New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-04
THE GOULD BLACKMAH CASE.
INTERESTING DAY IN THE TRIAL OF
MARGARET e. CODY.


Albany March S.-There was only a small crowd
in the courtroom this morning ut the trial OF MAJ
garet f. Cody charged with attempting to black
mail George j. Gould and Helen NJ Gould by
threatening 10 put forth A claimant TO the uou'u
estate in the person Of supposed daughter OF
Jay Gould by Mary Ann Angel
Assistant Distrct-Attorney Peter A. Del""eS
opened the case for the prosecution and caIed par
tcular attention TO the fact that the maximum sen"
fence for the crime Of blackma was ohy h'o
years while no minimum sentence is named, lea'-
ing II in the discretion OF the Court to make uhe
sentence as low as one day II IS believed th't
Judge Gregory intends. II Mrs Cody Is iouhu su'''
TO make the sentence merely nominal
Mr.. Delaney said that the case Of The prosecution
would no based almost entirely on the letters OF the
defendant herself The testimony taken at the Tor
mer trial Will not be read
Miss Helen Nj. Gould was the first witness
called She gave her TESTIMONY in 10" vote
which could scarcely he heard twenty feet rom
the wltness-stand. She identified letters from MIS-
Cody dated in 1886 and also a letter dated Denver
October l.. 1896 and signed by Mrs Fitzpa'ricN'
Father Constantine who at one time had charge
of the parish OF Coopersville Identified book Oh
records OF births and marriages IN the PARISH 'V"'
1853 10 1857 The book. and particularly one Oh '-'e
entries the alleged birth Of child OF Jay Hou"
and Sarah Ann Angel. was placed IN evidence ai'eF
the identification Father Constantine SAID he mao
I'm compliance with request from Father NhA'-
boncau Of Keysville. sent 20 that priest ce'uhe"
copy Of the entry He thought That az some pre-,
vious time the entry had been changed or Td""oN
cut.
David y Carvalho the handwriting expert. testi-
fed that he had examined the record. lie had
found orasurcs and additions made not more thah
five years ago. as corrosiOn IN the INK USED III 'I'
changes had not yet taken place. Ihls usuaiV
occurred within five years from the date oil the
writing The witness was excused untl ne cou'u
get the photographs used in determining MS con-
James B. stearn. Of Rouse's Point. said he iiT 5
saw Mrs Cody in The latter part or April, i,.',
when he drew papers Tor her ne Nil T.ro,,,'
drawn and executed IL the name ol Mary ~ W.
appointtng Mrs cody as her attorney. Mrs. Cody
had told him that in 1872 or 1888 Jay Gould hdd
been in that neighboIhood ana haG HaIiieu iN%i
Rrown They had one child and he deserted ner
and the child Now she wanted to pres NJ,
Angels Niary Brown Gould) clam 10 PEI POI ,
If the Gould estate. The agreement as Tead 10 tie
jury that Mrs Angel! ana MIS-. "uS W. 81
nave share and share alike OF '4l SUMS O'''' "
from that estate. 49,. ..o
Mr. Carvalho recalled. identified the slgna'tS deo
on the letters TO Miss Gould as inc same as M
on the agreements drawn up hy Mr Stearn Tor
Mrs Angel and Mrs. Cody NJ cos,,
A letter 10 a Mrs. BceDe signed n.y. MIS-. Ooay,
Nas submitted by the prosecution In y II VS.
made TO appear that Mrs. Angeu told MIS- tv's
named Jay She did not do SO. but she had a child
by him. L told Of the attempt 20 fen m-"TS
the Goulds, and said Mrs Cody lawyer "a" '''
This letter written by Mrs ,C2Gy 20 20 ,,he
prosecution of the work which II IS now Rll't =.
was an attempt at blackmail Il contains n'SlH,9
the statement that Mrs. Angel confessed 10 h9
lack Of marital relations with the man caiied
'Tav" supposed 10 be JAY Gould. reciltl OF iHe
fact that Mrs. Angel. when she was toin 20 Si-li
her name to the paper previously releIIe 20 80
Mary Brown Could" instead Of 2 7t i5rU ,,,
Could" made vigorous objection DIS ClIC.,..
stance It Is expected. Will have particular not'i
on the supposed changing of me hlrih iec"Iu "i '
book Of the COOpcrsyilc church 49,
Mr.. carvalho. the handwriting expert was the
fret witness al the afternoon session hr. .A-
plained hv means Of enlarged photographs on ~"
disputed birth record how eTaSufeS a.a, ~ a.; l,
lad hem made I'm the record He pointed 20 lndl,
cat fons OF the use Of steel eTascrs ana ACIDS. i
also 10 the fact that the name Jay ''.u- "''
been written in ink Of modern mdltI,lc'.'l. 49,
Than five wears old Tie also SAID the MAJ" l9l
of the record bore the characteristics OF enc I,
handwriting" while that Of the changes
English handwTtine,' with an attempt 10 '''''"'
Mir Duean. Of counsel for the defence, discovered
in The record Il line previous 20 the ldtaSI Il .i t
ness az striking that used IN me allised C
ana the handwriting expert had difficulty ID I.c.n-
Cling his former explanations as 10 c,lDr Wi- .'',
age Of the undisQuted entry AtteL au ,
having a standard Of which he ga hlp" ~ ~ ~
with which to compare II MI '"INd'"o was -
cused. r-..,,,o f,rr,.rl,, n
Rouse's Point testified to having searched lnS rec
orde twice for the record Of the nlfih or Il N'' 8.
law could and Mary Brown IN me p'"hs ~ .;n,C
be found IT, Father Thomas gave him - copy % i ~
iIc showed the copy TO Mrs. Cody. She sdln r.
did NOT want Il and he tore u up S"nS'q" j" 49,
he received request from hcr TOT COPY VI , wv
record He sent Request 10 r'''''
who forwarded the COPY ...4,. ,,lt,oeses from
TattsbIlrg tho District Attorney rcqu'-'rp an ~,
iournment. which was taken until MONDAY "'o''''''-
I AZ II o'clock