New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-23
"BIG HA WILEY" CONVICTED.
FOUND GUILTY OF TRYING TO BLACK
MAIL S. W. BRIDGHAM.

THE JURY OUT AN HOUR AND HALF-THE DE-
PENDANTS TESTIMONY ABOUT HIMSELF.
William c. Woodward. alias big Hawley,'
was found guilty in the Criminal Branch OF the
Supreme Court yesterday of the charge OF
attempting TO blackmail Samuei w. Brdg-
ham, son-in-law Of w. {. Schermer-
horn. Early in the day the trial came
to an end, and the jury retired. 1he jury
after celebrating on the evidence Tor an hour
and half had some questions to ask the court
about the testimony of the experts relative to
two letters submitted evidence. Justice furs-
man answered the questions. and the jury lett
the courtroom again. They returned hall hour
later with a verdict of guilty. woodward
showed no emotion when the verdict was an
nounced He was remanded to the Tombs until
next Monday, when he will be sentenced.
The closing day of the trial was taken up
mostly by witnesses for the defence. WOODWARD
was the last witness. The prosecution had SUD-
mitted evidence to support the allegation 'ha'
the prisoner working through the agency OIL
suit for 100000 damages. against Brdgham Tor
alternating from her husband the affections OF
one Mrs. Eugenia Ward, had attempted 10 eXtor'
blackmail, that he the author OF the letter
received by Mr.. Brigham signed IVA Banque'
and that he and a lawyer named Brown "ho
Is alleged to have demanded Sl2,500 to settle the
suit for damages. were intimate frlends ana
working together In the blackmailing scheme.
These allegations Woodward denied so far as
he was concerned He testified that he had
never seen the papers In the case OF warn
against Bridgham When they were fled he
uas In Colorado he said. He first heard about
tho cane early I'm May from Detectives valley
and O'Connor, whom he had met by appoint
man, NJ Twenty eighth-st and Sixth-ave WOOD
vard also denied that he had ever seen Waru
or knew such a man. He was apparently very
,-ort In his statements about himself
"tIoyr many times have you been arrested
.Lod Assistant District-AttOrney Carpenter
"I am thirty seven years old and l nave oee"
o-rostad thlrty-seven times. but | have never
hean convicted and this Is the first time tha'
I have ever been tried.
How do you account for THAR
ct think there is some fatality pursuing me
as have never been guilty OF any crime
..You have been abroad, have you not'
ct have I lived in London under the name
Of the Hon Lionel Musgrove There 'r,A"'
81 600 900 From there went to Ceyioh' ""e'
7 got diamonds worth t2O0n FROM there
went 10 Van Diemen's Land, where / va VA, a. g.
rested three times. once tor roooins " '"''' "
London" .,a, ,.a, y. re-
Continuing. the witness testified that ne re
turned 10 America -
'What were you doing then! - Nan,
We'll was doing the trains petween -
York and Boston, learning young dudes 10 P'"'
cards" ,.
where did you go them ,., n,
'T went 20 ST Louis. where l was a,res.eu -
susnic,on, That was In February think a.
ter got out OF the jail In 81 LOUIS i sy N
Washington in time for the lnausulA ~,
,rbere ! was arrested for picking pocket; pu
7 was innocent. as the pocket was pi'ke1r &c 10
Tore got in the crowd Then i %eh1 W ao, an
al xhere | was again arrested got on
20 ,bat Ali right and came TO this cry.
stopped over in philadelphia Ehsre VT" sIs,
,csted FOR swindling a jeweilsr' 0"'
escaped punishment for this.