This is coverage of the second trial of Grady, Allen, Wells and McGloin from The New-York Tribune. This is hand-transcribed, so please forgive the occasional error.
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Adams Express Robbery
Resumption of the trial at Danbury – Forfeiture of $8,000 bail – Array of Eminent Legal Talent – First and Second Day’s Proceedings.
From Our Special Correspondent. Danbury, Conn., Oct 24 1866
The second trial of four of the parties charged with the robbery of the Adams Express Company on the 6th of last January commenced yesterday in the Supreme Court now in session in this town. It will be remembered that the case was tried at the last term of the Court, held in August, when the jury failed to agree. At that time there were five parties before the Court, Edward McGuire, John Grady, Martin Allen, James Wells, and Gilly McGloin.
Shortly after the close of the term McGuire gave bail, to the amount of $8,000 and was released from jail. He was arrested in New York last Saturday, when the charge of being implicated in the robbery of the Bowdoinham Bank was made and he was at once taken to Maine to answer the charge. Not being here on Tuesday to respond to the demands of the State, his bail was forfeited after a lengthy discussion upon the subject by the counsel for the state and the defense. This was followed by a motion on the part of the defense to postpone the case. In consequence of the absence of Hon. Charles Chapman of Hartford, who was prominent in the management of the defense on the former trial, and who was expected to be present at this but was detained by sickness. The Judge, however, overruled the motion and directed the trial to proceed.
Nearly the whole of the afternoon was occupied in obtaining a jury, some of the panel having formed an opinion, and others being challenged peremptorily by the State or defense. After the jury was empanelled, the Court adjourned until this morning. On the former trial Mr. Chapman of Hartford appeared for all the prisoners, ex-Judge Stuart of New York, for all except McGuire, and ex-recorder Smith of New York, for McGuire. The defense is now conducted by Judge Stuart and Mr. W. T. Taylor of this town. The State is represented by Mr. Carter, the attorney, S. B. Beardsley of Bridgeport, and Senator Ferry. The evidence offered this morning by the State consisted merely of the formal proof, such as the organization of the Adams Express Company, the packing and loading of the safes, proof of their contents, the discovery of the robbery on the arrival of the train at New Haven, and the appearance of the interior of the express car after the theft had been discovered.
At the conclusion of this evidence, the counsel for the State prepared to introduce Thomas Clark as a witness who, as the accomplice in the robbery, has already been convicted of the offense and, having turned State’s evidence, testified in the former trial of these parties. But the counsel for the prisoners asked that the case might be postponed till to-morrow morning, to await the arrival of Mr. James T. Brady, of New York, who had been consulted and was expected to aid in the defense. As no serious objection was made to this request, the Court granted it, and to-morrow morning, whether Mr. Brady arrives or not, the trial will be resumed with Clark as the first witness for the State.
Third Day’s Proceedings – Mr. Brady Not Present – Evidence of Thomas Clark, One of the Robbers
From Our Special Correspondent, Danbury, Conn. Oct 25 1866.
The trial of the Express robbers was resumed this morning in accordance with the adjournment last evening, through Mr. James T. Brady was not present, as was expected.
The greater part of the day was occupied by the examination of Clark, who testified substantially as on the former trial.
It should be stated that the prisoners were charged with stealing only a gold watch and a few gold certificates, all valued at $600 or $800. The full value of the property stolen is not charged upon them, in consequence of a change in the law of this State, made since the commission of the offense, which provides that where the value of the property stolen is less than $2,000, the punishment shall not exceed five years in State Prison, but where it is more than $2,000, the imprisonment shall not exceed 20 years.
The first witness called was Washington Webb, Adam’s agent at New Haven, who identified the watch case presented as the one found in the express car.
The State then called Thomas Clark who was sworn and testified as follows: My connection with this robbery commenced on or about the 20th of December last; I met Martin Allen on the corner of Prince and Mercer sts., New-York; he told me that his brother-in-law, James Wells, had an acquaintance by the name of Gilly McGloin, who had a brother-in-law by the name of John Grady, a brakeman on the express train on the New York and New Haven Railway which leaves New-York at 8 p.m.; that Grady wanted McGloin to get some persons to help throw the Adams Express safes out of the train; and it was for that purpose that McGloin went to Wells; Wells told Allen and Allen told me. I think that Allen, Wells, Grady and McGloin met me in Lafayette Hall in Broadway; at that interview Grady had a piece of soap, with the impression of a key-hole, which he said was the impression of the key-hole of the padlock of the Adams Express car; it was arranged at that interview for me to go up in the train to select a place to throw off those safes and see who the messenger was; the place I selected to throw off the safes was between Coscob Bridge and Stamford; I returned to New-York the next morning; it was finally arranged that should try and get the safes out at Forty-second-st.; Allen and I went to a hardware store in Howard-st., and got a lock similar to the express car lock; we wanted the lock to substitute it for the lock on the express car, so that it would not be noticed when the train stopped; I saw a man by the name of Edward McGuire on the corner of King and Hudson-sts.; we met by appointment; he was the same one who was present here at the former trial; I had seen him the night before, and promised to meet him the next day; I told him what we were doing, and wanted some help, and asked him if he would take a part in it, and asked him to get another man, and he said he would.
