Rhode Island American And Providence Gazette

AMERICAN
AND GAZETTE
FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 2, 1825.

Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace for the county of Providence.

The Court met for the transaction of business on Tuesday. Three cases on the civil docket, have been tried by the jury.

Thursday afternoon—James White, Jesse Wright, and John L. Gardiner were arraigned to plead to five Indictments, found by the Grand Jury against them. Three were against White, one for stealing $3230 from Capt. Starbuck, Sept. 29, another for stealing at the same time, a pocket book containing money, &c. from Isaiah Folger and the third for stealing a gold watch, the property of Reuben G. Folger—There was one Indictment against Wright, for receiving the property stolen by White, knowing it to be stolen. And one against Gardner, for stealing the same property. White on being arraigned requested leave to address the Court, which he did with considerable ability and ingenuity, and with an easy impudence almost inconceivable. He stated that he hoped while what he was about to say might be serviceable to Gardner, it would not aggravate the punishment inflicted on himself. He gave a minute account of himself, since his discharge from the Massachusetts State Prison, where he became acquainted with Wright, who was confined there at the same time. That he came to this place under his present fictitious name, to procure employment. and soon after his arrival met Wright, that they both entered the service of Mr. Chaffee, and after labouring some days, Wright suggested that they might procure money more easily, and proposed a union with him in some project, to effect that object. White stated that he at first opposed this, but at length assented, and it was arranged that White should enter on board some vessel trading here, ascertain when the Captain received the money for his cargo, and they would plunder it. Accordingly White procured himself employment on board the sloop Omega, Capt. Starbuck, found out when the Capt. had received the money for his freight, produce, &c. stole that with the pocket book of the Steward, and the gold watch, all which he delivered over to Wright, who received the property for safe keeping till a division was made; that Wright either had it now, or could disclose where it was. Wright, he said, had been a tenant of the State's prison in New-Hampshire, and in Massachusetts, and how many other prisons had been honoured with his presence, he would not undertake to say, Wright was however no stranger to a whipping post. Gardner he continued, was ignorant of the whole transaction, and was innocent. He used to come on board the sloop, and White designedly became acquainted and intimate with him, and encouraged his visits, with the view to make him suspected of the theft when it should be discovered.

The Indictments against White, were then read, to which he severally, with the utmost self-composure, unconcern, and shamelessness, pleaded Guilty. Wright pleaded Guilty, and Gardner, not Guilty.

Two other Indictments were preferred by the Grand Jury, one against Enoch Weatherhead and Albert Talman for theft, on which Weatherhead was arraigned, and pleaded not guilty. Talman is not yet in custody. The other Indictment was for an assault and battery. There being no further business for the Grand Jury, it was dismissed.