The Washington times., 1895-06-28

looking young man, who has lived all his
life in Washington. He and Billy VIII
liaIns have lived in the same vicinity in
South Washington; he is commonly known
as Buck" Auffort Williams is tall,
muscular fellow. OF middle age with an un-
prepossessing face. Desmond has smooth
( face and looks younger than either Of the
Others al first glance, but closely observed,
| is plainly much older than Auffort No
body knows his true name or where he is
from.
NO RIGHT TO TRY.
At the opening of the trial Mr.. Lipscomb
objected that the court had no right TO
try the defendants for housebreaking and
larceny, as indicted, because they had been
brought here from Virginia TO be tried. as
stated in the requisition papers, for house
breaking. Judge Cole held that the charge
was practically unchanged but allowed
/ tue defense 10 file plea as TO Jurisdiction.
The jury obtained, after considera ble
work. was as follows:
Hiram c. Corliss, George T Randall,
| W. +. Guide, Claude +. Jarboe, AIoysius Nc
! CloSky, Harrison Clements. Augustus
Rupert, Samuel Duvall. George A Neu-
meyer, Gideon A. Thomas. Walter Hyson,
and Robert W Coloway, the last two being
| colored men.
Mr.. Birney opened with brief statement
/ OF the robbery at midnight April ] last.
/ the defense reserved its opening James
/ Fornshell, the colored watchman at the
/ steamboat office. told how he was called
TO the gate about l a. M seized, bound and
/ gagged by two men with white cloths over
! their faces. They blew open the safes and
I carried off the money
| On crOss-cXaminztion be said he knew
Auffort well, but could not say be was
/ there that night He saw Desmond after
" = nfN 1.aNTg - g.asn
sure be was one Of the robbers. Desmond
/ looked much like the man who held a re-
/ volver at his head
Jonathan p. Crowley, secretary of the
steamboat company and George p. John
son, cashier, told Of the money that was
stolen-S5, SO and $50 gold pieces and
( currency. Mr Crowley identified the iron
cash boxes found in the river Wednesday
ana bis pocketbook that was in one OF the
4 boxes
Policemen Neale and Mullen told of
the condition in which they found the Of
! flee when called at 8 a. M. April / Lieut..
James Smith, OF the Alexandria police,
told of Desmond's arrest on April g, when
! S13O and six cartridges were found on him.
/ Desmond would not talk freely.
IDENTIFIED BY DOYLE.
Michael Doyle identified Aufrort and
! Desmond as men he had seen about Cand-
/ ler's bar room and boat house. east Of the
railroad track, at jackson City. Des-
mond and Jack Dempsey, who has eluded
arrest, lived together in little house
/ back OF Caudler's, which burned down lust
before the burglary. on cross-examina-
tion he said he is now 10 Jail under in
/ dictment.
Billy Williams, whose confession gave
the government the foundation for its
| case, came next. Mr.. Lipscomb objected
that Williams had been convicted OF muir
! der, an infamous crime, and was not com
petent. He said Judge Wylie. who was
Judge Coles predecessor, had ruled out
such evidence.
Judge Cole overruled the objection, but
said he would consider it more fully if
necessary, on application for new trial.
Williams told how he first met DesI.ond
aud Dempsey at the Eureka Athletic Club
/ house about twenty feet from where he was
writing policy last fall and winter. About
New Years he introduced Auffort to Demp-
sey at Candler's saloon. Auffort and Des-
mond got acquainted next day.
Auffort told him in the latter part of
/ March of an attempt Dempsey, Desmond and
! himself had made TO rob the Washington
/ Boat Company's safe. Williams said he
/ begged them not to repeat as he would be
sure TO get "pinched' if the place were
robbed
On Sunday night, March 81. Auffort told
/
| boat company's safe. He declined to go at
! first but agreed to meet Auffort at Four-and-
a-half and K streets at 8 O'Clock They
met and Williams finally consented to go
| along TO keep the men from killing the
kid, meaning Fornshell, the watchman.
WILLIAMS CONFESSED.
He remained in the boat while the three
went to the ferry office. They were gone
a long time when he heard an explosion.
! Soon after they came out and returning to
! the boat they rowed across to the Virginia
/ side. On the way they threw overheard the
cash boxes. They divided the money when
! they reached land.
On questions from Mr. Birney he said
Auffort was the leader of the gang for he
alone knew all about the inside of the ferry
office. He said, too, he had intended to
/ report the matter TO the police when Aurfort
! told him of the first attempt, and came to
Detective Weldon at headquarters for the
purpose. But when he thought what the
sporting people across the river would say
he couldn't do it.
When asked when he went with the
! Officers to find the cash boxes Williams said,
''two or three days ago."
! Yesterday, you mean, " said Mr. Birney
Mr.. Lipscomb was quickly on his feet
and exclaimed, THE witness says two or
three days ago; the District attorney tells
him yesterday and he answers yesterday
He'll say anything he's told"
Upon cross-examination by Mr. Lipscomb,
Williams said he is thirty-fiye years old and
had been eighteen years in the penitentiary
He started with till-tapping when a boy
here and couldn't remember what his Jail
sentence later was for. He went to prison
first from here four years for shooting
at Lieut.. Amiss, next TO Cherry Hill. five
years, for shooting q man on SAMSON street,
Philadelphia, and a second term of four
years at Cherry Hill for bousebreaking; then
five years at Richmond for killing Policeman
Arnold in Alexandria
He said he had been unjustIy treated in
the Amiss and Arnold cases. When he
came back from Richmond he resolved to
lead an honest life. He tried and the
police here tried 10 get him honest work,
but in vain. He went 10 writing policy
at Jackson City. lie took out six men
at the Ford's Theater disaster, and the
best word the papers had for him, he said,
with tears in his eyes, was, Good work by
an ex convict"
THE GOOD HE HAS DONE.
Mr.. Lpscomb interrupted him, but he
insisted that be had a right TO tell the
good be had done.
He denied that he bad been discharged
from the Jackson City policy shop for