Judge Stuart objected to the evidence of the interview between the witness and McGuire, as he was not on trial, and no conspiracy between the various parties proved; the evidence, however, was admitted.
The witness resumed – When I told McGuire to get another man he said he had two friends who he could have as well as not; after several failures it was arranged to abandon the attempts at Forty-second-st., and that Grady, McGuire and myself should get into the car at Forty-second-st. and take in a sledge hammer, marlin-spike, the steel punch, a common mortise chisel and two large carpet bags to put the money in; Allen, Wells, McGloin, Hudson and Tristram were to get in the passenger cars; when the train stopped at Harlem Bridge, they were to get out, and we were to throw them the safes out after we crossed the bridge, if we found we could stop the car – otherwise, we were to break them open in the car; after throwing off the safe, we were to ring the bell, stop the train, get out, and go back and meet the other parties; we were then to take the safes to some convenient place and break them open; we met at Forty-second-st. the night of the 6th of January last; either Allen, Wells or McGloin brought a dark-lantern, sledge-hammer and lock; McGuire, Hudson and Tristram brought two carpet-bags. [The witness was shown and identified the various articles enumerated by him.] I went up alone, and we all met there; McGuire, Grady, Hudson and myself up to the Express car, and McGuire took the marlin-spike and tried to break off the lock; he said he was not strong enough, and Grady helped him break it off; after the lock was broken, Grady, McGuire and I got into the Express car; Hudson took the lock we had bought, put it in the staple, and shut the door up; we had not been in more than ten minutes before the train started; we did nothing till we got into the tunnel; we then turned one of the safes up, and tried to break in the bottom with a sledge-hammer; Grady and I both tried it, but did not succeed; we then turned the safe over; McGuire took the marlin-spike and put it as near the bolt as he could, and Grady and I drove it into the safe with the sledge; we packed the contents into the carpet bags, and then opened another of the safes and packed the contents away in the bags, and canvas bag we found in the car; we found a watch in one of the safes, which passed into the possession of Augustus Tristram; I think he gave it to Mrs. Woolsey; (the watch is shown to the witness and identified by him;) we took some gold certificates from the safes; (the counsel for defendants admit the gold certificates shown were stolen from these safes;) we may have been occupied half or three-quarters of an hour in opening the safes; we had everything packed as the whistle blew to brake up at the Cos Cob Bridge; when we got into the car we found that the bell rope ran through an iron tube, and we could not get at it; the black bag has some gold in it, and it bursted, and some of the gold fell out; we gathered the gold up and put it in the bag; the night was cold and dark; we carried the bags across the bridge and hid the black bag and canvas bag in a pile of lumber at the east end of the bridge; we carried the large bag up the railroad about a mile toward Stamford; it contained large and small notes; we had in our pockets all the notes we had taken out of the envelopes; we took out these notes, put them in the large carpet-bag and hid it in the stone wall; McGuire also hid his pistol in the wall; we then walked up the railroad toward Stamford, where we arrived about 10 o’clock; McGuire and I thought it better to go back to New-York that night; the return train stopped for some reason at One-hundred-and-twentieth-st., and I got out and went to the Third-ave., rode down as far as Thirteenth-st., where we got out and went to Tristram’s house in Horatio st.; while riding down Third-ave., McGuire showed me his hand, which he had scratched; don’t know the number of Tristram’s house; they were all abed at Tristram’s; we there found Allen, Hudson, Tristram and Tristram’s wife; Allen and Hudson were in one room; we arrived there about daylight Sunday morning; it had snowed during the night; I might have staid there an hour; Allen and Hudson both asked me how we had succeeded; we told them we had got the money and hit it; I think McGuire jokingly told them that we had about $4,000, but afterward told them that he thought we had about $50,000.
