sworn, his testlfying, and
the testimony being taken by stenog-
rapher. The testimony was subsequently
reproduced in typewriting and signed by
the defendant, who made his mark to It.,
which was witnessed by Mr.. Lewis. VIM.
II. Smith, stenographer, testified to taking
the testimony Of the defendant, and 1t being
translated as correct as the witness person
ally revised II. He also took down the cor
rections made by the accused. The testi-
moDy given by jackson before the commits
sion, which It is alleged was false, was
then read to the jury. In 1t he testified to
recognizing o, photograph (shown him as
that OF Mrs. Godfrey as that OF woman
he saw living at Mrs. WYsong's, also TO SEQ
ing people going In and out OF the house
at all hours OF the night, carriages standing
In frol OF the house frequently at night
that he has often carried liquor and
beer into the house, that he had fire.
quently carried notes from gentlemen at
the Arlington to the house to the lady
whose picture he had recognized, and after
wards seeing gentleman with black side
whiskers who sent notes come there In q
buggy.
The reading of the Correction then fol-
lowed, In which jackson took back every
thing he had said. He admitted meeting
Ferguson, Donohue, and Cunningham at
different times at Golley's, and that the
latter promised him $50 for testifying in
this case, and all he had sworn TO was put
up for him to swear to. He further testi-
fed that Ferguson came after him again to
60 and see Cunningham, and Ferguson
showed him the picture he was to testify
to as having seen the woman at Mrs. Wy
songs. 1t was Cooley who told him that
Cunningham would give him $50 for testi-
| flying, and Ferguson told him nothing
would come of 1t, and 1t would never be
heard OF again.
At the conclusion Of the reading of the
deposition the court adjourned for the
| lay