Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-01
HE DENIES IT ALL
Buck Aufort Put on the Stand To-
day.
ATTACKING WILLIAMS CONFESSION
Features Of the Safe Robbery Case
in Court.
PRES ENTS AN ALB I

When the trial of Charles. alias Buck.
Auffort and Edward, alias Eddie, Desmond,
the alleged safe blowers, was resumed be.
fore Judge Cola in Criminal Court No. 2
this morning the court room was again
crowded. Before the case was taken up
Judge Cole al nounced that the case of
John w. Patterson. Monte Wells and Auf-
fort. charged with burning he steamer
Lady of the Lake last February, would be
continued until the next term Of the court.
He thereuron discharged for the term
those jurors not engaged in the safe blow
ing case
The latter case was then pre- ceeded with,
and tie defense called as their first wit
ness Lieut.. James Smith of the Alexandra
police force He stated that he knew Billy
Williams and said that Williams reputa-
ton vas such as would not allow him to
believ. Williams under OATH Lieut.. Smith
stated that on the night of the raid upon
Gamblers Jackson City resort he examined
the satchel supposed to be Desmond's, but
while he found ST me pistol cartridges in 1t,
he found no dynamite cartridges, like the
one found in it by Inspector Hollinberger.
Plot to Rob.
John J. Flynn. a jackson City horseman.
the next witness, was asked II Williams
had not last fall or winter suggested to
him that he induce two big betting friends
of his from New York to take a carriage
with witness across the Long bridge that
Williams might hold them up. when after
the three had handed the money out Will
Jams would subsequently meet him, and.
after handing back witness money. would
divide the rest.
District Attorney Birney objected to the
question. but Judge Cole allowed it, when
Flynn stated he met Williams in the bet
ting ring at the Alexander Island track
last fall. when Williams made the PROPOSE
ton. which witness declined. Flynn stated
that he told his. betting friends Of the
scheme After that for while they walk
ed across the bridge, armed, In the hope
that Williams would intercept them that
they might shoot him.
Did you tell anybody of thiS?" inquired
Mr.. Birney.
Yes. fifty people," replied Flynn.
ANY Alexandria police ofticers?"
mo, sir.
"Why not?"
"Because you never see them in Jackson
City"
so it would SEEM" remarked Mr.. Birney,
as he dismissed the witness.
Character Testimony.
Lieuts. Amiss and Vernon of the District
police force testified as to Williams repu-
tation. stating that 1t was bad. About 1855
or 1884, said Lieut.. Amiss, Williams at
Lawrence F. Burke. a South Washing
ton plumber stated that he and number
of others met AuffCrt at AZ and NJ streets
about O'Clock of the evening of the rob-
berry. and they We're together there until
about $50 or 10 o'clock
To Mr.. Birney Burke said that he had
visited Auffort several times at the jail,
and that lately he had been selling beer
bottle seals to Monte Wells. He admitted
that he had no watch, and only guessed as
TO the time they met on the corner.
An AIibi Produced.
Miss Ida Auffort, sister of Auffort.
said that her brother came home about
1870 the evening of the robbery. He re-
manned home that night, coming down
stairs shortly after I o'clock the next
morning. She remembered the time be-
cause her brother Harry woke her up COM
ing into her room.
Harry Aufort, brother of the defend
ant. said that between = and $50 on the
night of the robbery he heard a noise like
the report of gun. He got out of bed
walked through his sisters room and look
then in bed asleep. His brother came home
that night about II O'Clock
TO Mr.. Bfrney the witness said he was
locked up in Alexandria, the officers be-
lieving that he was his brother Buck. He
admitted telling the Alexandria officers that
he was Buck Aufrort, and claimed that
both he and his brother had been called
DUCK LOT q NUMBER OF years.
Philip Joseph, furniture dealer, stated
that Auffort stored a lot of furniture with
him last January. being advanced $50 on
1t. He has never redeemed it, said the
witness.
Mrs. Sarah Auffort, the mother of the
defendant stated that he came home the
night Of the robbery between 1880 and II
and remained nome all that night. She
knew nothing Of her sons alleged connec-
tiCn with the robbery until she saw it in
the newspapers about two weeks later.
Her son frequently went down into Vir-
ginia with horses for sale. and went down
there with horses last April. Charles had,
she said, always been called Buck on the
streets. and during the last two years her
other son, Harry, had also been called
Buck.
James Riley testified to meeting Auffort,
Burke and several others at AZ and M
streets between and the evening of the
| robbery. He left Auffort with the crowd
about $40 The witness admitted being
fined for fighting two or three times, but
for nothing else
Joseph Thomas, the proprietor of Jack
son City saloon said that Billy Williams
reputatio.s vas so bad he would not believe
him on oath. Last winter Williams offered
to burn down Gamblers place and all others
at Jackson City for s25. Williams said to
have the place burned. ooh, no." said the
witness to Williams. 'ff Ned Jones wanted
the place burned down they would do it
themselves"
LIE Cointe TcStifcs.
George lie Cointe, in Jail awaiting new
trial on a charge of robbing one Dolle Bal
lard of a lot of diamond jewelry last Feb
ruary, was next called to the stand, and
stated that he overheard conversation at
the Jail between Billy Williams and Mrs.
Williams. in which Mrs. Williams said to
her husband that his confessions and her
statements were mass Of lies and would
rot save him.
LIE Cointe was then excused for a mo-
ment, when Billy Williams was recalled
and asked If he had not told lie Cointe in
cell at the Jail that he ONiiliams), Demp
sey and Jack Bolan, and a sporting man
from Jackson City had rowed across the
river and robbed the steamboat office. Will
| Jams said that LIE Conte came to the cell
and asked him to tell him all about the af-
fair. 81 refused to tell him anything eN-
planned Williams.
Williams then left the stand, when lie
| Cointe resumed it and said that Williams
did tell him that he, Dempsey, Bolan and
the Jackson City sporting man committed
the robbery, and that Auffort and Desmond
| had nothing to do with it.
| Daniel Desmond, who stated that he was
| no, of he defendant Desmond