The witness was cross examined by Judge Stuart – I was born in Oswego, N.Y.; my right name is Herman Kinyan; my parents are living at Oswego; I am a single man; have not been at home since 1861, when I entered the army; have had no communication with my parents since then; I was in the army for two years; for two years preceding this robbery I had been in New-York and Elmira; about a year and a half previously I had been a substitute broker in New-York; had not done much for a year previously; I have lived at Mr. Peters in Thirty-fifth-st., nearly all the time I have lived in New York; don’t know whether Peters is a thief or burglar; this is the second time I have been arrested; I am now an escaped prisoner from Pennsylvania. I dug out; I was charged with being in company with a man who shot a deserter; I was at that time in the bounty brokerage business; the whom I was with when the deserter was shot was Jeremiah Dunn; he was convicted; I gave the name of Smith when I was arrested; it was a colored man who was shot; Dunn shot him; he was in my custody; I took him to Pennsylvania to put him in the army; he was left in my custody after he was sworn in; he was to have $700, and $200 was to be paid to me; Dunn was a bounty-broker; we had been acquainted for two years; we were not in company; the negro was shot in Tunkhannock in Pennsylvania; we gave ourselves up; don’t know whether I was indicted; I escaped because I had no money to defend myself; Dunn belonged in Oswego; I first knew him in the army; I was never in Auburn Prison; I went to New-York from Pennsylvania, and remained there; I have been tried and convicted of this crime; I think I was sentenced for five years for this offense, and my sentence has been reversed; I communicated the facts of this case soon after my trial to Mr. Pinkerton in the jail at Bridgeport; I next mentioned it to Mr. Warren, one of the members of Pinkerton’s police; he made me no promises of a discharge or release; I expected to be released after I had testified; do not know a man by the name of Dave Bartlett or Rory Simms; I came here from Bridgeport on Tuesday; I have not talked with any of the evidence I should give; I had talked previous to the other trial, with Mr. Beardsley and Mr. Ferry; knew a man by the name of Han; first saw him in the jail at Bridgeport three or four months ago; he was at the jail twice; we did not [converse?] about this transaction; he was introduced to me by either Allen, Mrs. Allen or Wells; think I was told that I need [not refer?] to any other property than the watch and gold certificate; there were $300,000 or $400,000 stolen.
Wm. Moore called by the State – My days from New York were Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; a short time before the 6th of January Grady came into the care where I was making a fire and said “Billy More, you do not know how to make a fire;” almost a week or ten days before the robbery I found some soap in the lock that broken, and communicated it to Henry Sanford the Superintendent of the Express Company; the bell rope is a small iron chain that passes through the Express care in an iron tube.
Cross-examined by Judge Stuart – I had not thought of the fact of Grady slapping me on the shoulder until within a week or two of the former trial; Mr. Spooner spoke to me then about it; it made no impression on me at the time; there were persons in the car, but did not know who they were; Grady was often very familiar with them; a good many of these instances have occurred; I did not run after the robbery.
Henry A. Hurlbut testified – I am a conductor on the New York and New Haven Railroad and on the 8 p.m. train out of New York, and was on the 6th of last January; it arrives at New Haven at 11:10 p.m.; I leave New Haven on the return train at 2:15 a.m. and arrive at New York at 5 a.m.; the train reaches Norwalk at 3:20 a.m.; a freight train left New York about 7 p.m.; my impression is that that train left behind us that night; it takes that train 3 or 3 ½ hours to run up to Stamford; I do not recollect whether I left that train at Forty-second-st, or passed it at Mamaroneck, which is the regular passing place; On returning from New Haven on the morning of the 7th of January, two men got upon my train at Norwalk; as the train neared the station I saw two men standing on the platform leaning toward each other and talking; they separated, and I asked them if they were going down; one of them went into the forward end of the car and the other in the rear; I have identified McGuire as the one who went into the forward end; I observed them, for I had heard of the robbery at New Haven; they did not sit together in the train; the train stopped that night at One-hundred-and-twentieth-st.; Grady was a brakeman on my train; I did not excuse him that night; it was for me or the Superintendent to excuse him; Isaac Wallace was in his place that night; I did not recognize Clark as he was muffled up; a week previous to that night Grady had exchanged with Moses Peck; I cannot tell how often he had made the exchange; I collect tickets soon after leaving Forty second st., and generally get through in the neighborhood of Mount Vernon.
Cross-examined by Judge Stuart – I do not recognize any of the prisoners as upon that train that night.
Judge Stuart then moved that the whole of the evidence of this witness should be stricken out as irrelevant. The motion was refused.
The witness continued – Grady joined his train Monday night at New York; my train did not stop the night of January 6 between Harlem River and Coscob; the average speed is 30 miles an hour; mine was the last passenger train that night; only two persons got on the train on my return on Sunday morning; a train leaves New York for Norwalk at 5 ½ p.m., and for Stamford at 6 ½ p.m.
Isaac Wallace testified – I reside in New York and am a brakeman on the New York and New Haven railroad, which leaves New York at 8 a.m. On the night of the 6th of January last I acted as brakeman at Grady’s request; he called on me that morning between 5 and 6 a.m.; he said he wanted to go to the country; I went for him and saw nothing more of him that day.
