The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-06-27
BEECHER ACQUITTED.
Both Cases Against the Ex-Col-
lector Dismissed.
nv VINE they EVER sRoucHT.
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Ine trtal q Herbert Foots Beecher was
concluded In tie United States district
court yesterday morning in . yerdics for
acqaitai rsturned By the jury upon the in
strrcfson Of the court The saaure Of the
prosecution to produce evidence in sup
port q ths charge Of the indictment vas
complete.
Two Of the witnesses Endorsed On the In
d'cfment we're examined and completed
the cas- Of the government James NJ.
Grinath. OF Port Townsend. vas called. In
snswer 10 questions. he testified fhsa be
knew nothing of The book alleged in the in
oicfnasns 70 hare been stolen by Mr..
beecher; knew nothing Of its theft; knew
nothing connecting Mr. Beecher with ii,
ana naa neea ssked nothing about Il BE-
fore the grand Jury.
" 4. fennemore. . clerk in the custom
house under Beecher. knew nothing what
ever Of tbs missing book. nor Beecher's
connection with Is. and had not given any
estdsnes concerning II before the grand
jury.
Attorney Coleman Their placed Captain
Beeeher on the stand to make Z state ment.
He said that in June. 1855. he sent to
Washington City. and returned to Port
Townsend on August ~ following. On the
date III book 10 alleged I have been
stolen. August 4. 1855. he was in Washing
ton City. He saw the book in the customs
house in June, 1851, and checked up his
accounts in ii.
The court asked him when he frat
learned oil the hook being missing.
When saw the Indictment" Beecher
replied. NO one ever consulted me about
the matter"
After he disposal Of this case United
States Attorney Winston moved that the
indictment against Mr.. Beecher. charging
him with exsortion on ten counts, be dis.
missed. Two Of the counts, he said, were
for extOrting illegal fees from Captain
Nichols, OF the Richard Hoiyoke. and eight
against Captain Sprague. OF the Mogui.
Nj. Beechsf wal In Washington City 1t all
the times mentioned in the counts OF the
indictment. except in two counts charging
extortion against Captain Sprague. and he
says that be never paid Beecher any
money. The motion was granted.
The case against Quincy A. Brooches.
charging hin with extortion upon thirteen
counts, was also dismissed upon Mr..
Mr.. Winston's showing that the counts
against Brookes covered the identical items
Of thirteen counts against Mr.. Harmed.
The case of w. n. Harmed, in which he
b charged with embezzIing the duty OF .
cargo Of he bark Madeira. amounting to
$500, and another item Of 81 600. was con-
tinued until December. when the other
case against l. A. Brooks will be tried.
The result Of the trial of Mr.. Beecher,
which has been 90 widely discussed, places
ex-United States Attorney w. II. White,
and the grand jury which found the indict-
ment. in = very strange position. This
grand jury consisted Of r. X. Latimer, C.
w. Hunt. James Jones. ]. j Hunt, G. NJ.
Rouse. n. d. Hin. Ed Rose, d. n. Little
Geld. J. Q. Adams, George 4. starrett. Il.
w. Devoe. OF Port Townsend; Daniel Keep
pier and John Reed, OF Orcas: d. J. Zeat.
OF WILDLY Island. and John r. Church. of
New Dungeness. In this case . regular
indictment came into the United States
district court signed By X X. Latimer,
foreman, and W.. H. White. United States
attorney. Upon the indictment vas tn
dorsed the names Of witnesses. upon
whose testimony the true bill had beer
found. Every one Of these witnesses, upon
being called to the stand. testified that
they had not given any evidence whatever
before this grand jury, concerning the
charge Of the indictment. The question
now arises. how Was this bill of indictment
foundf II IL said hat since the indict-
ment has becn found. w. H. White has re.
marked that "Beecher was indicted on
general principles"