Year: 1872




Aiken Tried DOR. Burglary and Con.
yicsed OF c<fand Larceny-The Grand
Jury rAd Other Bills for Burglary
As~n< Him-Judge Bedford Directs
'nc '.rial to Proceed To-day and Pays
tribute to the Police Force as q Body.


me first case called for trial yesterday In the
General Sessions by District Attorney Sullivan
was one OF three indictments against william J.
Aiken for burglary in the first degree The read.
ers OF the HERALD will readily recall the full ac-
count which appeared few days ago OF the detec-
tion Of Aiken, who, by false representations, Sc
sured an appointment upon the police force, and
While professedly engaged In protecting the Liz,
and property Of the citizens, he was perpetratiyg
burglarles on several dwelling houses within jhis
precinct.


Mr.. Knitting appeared for the prisoner, and dur
ing the progress Of the trial submitted ~ great
many technical legal objections. After the jury
was sworn Mr.. Sullivan in opening tie case,
briefly recited the facts which he expected to
prove and said that the bare recital Of them, with
out any oratorical effort, would be SUFFICIENT to in
woke the attention OF the jury to the evidence.


The first witness in the case was Herman Uhl,
who resides at 14o East Sixteenth street when In
the city. He left two servants In charge Of the
house on the 18th Of August; the morning Of the
14th Of August suit OF clothes worth $40. silk
v
silverware were missing; the silk dresses were
subsequently found at the station house, which the
Mr. ssa ne xks ON
hts beat as policeman In uniform:


Qflcer Larew testified that Aiken had been
August he saw the prisoner, and received twenty
were obtained in four pawn offices; the officer re.
covered the property which they represented, and
and p Of


Sergeant Nicholson said that he arrested Aiken
to the house he attempted to rob in Fourteenth
street. and at that time told him it would be better
for him to tell all about the commission Of the
| Mr. Kintzing claimed that It would be illegal to
admit the prisoners confession, and the Court was
Sergeant Nicholson said that when he searched
Aiken he found In his hands carpet bag, ana In 1t
were screw driver, case knife, piece of candle
and pair of false whiskers and In the prisoners
pocket was sixteen pawn tickets He lthe Ser
Aiken accompanied the Sergeant to O pawn
brokers' place in Chatham street, where four silk
oapa Aiken an ocer
In hts precinct the 18th Of August and that his
beat was sixteenth street, and that ne tthe Gap.
tain) received twenty-three pawn tickets from


District Attorney Sullivan said that he could not
on the ground that the indictment specifically
charged that Mr.. Uhl was in the house at the time





who was there. He asked the counsel II he would
go on with the larceny:


Mr.. Kintzing maintained that the accused could
not be held for the larceny as there was no proof
that the property was In his possession.
Mr.. Sullivan argued that the accused could be
held for larceny by having that which represented
property in his possession, Just as man was In
possession Of property for which he had bill Of
ladlng when it was on the boat.


The Judge charged the jury that II the circunR-
stances led them TO arrive at the conclusion that
the prisoner was guilty OF larceny beyond reason
able doubt, they could convict him Of grand or
petit larceny.


The Jury rendered verdict OF guilty Of grand
larceny.


District Attorney Sullivan informed the Judge
that there were other complaints against Aiken for
burglary and larceny, and asked to have him re-
manded to be tried upon another charge.
Judge Bedford said Aiken / am not going to
sentence you to-day. shall remand you, and
now request the District Attorney of the county to
try you on every indictment found by the Grand
Jury against you. do this as matter of respect
to the metropolitan police Of this city, for take
this opportunity of saying that o body of men
have the highest regard for them, believing them
to be honest and trustworthy guardiansof the life
and property Of their fellow citizens. I think
where man has so gultily betrayed xlis trust as
example. believe the whole police force would
be well satisfied If the District Attorney put you
trial upon every indictment and l therefore sug-
gest that he does so. In the meanwhile you are
remanded.


Mr.. Sullivan-Your suggestion will be adopted.


Yhe Grand Jury brought in three other indict-
ments against Aiken in the afternoon, upon which
he was arragned. He pleaded not guilty, and the
trial was set down for to-day.