Cross-examined – I was at Twenty-seventh-st. that night, and assisted in putting the bags in; did not see anything of Grady at Forty-second-st.; there were 10 or 11 cars that night; I was at the Winter Garden Theater a few days before New Year’s, and staid there during the evening; he spoke to me then about braking his train.
John W. Sarles testified – I am watchman at the Norwalk Depot and was on the night of the 6th of last January; two men came there about 1 o’clock in the morning and staid there until the 3:20 a.m. train came down.
Treadwell Smith testified – I reside in New Haven and am Captain of the police. I went to New York on the out train the morning to watch if any one got on the train; I had been informed of the robbery; I did not see any one get on at Norwalk, but my attention was called shortly after the train left Norwalk to two men who got on there; I recognized McGuire as one of them; they sat at opposite ends of the car; they were apparent strangers; the first information I had that they had left was at Forty-second-st.; I jumped off the car and went over to the Third ave.; these two men were in the second or third car that came down after I reached the avenue; I got upon the rear platform; they were in conversation; McGuire was calling the attention of his companion to his hand; they got off at Thirteenth-st. and went to No 76 Horatio-st.; I kept along on the opposite side of the street; it was getting to be daylight; they went through an alley way to the rear.
Cross-examined – I first heard of the robbery at 12:50 on Sunday morning; I took the first train down; and when we reached Bridgeport went to call Mr. Spooner; I did not see any of these prisoners on the train; I cannot identify Clark as he was muffled; I first spoke to Mr. Spooner in New York, of McGuire pointing out his scratched hand to Clark.
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Adams Express Robbery.
Third Day’s Proceedings – Testimony Taken – How the Accused Operated.
By telegraph to the tribune. Danbury, Conn., Oct 26, 1866.
Yesterday was the third day of the trial of the men who have been arrested on suspicion of robbing the safe of Adams Express Company in January last. A vast amount of evidence was taken, which we give below, as well as the conclusion of Thursday’s testimony.
Dennis Crowley testified: I reside at No. 69 Watts-st., New York, and am a blacksmith; I recognize the steel punch shown me; I would make one like it for $1; I made one, and they carried it away; I identify Allen and Clark as the two men.
Cross examined: I am confident that it was in December, about nine or ten months ago; I remember it on account of the occurrence as they paid me for the work; my attention was called to this three or four months after; a man brought the steel punch there and asked me if I made it; he did not tell me what he wanted to know for; he said he had searched all over to find out who made it; he took my name; I asked him what he wanted to know for, but he made no reply; I do not know who he was.
Harrison Dingham testified: I reside in Hudson, N. Y.; I was bookkeeper for Mr. Crow at Nos. 137 and 139 Thompson-st., New-York in the month of December last, and left there about May 1; I had the books here on the former trial; Mr. Crow refused to permit me to bring them now; I know Martin Allen; he hired a house [sic] and express wagon of me on the 30th day of last December and again on the 4th of January; he hired the team between 6 ½ and 7 ½ in the evening and kept it about an hour and a half; he took two blankets the first time, but do not recollect about the other time; I don’t know whether it was a heavy or light wagon; we had both kinds.
Cross-examined: I had seen Allen before that time; had seen him in the neighborhood and about the streets; I could not say at what particular place I had seen him; I first saw him after hiring the wagon in the Court House here; I am at present book-keeper in a stock-store in Syracuse; I was first spoke to about coming here to testify on the former trial by Mr. Warner about a week about that Court; he wanted to know if I knew Martin Allen; I told him I did; I knew Allen’s first name, as I had heard it mentioned by McKinne, the foreman of the stable, about the time he hired the wagon; I told Mr. Warner that Allen hired the horse and wagon last Winter; Allen’s brothers have hired pleasure wagons at that stable; I do not know what Warner’s object was in asking; I promised Warner that I would come to New-York and see him; I came, but did not know what he wanted me to come for; he said there was a lawsuit, but did not tell me where it was; he said he wanted me to be a witness, and I told him I would come; I was told that I would be paid for my time and expenses for coming here to testify; I have been paid $40; I recollect that I hired the wagon for Allen on the 30th of December, as I was going to Hudson that night, and waited for the wagon to come back; I knew Allen’s brothers by sight; there is some resemblance between them; I do not know that it is very striking.
Direct resumed – I was there when the wagon came back; I think another man brought the blankets in; I did not see Allen when he came back; he had paid me $3 before he took the horse and wagon on December 30.
Loren Wheeler testified: I reside at Mamaroneck, N.Y.; I have seen the sledge-hammer now shown me; I found it by the side of the railroad track about a mile and a half east of New-Rochelle; I found it the next week after the robbery; it was laying down an embankment twelve or fifteen feet from the track.
