New-York tribune., 1895-12-12

ANYTHING in the Jail to them, and Mr. Weeks with
drew It. . go
did you ever take any revovers in the jail with
you?' then asked Mr. Weeks General Tracy was
ON his feet In a second and protested saying that
IT was not within the knowledge of the defendant
or warden, but was overruled
CARRIED IN REVOLVERS
Yes took in three; had two in my hip pockets
and one in my front trousers pocket" calmly an
swered the witness II also took in bottle Of
whskey."
where the guard"
Standing at the door,.
did you ever give Russell any money!
Yes; | gave him s20."
"Did you ever see any other money there on the
prisoners
Yes; l saw $1,000 Allen had part and KilIoran
had part"
Ibid you give them any money!
Il gave Allen envelope. l saw IL opened by
him and II contained $i00
you may examine said Mr. Weeks, with a
smile OF triumph.
| General Tracy began by asking Nosburg where
| ne got the envelope. and the witness replied that
| it had been left his home at o'clock at night.
| He did not know by whom.
General Tracy then asked Nosburg how he came
! to testify In the trial, and told he had been
subpoenaed during his trial. The fact was
then brought out he had been tried for obtain
| ing $500 from man named Cimte in the green
! explained the method Of the swndle He said he
sold the man what he thought counterfeit
money amounting to 5000 I'VE showed him good
money" explained the witness, 'and placed 1t in
| box. and then rung the box on him."
'Rung the box?"
Yes. rung it,"
Every laughed at General Tracy's counter
| feit' ignorance, and Colonel Fellows fastened to
explain what the witness meant by ringing
changing the box General Tracy then continued 10
follow up the details OF the greengoods transaction.
but Colonel Fellows objected. saying that if IL was
with the idea that the witness was criminal the
people would concede that and also that he had
been convicted OF many crimes.
'Will you concede that the is unworthy of
belief also?" querled General Tracy.
4 CREDIBLE WITNESS. SAYS FELLOWS.
NO" replied the Colonel. "the fact that he is now
convicted and has been before many times does not
prevent him from telling the truth"
we think 1t does" the Generals reply.
Continuing. he asked about the greengoods trans
action, when Mr.. Weeks objected the ground
that it had nothing to do with the present case, and
Judge Allison sustained him.
General Tracy then took up Nosburg's record and
| began by asking how many times he had served
terms iii prison
Seven times the
where and when the first imprisonment
Nosburg explained the first in Kentucky in
1850. when he got five years for burglary. The next
in Buffalo In 1855 for the "bombshelr game At
the Generals request he explained that the game
TO get sucker to bet that blue ribbon had
been taken from iron ball. after he had seen
confederate take II out. Then the witness said. he
opened another cavity in the shell and took out a
second ribbon. On this game in Buffalo he got 800
from a man and was sentenced to six months in the
pen.tentiary
Where next?" continued General Tracy.
"In Springfield. for $4,000 worth Of diamonds.
didn't get the diamonds. though"
who lost :he diamonds?'
Here Colonel Fellows objected contending that the
defence had no right to into the details OF each
crime. General Tracy thought he had and the Judge
said that Vosburg might answer. "Old Bi' de-
clared that he did not know-that he stole them
from m:n I'm The diamonds were in
satchel and on the seat beside the man.
Il just picked IT up and walked out of the car
They got me for four years remarked Vosburg
THE next time was in this city. | got fifteen
months in 1873 for stealing seven eight pounds of
gold chains from manufacturer down in Broad
way"
We'll. where next?'
In 1880 got three years for attempted robbery at
Carmel. this State"
Where next?"
I'm Rochester got two and hall years for at
tempting to steal 5000 from a man--it was larceny
from the person"
We'll them the next place where"
"In 1883. in Washington. D. c., I sentenced to
year in the Albany prison for picking pockets"
Did you your time?'
mo. only three months. was pardoned by Cen
eral Harrison
THE PRESENT CHARGE AGAINST HIM
That ended the prison record Of the witness with
the exception of the charge for which he is now
held
when did you first learn of the trlal2' General
Tracy wanted to know next.
II saw II In the paper"
Did You know 1t before you entered plea Of
guilty. demanded the General
Had your pleading guilty anything to do with
this case"
No"
Had you and your lawyer ever conversed in re-
gard the trial."
To this Colonel Fellows objected and the Judge
said that what the witness had said TO his LAWYER
was privileged communication.
You pleaded guilty of larceny in the first degree
as a first offence, did you not?' asked the counsel
for the defence
Nosburg said he could not say. A wraneIs be.
tween the lawyers followed and the Indictment was
sent Tor II showed that Nosburg had plea ded guilty
10 larceny in the first degree. as a first offence
did you Know the difference between a plea as
a first second offence
The witness said that he understood ne wou.d
get double the sentence II he was found guilty as
second offence.
General Tracy then found out when the witness
first communicated with the District ct-Attcrnev .s
to what he would testify TO In this trial Vosbure
first said that he had never communicated with
any one before Saturday. when he spoke with AR
Weeks but later said ii was Saturday week instead
of Saturday. the 7h.
do you mean 10 that YOU pleaded IN }
grand larceny first offence before you eyer
communicated the facts you have testified TO In
this trinl TO the Distrlct-Atorney?" thundered
Genera, Tracy.
II do
william Nosburg." cried the General. with a
sweep OF his hand. this Indictment shows Won /
entered this plea OF yours on December 9 two DAYS
after you communicated with Mr.. Weeks" Vos- /
burg however, declared that he did not
VOSBURG'S ADMISSION