Year: 1874




speech or Harrington In His Own De-


fence-Energetic Claim or lnnoce


Tactics of the Defence Cut Short ny


Judge Humphreys.


WASHINGTON. D. c., Nov 81. 1874.


In the Criminal Court to-day Harrington ad-
dressed the Jury, saying that he was not unmind-
fui OF the old adage, that mad grown TO be almost
an axiom In this country. that che who pleads
for himself has a fool for q clientr but he felt II
to be his duty to make short address upon the
case now occupying the attention OF the Court.
No one could De more desirous OF speedy termi-
nation OF this trial than himself; Tor since the
23d OF April last this case had hung around him
ike o pail. II had cast It's shade over her TO
whom he had gwen his Nve. II had enveloped
his prattling boy, and one whose form was hid
den from view in the tomb was covered by it.
From the time when the Star Chamber report was
made to the public to this hour he had been ma
ngned and hunted down like q partridge in the
WOOD. The Gibsons and the Woods and the Alex
anders, backed by the strong arm Of the govern
ment, mad combined to hunt him down and iasten
upon him the quit OF this case. He had asked no
favors he had claimed no indulgence. he asked
none now and he begged OF counsel for the gov
ernment, when he came to make the final argu-
ment IN the and attack him and his character,
that he would do 1t In the strongest manner and





cover him up ana weaken his case by surrounding
him with his sympathy. Harrington took up the
letter, warning him OF the con templated burglary,
and explained his connection with the matter, say.
ing the letter was received IN his usual mail ana
was shown to some Of MS friends, all oI whom
aud IL was not until the meeting oil Richards and
Clarvoe at nls house, on the night OF the 23d, that
it was really decided 10 pay some attention TO the
matter. they went down TO the office and watched
IT, and after the entrance 10 the nan OF
1ns was aecdes y That there Was to Ss
burglary that night, and he soemnly afirmed that
ali The events OF tnat night winch followed were
the events OF circumstances. Up TO the time him
SELF and Richards lett the oftcer they had followed
the suggestions OF himself, But in all that tran
spIred aiterward he charged that Major Richards
was IN command They started across the PARK to
90 to his own mousse where he expected TO remain
the OF the night, and had IT not been Tor The
mud In the PARK, which turned them back they
would not have walked another rod, but would
have gone home, where ne would nave been IN en-
tire ignorance OF all that transpred during the re-
maiDder OF that night, and all this trouble would
not have come upon MIN.


When they had been turned from their route
by the mud and taken their walk around the
square as they passed the bill board man stepped
from benind it. and almost immediately some one
entered the otice, and 1t was at that moment they
came to the conclusion that there was really to be
q burglary. He did suggest that the burglars De
followed and he did 1T because he thought 1t was
right, and ne would not SHRINK from assuming the
responsibility now and all the time; out he was
not In command tnat night, and he did not issue
single command. Major Richards was IN charge
and issued all the orders They did follow the
burglars, ana ne lOu ION SHepDeTu 10 go aTOuuu
and tell the officers in the rear that the men had
come out Ia 'front.' II ne was ANXIOUS TO nave one
OF them escape would he have suggested that the
whole detective force be brought around TO the
front to follow ana capture theInY He did want
to follow them, put he denied emphatcally that he
wanted to follow them with the purpose OF allow
ing them to escape. In their excitement they all
followed the same man, except Williams, who
followed the large man around to street, where
he was lost TO sight either under the steps or In
the vacant lot. Again, ne said he lHarrng-
toni suggested that the matter De kept
rhA
ior his action on tnat point the
fact would have been sent all over the world be-
steps OF Columbus Aiexander's mouse. and yet IL
was charged upon HIM that he wanted 10 lnj ure
inal He would rather nave his recollection OF the
part winch he performed that nignt TO save Alex
ander's name from obloquy than to have the re-
collection which Mr.. Alexander must have for the
part he had taken to blacken his (Harringt0n's)
character 1t was ior this purpose that ne sug-
gesued at the house, before they started out tnat
evening that the three with Williams would be
all that would De necessary 10 watch the Office
He did this, SO that II hing came Of IL then no
thing need be SAID about IL or their suspicious.


he next alluded to his sickness on tue night OF
the burglary and said IT was perfectly disgusting
special counsel degrading their high positions by
making capital out OF ms sickness that night.
and competing their work by getting certificate
from a physician and examining the contents
elected from his stomach TO see II there was not
IN 1T some evidence OF the conspiracy.


THE CHARACTER OF HAYES


was discussed at some length, and all the salient
points made against him were ampIhed with zeal
and venom. lie alluded to his visit to Somerville
In Philadelphia, and said the very means which he
took to secure and punish the burglars were con-
strued against him TO snow that he was engaged
in thus conspiracy. Taking up the admissions into
the case OF the kilograms, he spoke vehemently
against the course OF the government In search
ing the telegraph office Tor private dispatches.
he cited various cases and decisions which have
been made against the practice OF seizlng private
papers Tor the past six centuries and denounced
the action OF the government as Illegal, indecent
and infamous. In regard to the missing telegram
ne said IL was for his interest TO keep tnat tele
gram intact, for the government did not know
who wrote that despatch, and before they could
introduce 1T they must prove that he tHarrington)
wrote it. He would not have 1t destroyed under
any circumstances, and he had as much right 10
say that the counsel for the government had
distracted that telegram as they had to
impute its absence to him. They might not
have done 1t themselves, but they were
surrounded by band OF men VINO were
used TO such capers and they could
have picked up this despatch and have
eaten il up as easily they could have eaten one
OF Welker's best dinners He spoke about the re-
lease OF Benton. and saiu he only did what he con-
sldered his duty, and what he always would do,
and what he would do again, and that was TO give
every man hts liberty on Daii when the case war;
ranted 1t. At this very time, he also suggested,
hayes could procure his release on bail.


Mr.. Harrington spoke nearly two hours and
closed by urging his own vindication and declar-
ing his Willingness to leave everything. his lie and
hts reputation and honor, In the hands of The jury,
and saying that In all OF his official acts he had
never yet tarnished his name or his honor.


The Court took q recess.