Thomas Carney testified: I have seen the marling spike now shown me; I found it after the robbery last Winter on the railroad between New-Rochelle and Mamaroneck.
Albert Socley testified: I reside at Stamford and keep the Stamford House; two persons came to my house on the night of the 7th of January; I saw them the next morning; my attention was particularly called to them as they were suspected of being concerned in the express robbery; I have seen them since; they were Tristram and McGuire; those were not the names entered in the book; they remained there over night, and left the house together about 6 ½ in the morning, and went to the depot; I followed them down; they came back up town again; they returned to the depot, and I again followed them; I saw one of them going on the down train; I think it was McGuire; I do not know where Tristram went; he went into the depot platform, and I saw no more of him; I saw Martin Allen at my house that day, after McGuire and Tristram had left; he was there about the middle of the day; he was there but a short time; he spoke something about this robbery and said there had been some men there; I told him there had been some men there, and they had left; I noticed him particularly, and the thought struck me that he might be one of the men who were looking after these men; he stayed around the house about half an hour; I did not see him after he left until I saw him here.
Cross-examined – There was some excitement there that day about the robbery; it was spoke of at my home that day; I first saw Allen that day in my house; there did not appear to be any one with him; I do not think there was any other stranger in while he was there; I think I noticed him as he was going out of the house; he was dressed very well; had on dark clothes; I first saw Allen after that date here on the former trial; when he came to my house he had on a well-fitting, neat overcoat, and I think he wore a high hat; I was here on Tuesday, and left that evening on the freight train and went to Hartford; I went to Hartford to see a man by the name of Evans; he was not a witness in the former trial; I did not go to see a witness in this case; I did not take a subpoena; I did not go to see Thomas Evans; the man I went to see was not named Thomas; I found Mr. Evans in Massachusetts and brought him with me; he is here.
Josiah Tristram, testified: I reside in Norwalk and have resided there eight or nine years; I know Augustus Tristram, who is a cousin of mine; I know Edward McGuire; he boarded near me two years ago; he passed under the name of Edward Watson; Augustus came to my house on the morning of the 8th of January last in company with Thomas Clark; they remained there till between six and seven that evening; Augustus said he was going East and expected his wife to meet him there that evening; Augustus went out after a horse and wagon that evening and brought back a man with him by the name of John H. Hudson; Augustus said Hudson had come up to tell him that his wife could not come; they had a rockaway carriage and Clark, Tristram and Hudson went away together; they said they were going to Stamford after baggage; they went away at ten minutes before 8 in the evening, and returned at five minutes before 3 the next morning; they brought back three carpet-bags with them; I noticed the next day that one of the bags was burst open; they went up stairs into Mrs. Woolsey’s room; I saw them again next morning; Augustus asked me if I would go on an errand for him to New-York, to carry a few things to his mother at No. 100 Division-st.; he brought down the carpet-bag after breakfast; it was nearly full, and heavy, and Clark assisted me in carrying it; I went to New-York and left the bag at No. 100 Division-st. with Augustus Tristram’s sister, Mrs. Barramore; I returned to Norwalk on the 11 ½ a.m. train, and found Augustus and Clark there; they remained until about 5 ½ p.m. when the officers came and arrested them; I went to New-York that night with Mr. Spooner, and we found the bag the next morning where I had left it; Hudson was not at my house on my return Tuesday night; he was there when I left in the morning; my boy brought me the steel punch now shown me some time last Winter; I had no knowledge of the contents of the carpet-bag which I took to New-York.
Geo. Woolsey testified: I am the nephew of Josiah Tristram; I found the steel bar now shown me, last Spring under the fence at my uncle’s.
The State has concluded its evidence, with the exception of two witnesses from New-York, who are expected to be here on Monday morning; the was adjourned to that time The absence of McGuire has somewhat shorted the examination of the State witnesses, and it will undoubtedly have the effect to materially shorten the defense, as a large amount of time was consumed on the former trial in proving an alibi for him. The evidence thus far has been substantially the same as was elicited on the previous trial, and few if any additional important facts have been addressed.
The first witness called this morning was Emma Woolsey, who testified: I am a sister of Josiah Tristram, and occupy the upper part of his house in Norwich [sic] except a small sitting-room; I was there when Augustus Tristram and Clark came there; they came there Monday morning, the 8th of January, about 10 o’clock; I knew McGuire by the name of Edward Watson; he was spending the Summer there two years ago, and was introduced by Augustus Tristram; Augustus said he was going to Boston and had sent Watson back for his wife; John H. Hudson came there about — in the evening; he told Augustus that his wife could not come; Augustus, Clark and Hudson went away about 8 o’clock in the evening, and said they were going to Stamford for baggage; they returned about 3 o’clock in the morning; I saw them in the morning between 6 and 7 o’clock; Josiah went to New-York the next morning, and took a carpet-bag with him; the bag seemed very full; Augustus told me that he wanted Josiah to go to Mrs. Barramor’s in New-York; Hudson went away shortly after Josiah, and said he was going to Boston; I have seen the watch shown me; Augustus gave it to me when the officers came to arrest me; I kept it until Mr. Spooner and others came, when I gave it to them.
