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736 ¥. AMERICAN STATE TRIALS.

ceived him, by telling him that
he would not be kept a prisoner,
while, in reality, he was now as
much @ prisoner as the others.”
T think, when he said this, he
did not refer to any individuals
in thia country, but to the Eng-
Tish. I told Mr. Donlap what
the prisoner had said, and Mr.
Dunlap replied, “Very well, he
may do as he pleases; if he does
not like to be 9 witness, we ean
do without him.” Perez then
cooled down, did not appear in
euch a passion as previously, and
eaid that “when he went before
the judge, he would tell the whole
‘trath.”

Mr. Dusslap (sworn). 1 shall
be happy to state anything with-
in my knowledge in relation to
this matter; indeed, I consider
such a course a duty. After hav-
ing had, with Perez, the eonver-
sation just alluded to by Mr.
Badlam, and having noticed the
state of hig [Perez’s] mind, I
did not think it safe to leave the
ease for the government in its
then state. Y had, therefore,
caused Nicola Costa to be

broaght in, and after telling him
that he was under no obligation
to state anything, and that all I
[the District Attorney] could
promise him was, that nothing
he might say should be sed
against him, asked if he was will-
ing to become a witness for the
‘United States The prisoner's
reply was, “that they were all
innocent, and that no robbery
had ever been committed by them
upon the Mexican.” TI then
ealled in Domingo de Gunman,
and afterwards Antonio Ferrer
[the black cook], but found
them both in the same story as
Costa. As a last resort, I then
sent for Bernardo de Soto, the
mate, but succeeded as ill with
him as with the others. I was
influenced in sending for Costa
and de Guzman, by considera-
tions as to their youth; as re
garded the black, by compassion
for his igeorance and degraded
condition; and T selected de Soto
in consequenee of his having per-
formed the act of humanity
which hag been alluded to.

Mr, Child aaid the District Attorney had been influenced, in thia
affair, by the honorable feelings he supposed him to possess, and
begged him to accept sincere thanks for the course pursued.

Mr. Dunlap said that when the offer of becoming a witness was
made to de Soto, the later returned, for answer, that he was willing

to testify, but could only do so to his own innocence.

He thought

de Soto answered evasively, and, therefore, immediately eeaned eon-

versing with him.

B, G. Prescott. Was in court
when the prisoners were brought
up to receive their indictments.
Saw Ridgly upon that oceasion.
T was standing in front of the
erier’s desk. Some one pushed
against me; asw it waa the black.
Asked him what he did inside
the bar, when he replied “that he

was one of the crew of the Mex-
jean, and wanted to look at the
d—d raseals and see if he
knew any of them” Made way
for him, and asked him several
questions. He pointed out sev-
eral of the prisoners, and after-
wards shook his fist at them, say-
ing, in a loud tone, “d- h YOU,

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