Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-09-26
RUSHING THE CASE.
THg TRIAL OF BIaGHALL FOR TIE MURDER
OF THE YOUNG ENGLISHMAN
Being Hurried Along by tho COut-Letters Read
in Evidence Disclosing the Prisoners
Double Dealing With His a
Friend

WOODSTOCK, ONT, September 20
With q desire to push the Birchall
trial through I'm shorter time than it has
threatened TO oOccupy the Court met this
morning at 9:3O. half an hour earlier than
previously. A crowd gathered around
the cab % see the prisoner on his arri-
val. In spite of the hundreds OF eyes
which were watching him the prisoner
did not finch.
The first witness was :. B. Fuller,
manager of the Imperial Bank here.
lie identified the signature OF c. A..
Somerset on certain checks with that
OF the prisoner, who opened an account
with the Imperial Bank ON the 10th or
nth of December, lSsS. He identified
also letters rs those of the prisoner.
On cr0SS-eNamination by Mr.. Black
stock. the chief counsel for the
prisoner. the witness said the account
was opened I'm the usual way and checks
drawn Us usual. lie had no reason to
doubt, being an old resident OF Wood
stock, and as he had not seen the priS-
Oner before, that he had just arrived in
town when he opened the bank account.
Mr.. OSlcr, chief counsel for the Crown,
wanted % put i'm as evidence and have
entered ON the record certain letters TO
Mellerish, through whom the prisoner
and Bcnwcll were brought together, but
Mr.. BlackStock strongly objected ON
the ground that though the handwriting
was proven. the fact of mailing the let
ters or their receipt by McllcriSh was
not proven. This point was noted by
the Judge, who said that if he decided
that the evidence should not be re-
ceived. Dee would so Instruct the jury.
The letters were read. They state that
the prisoner had seen young Benwcll
and his father, Col. Benweil, and they
had decided that the young man should
come To Canada. They wanted him TO
20 for three months, and 10 pay for his
bargain If he liked 10 after trial OF
that length.
RIECHAIL'S FRAUDS.
The letters covered the skeleton of
she correspondence which took place
from the time the negotiations wcro
entered with kilograms sent oStenSibly
from the Stafford House, Buffalo, but
really from the prisoner, telling himself
at Niagara Falls 90 ship heavy baggage
to Niagara Falls. y. y The effect Of
these telegrams was to show that the
prisoner had carried on systematic
deceit oa Benwcll and his father, and
after the young mans disappearance,
land on young Pelly, who was with them
and vcrvauxious about Benwell not APP
ncariug. During the reading of these
/ telegrams exposing his fraud, BirchalFS
usually pale complexion was Suiiu>ed
with q light flush of red. lie made
notes occasionally during the reading OF
/ the letters
Conductor Poole. of the Grand Trunk
railroad. testified that To- the best of his
| knowledge, there were only two pasSen-
gers ON his train for Eastwood. ON Feb
ruary l7th. lie thought they came
from Suspension Bridge. They were.
he thought at the time, Englishmcn,
and answered in appearance TO the priS-
oncr and Beuwen. lie saw that one had
very high boots, OF English make. with
trousers rolled up. This man, he said,
bore q strong resemblance TO the pris-
Ioner. though he could not swear % his
identity. His evidence was in the
main the same as had been given at the
inquest aud at the preliminary inveSti-
cation.