Captain Wm. Durham testified: I reside in New Brunswick, N.J., and am engaged in steam boating.
Q. Have you any means of telling the weather on the 6th of January last. A. I have – (produces his log book.) It was snowing; we left New York at 12:25 noon; wind N.E. and snowing; command the steamer Joseph Belknap from New York to Amboy.
Francis Warner testified: The marling-spike was handed me by Thomas Carney and the watch by Mrs. Woolsey; I found the pistol shown me in the stone-wall, about a mile this side of Coscob; it was pushed into the wall so that I saw the glitter of the handle as I passed along; there were blackberry bushes there; I went to No. 106 Division-st. [sic] on the morning of the 8th of January, between 3 and 4 o’clock; Mr. Henry Sanford and Mr. Spooner, with officer Elder and the policeman of the St. Nicholas Hotel, went with me; am Superintendent of Pinkerton’s Police Agency; I saw the fragments of the gold certificates at New-Haven on the morning of the 7th of January, and the remainder of the certificates in the bag at No. 100 Division-st.; we found the bag in a flour barrel.
Cross-examined – My impression is that we found $86,000 or $88,000 in greenbacks, $76,000 unsigned national bills, $360 in gold.
Direct resumed – Was present when Allen was arrested; I was with the Sheriff in the rear of the house and the other officers were in front of the house; Allen came out of the rear of the house; he had on a long overcoat and a plug hat; as soon as he saw us he stopped as if to pick up a stone, and turned and went back into the house; we arrested him at his mother’s house in Carleton-ave., Brooklyn.
Re-cross-examined – I have no authority to arrest prisoners; am a detective; I had, at the time of the arrest, written authority from the Governor of Connecticut to receive Allen.
Thomas J. Evans testified: I have been stopping in Stamford till within about two months, and since then I have resided in Mill River, Mass.; in the month of January I was staying at the Stamford House and saw two men there; one of them was McGuire and the other was Tristram; I noticed them particularly; I have seen Allen once in Stamford, on the morning of the 8th of last January, between 11 and 12; I only saw him a few minutes; I observed him particularly; I did not see him have any business or conversation with any one; I recognized him when I first saw him at the last trial; I did not come here expecting to see him.
Cross-examined – Mr. Seeley and the bar-keeper were there when Allen was there; he had on black pants, black sack coat, and black silk hat; I took more notice of him because it was so cold that day and few strangers were in; I called Mr. Seeley’s attention to him at the last term of the Court; I asked Seeley if he recognized any one in the prisoner’s box; I can’t say whether he said he could or could not; I called his attention to a finely dressed man who came to his house last Winter; Albert Seeley came after me to come here.
James P. Hall testified – I am employed by Mr. Pinkerton, and reside in Jersey City; am acquainted with Wells, one of the prisoners; became acquainted with him at his mother’s No. ?? Court-st., Brooklyn; I went there to board February 17, and remained there till some time in June; I went there to board by the direction of Mr. Warner, to learn what I could of Wells’s connection with the robbery; I pretended to be employed in the Treasurer’s Office of the Erie Railway Company; on the 9th of March I met James on the corner of New-st. and Exchange-place, and he asked me where I was going; told him I was going to see some railroad shares; I told him to wait and I would go with him; I went around to the office, and told Mr. Warner that Wells was down-stairs, and if he wanted to send any one to recognize him he could; I came out and Wells and I went up to Erie Buildings, when I went up-stairs, pretending that I wanted to leave my papers; came out and we went over to the Harlem Railroad; he said he was going up to see his cousin about getting an appointment as conductor; on the way up he told me that he had as good as $80,000 in his hands; I rather pshawed at it; he said it was true, and we then talked about robberies; he asked me if I had heard of the Adams Express Robbery, and said he was engaged in it; he said they had hired express wagons five of six times to take the safes out of cars, but had failed, but on the 6th of January they went up to Forty-second-st., when the broke open the express car, and but three of the men went in; the rest went up in the passenger car, and got out at Harlem Bridge; they walked up as far as Tremont, but did not find the safes as they expected; they walked back, and were disappointed at not finding them; he gave the names of all the parties concerned; he afterward showed me Gilly McGloin, on the corner of Broome and Crosby-sts.; he said Clark and Martin Allen had bought a jimmy at a blacksmith shop, and he and either Clark and Allen went down in Howard-st. and bought a heavy hammer that cost over $6; after we went to Brooklyn he said that Martin Allen came there about 10 o’clock Monday morning; he had bought a Herald on, and felt glorious to learn how much money they had got; he said if Augustus Tristam had not taken the watch and blown the whole thing, they would have got the whole money; after we left Twenty-seventh-st. we went to Lafayette Hall, and he said that was where they met to arrange the robbery; I have been in Pinkerton’s employ since last February; I made daily reports of my conversations with Wells.
Cross-examined: I gave my own name at Mrs. Wells’s; I have gone under other names; I am living at No. 162 Railroad-ave., Jersey City; I lived with a relative in the South about a year; a quantity of silver plate was stolen when I was there; I staid there some time; before I went into Pinkerton’s employ I was book-keeper in a clothing store, No. 494 Broadway, New-York; I had been discharged when I was employed by Pinkerton; I think Wells’s cousin saw us when we went into the Harlem Railroad Office; after we left there, Wells showed me Heenan’s gambling place, and we went from there to Lafayette Hall; I met Mrs. Wells here on the other trial and shook hands with her; I asked her how she was getting along; I don’t recollect whether I told her what I was doing here.
Direct resumed – I visited my grandfather in the South; I was about 14 years of age; I went there to be educated.
Re-cross-examined – I went to Bridgeport two or three times; went with Mrs. Wells; I remained in her family about a month after Wells’s arrest; I wrote to Wells while he was in Bridgeport jail.
Solomon Clark testified – I reside near Coscob Bridge; I found the lock down e about 500 or 600 feet from the west end of the bridge; I found it on the 11th of last January; on the previous day I found a bag apparently containing coin marked $5,000 care Adams Express Company, and directed some Bank in Boston; it was on the south side of the railroads, about ten or 12 feet from the track.
F. A. Rockwell testified – Have charge of the bar and billiard room at the Atlantic Hotel, Bridgeport; the book shown me is the register of that hotel; I find in it, under the date of December 28, 1865, the name of Thomas Clark, New-York, room No. 49.
Adams Express Robbery.
Conclusion of Monday’s Proceedings – Continuance of the Trail Postponed Until Wednesday.
By Telegraph to the Tribune.
Danbury, Ct., Oct. 29. – George Anderson called – Have resided in Stamford 15 years; am a painter; know John Grady; I was at Martin Stottey’s saloon the night of the 6th of January; saw Grady and Wilson there; we had a drink together; they stayed there about 15 minutes; it was about 9 o’clock.
Cross-examined: I was in that saloon frequently; I had been in there before and after as late as 9 or 10 o’clock; don’t recollect that I had seen Grady in there that week or the week after.
James Duffie called – I reside at No. 44 East Twenty-eight-st., New York; am brakeman on the 9 p.m. train from New-York; have been on the road for three years; Grady was brakeman in January last on the same train with me; saw Grady on the 6th of last January, in the afternoon, between 3 and 4 o’clock; I was with him until 5 ½ o’clock; we cruised around the avenue and took a drink occasionally; we got on the 5:30 train and came up to Forty-second-st.; we went and drank; I was with him until the train started from Forty-second-st.; I saw him leave for home; I did not see him after that till I saw him on Monday afternoon at this house in Thirty-third-st.; I went out in the 9 p.m. train from New-York.
Cross-examined – I was intending to get off at Thirty-fifth-st., but he asked me to go up to Forty-second-st.; we went to a liquor store on the corner, and staid there till the train was about made up; the last I saw of him, he was getting on the platform of the rear car; there was a young man with him by the name of Hesson; I saw Grady about a week after his arrest at Bridgeport, but had no conversation with him on this subject; I was not here on the former trial; I have been running on this train ever since last Winter.
Judge Stuart here offered the wife of Martin Allen as a witness in behalf of James Wells. The same offer was made on the former trial, and the evidence was excluded. The Court here adopted that ruling.
Sarah Wells called – I reside in Brooklyn; my husband has been dead 11 years; in January last I resided in Brooklyn, Court-st., and was keeping boarders; am the mother of Wells and the mother-in-law of Allen; they were both boarding with me in January last; I had 12 or 15 boarders at that time; Wells and Allen were both at home on the 6th of last January; they were both home at dinner between 6 and 7 o’clock and during the whole evening; Wells was at home on Sunday all day, and Allen too, as near as I can recollect; he was at home in the morning.
Cross-examined – Have resided in Court-st. a year; had before that resided at Hunter’s Point; had resided in Brooklyn before that, in Cheever-place; I lived in Mr. Allen’s house at Hunter’s Point; I had three gentlemen boarders in Court-st., Mr. Hoffmire, Mr. Moody and Mr. Lee; James was at home during the day of the 6th of January; I had no lady boarders outside of my family; the other boarders were, Mr. Smith, and Miss Anna Marsden, a friend of my sister; I think Miss Marsden came the 1st of January; she might have come two of three days before; she staid there 10 or 15 days; she was there off and on after that; she was there occasionally during the months of January,, February, March and April; she was an actress and was playing an engagement in the city; she was not playing an engagement in December or January at Pithole City; Mrs. Allen and her two children were boarding there; my son, Oscar Wells, was living home at that time; I hired the whole house; Oscar is 28 years old; James was a married man; I do not know where his wife was; Mrs. Smith’s husband was in New-York; I do not know exactly where Allen was during the day of the 6th of January; Mr. and Mrs. Moffatt were boarding at my house; Mrs. Moffatt is my daughter; Allen was there that day at lunch about 12 o’clock; he was at home in the afternoon, but do not recollect exactly the hour; I spoke to him; do not recollect who was present; he went out to change a book at the library and back to dinner; as near as I can recollect Allen, his family, James Wells, Hoffmire, Lee and Moody were at dinner; Hoffmire was there when Wells and Allen were at dinner, but cannot say whether Lee and Moody were there or not; I fix the date of the 6th of January from Mrs. Moffatt’s being sick at that time; she was taken sick that day after lunch; she was not as well as usual in the forenoon; she was approaching her confinement; she was not at dinner that afternoon; she retired to her room; I do not recollect whether we had a physician that day; I know Dr. Rowland was there twice but I did not see him; I testified last August with reference Dr. Rowland; I said he was there the 10th or 11th of January; I did not send for any doctor that Saturday; Mrs.Moffatt’s sickness was so severe as to attract the attention of the family; they were in and out of the room; Mr. Moffat requested Wells to stay before he went away in the morning; Allen and Wells were both in all the evening; Allen was in his own room; Wells was in Mrs. Moffatt’s room, but I did not see All in there; that room opened into the parlor; Wells, Mrs. Smith and I stayed in there; I lay down on the lounge in the parlor toward morning; the first time I saw Dr. Rowland there was the 10th or 11th of January; he first came into the front parlor; Mrs. Moffatt and Mrs. Smith were there; I do not recollect that Miss Marsden was there; Mrs. Moffatt had got somewhat better, and had left her own room; James spent the evening at home when I saw the Doctor there; on the 6th we thought Mrs. Moffatt would be confined before morning; we sent for no doctor that day; one might have come in the morning, but I did not see him.
Danbury, Conn., Oct. 30 – In consequence of the absence of two of the jurors this forenoon, caused by the severity of the storm which prevailed in the vicinity last night and this morning, the further trial of the case was postponed till afternoon. At that time one of the absentees appeared, but the other has not at the present time (3 p.m.) arrived, though a special messenger has been dispatched for him at his residence, about ten miles from where. The probabilities are that the trial will not be resumed until to-morrow morning.
The Adams Express Robbery
Danbury, Conn., Oct 31 1866
Four more witnesses for the defence underwent examination to-day. There were five persons put upon the stand for the State, their testimony being merely corroborative of what had transpired at the last trial. No facts that have not been already published in the Herald were elicited. Senator Ferry, the counsel for the State, in an able argument, recapitulated the evidence of several witnesses in the case. He drew attention particularly to the evidence of Clarke and the detective Hall, and paid a tribute to the manner in which the latter gave his testimony. Senator Ferry has been speaking for nearly two hours, and at the departure of this telegram had not concluded his argument. The Court House is an usual filled with spectators, the fair sex being well represented.
The jury in the trial of the Adams Express robbers, at Danbury, yesterday, rendered a verdict of guilty against all the prisoners. Notice was given that a motion for a new trial would be filed, and sentence was therefore deferred.
The Adams Express Robbers.
Motion in Arrest of Judgment Overruled – Motion for New Trial Held in Reserve
Danbury, Conn. Nov 23 1866
Judge Loomis, the presiding Judge of the Supreme Court, has overruled the motion in arrest of judgement filed, on the rendition of the verdict, by the counsel for the robbers of the Adams Express Company. The motion was made upon the ground that two of the jurors, who were named, had stated before they were impanelled that they believed the prisoners to be guilty, and, if they were drawn as jurors upon the trial, they should convict them. The hearing upon the motion, however, disclosed the fact that they had not only made no such declarations, but in the deliberations of the jury, doubted the sufficiency of the evidence to convict, and were the last to consent to the verdict.
The Judge has reserved the motion for a new trial for the decision of the Supreme Court of Errors, which will be holden at Bridgeport on the third Tuesday of next February, and has postponed the sentence of the prisoners until the question involved and the motion shall have been determined by that Court. In the meantime the prisoners remain in jail in this town.