Mr. Rogers to Mr.
Seward.
Law Office of James J. Rogers,
No. 8 Wall Street,
New York City, May 13,
1867.
Sir: I beg leave to refer you to my letter of
29th April, ultimo, and to the response of Mr. F. W. Seward, Assistant
Secretary, of 5th May, instant, in relation to the case of William
Jackson, otherwise called John McCafferty, now imprisoned, and, as would
appear by Atlantic cable telegrams of last week, tried and convicted of
high treason, in Dublin, Ireland.
I have waited since the reception of the last-named letter, in order that
I might hear from Sandusky city, Ohio, where the parents of McCafferty
reside, and where he was born, before sending the affidavits (original)
which I herewith transmit to you, duly verified before the proper
officers, and certified by the clerk of the supreme court of this State.
The proofs of birth and citizenship I expect within a few days, unless
my letters to Sandusky city have miscarried, or unless those proofs have
been transmitted to your department directly.
I would request, inasmuch as parties have been sentenced to be executed
in Dublin within twelve days from this date, that copies of these
affidavits be forwarded to our minister at London, and to our consul at
Dublin, that they may be used either in obtaining a modification of the
sentence, a new trial, or in any other proceeding you may deem proper in
the premises.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES J. ROGERS, Attorney,
&c.
Hon. William H. Seward. Secretary of State.
United States of America, State of New York, City and County of
New York,
ss:
John Kelcher, being duly sworn, says that he resides at No. 50
Norfolk street, in the city of New York, and is employed in the
custom department of Devlin & Co., clothiers, doing business at
the corner of Grand street and Broadway, in the city of New York,
and has been so employed nearly thirteen years; and that deponent
well knows one John Devanney, who, as deponent is informed and
believes, has recently lodged, filed, or given information against
one William Jackson, otherwise, McCafferty, now imprisoned and
detained in Kilmainham jail, Ireland, under a. charge of high
treason; that said Devanney was employed as a watchman in the store
of said firm of Devlin & Co., and was frequently in the view of
deponent, and had frequent conversations with deponent; and deponent
further says that, on the
[Page 89]
day of August, in the year 1866, deponent was in company with said
John Devanney during a greater part of said day; and that said
Devanney placed his hands, with unusual familiarity, on this
deponent’s clothing and in the neighborhood of deponent’s pockets;
and that during the subsequent evening, and about a half an hour
after parting with said Devanney, deponent missed the sum of
twenty-five dollars, which deponent verily believes said Devanney
stole from deponent’s pockets; and that immediately thereafter said
Devanney evaded and avoided the company and society of deponent,
contrary to his usual custom and habit, which had theretofore been
to see deponent frequently and intimately every day.
And deponent further says, that the general character of said
Devanney is bad; and that deponent, from deponent’s own knowledge
and from said Devanney’s general reputation, would not believe said
Devanney under oath.
And deponent further says, that said Devanney was twice discharged
from his employment by said firm on account of neglect of duty, and
lazy, idle, and vicious habits, and on account of his frequenting
brothels and other bad resorts.
Sworn before me, this 30th day of
April, 1867.
A. LATHEN SMITH, Notary Public,
New York City.
[Untitled]
United States of America, State of New York, City and County of
New York,
ss:
Michael Dowd, being duly sworn, doth depose and say, that he resides
at No.116 Mott street, in the city of New York, and is employed as
engineer in the clothing house of Devlin & Co., at the corner of
Grand street and Broadway, in the city of New York, and has been
employed by said firm nearly twelve years; and that deponent is well
acquainted with one John Devanney, who, as deponent is informed and
believes, has made, filed, lodged, or given information against one
William Jackson, now imprisoned in Kilmainham jail, Dublin, Ireland,
on the charge of high treason, and has known said Devanney about
eight years; that said Devanney’s general character is not that of a
pure man; and that said Devanney was in the habit of keeping company
with a common prostitute named Mary Ann Richardson, who went by the
by-name of ‘Jessie;” that said Devanney and said prostitute were
frequently together; and that deponent has seen said Devanney
approach the entrance to a house of ill-fame with said prostitute;
and further saith not.
Sworn before me, this 30th day of
April, 1867.
A. LATHEN SMITH, Notary Public, New York
City.
[Untitled]
United States of America, State of New York, City and County of
New York,
ss:
James P. Hyde, being duly sworn, says that he resides at No. 50
Marion street, in the city of New York, and is by occupation a
hydrant maker, and has been engaged therein about eighteen or twenty
years; that deponent well knows one John Devanney, who has made,
lodged, or filed an alleged information against one William Jackson,
otherwise John McCafferty, now imprisoned in Kilmainham jail, at or
near Dublin, Ireland, on the charge of high treason, and knows said
Devanney’s general character; that said Devanney’s habits were very
bad; he drank frequently, and spent his time in lounging around from
place to place; that no person would retain said Devanney in
employment on account of his lazy habits, and he, Devanney, was
frequently discharged from places in which he had been hired; and
deponent further says, that the general reputation of said Devanney
for truth and veracity is bad, and that deponent would not believe
said Devanney under oath; and that said Devanney is not an honest
man, and is and for years past was distrusted by all who knew
him.
Sworn before me this 30th day of
August, 1867.
A. LATHEN SMITH, Notary Public,
New York City.
[Untitled]
United States of America, State of New York, City and County of
New York,
ss:
Giovanni B. Sicardi, having been duly sworn, says, that he resides at
Tremont, in Westchester county, in the State of New York, and is by
occupation a wax-figure manufacturer at 138 Wooster street, in said
city of New York, and that deponent well knows John Devanney, who,
as deponent is informed and believes, has lodged, filed, or made an
alleged information against William Jackson, otherwise designated as
John McCafferty, now imprisoned in Kilmainham jail, at or near
Dublin, Ireland, on the charge of high treason; that deponent knows
said Devanney about eight years, and that said Devanney did not work
[Page 90]
steadily or constantly
more than three years ont of the eight years aforesaid; that said
Devanney was constantly in the habit of borrowing money and failing
to repay the same; had the habit, three or four times a week, of
getting beastly drunk, and intoxicated almost constantly during
three years; that said Devanney was for a short time employed on the
Fifth Avenue railroad, and frequently boasted to deponent that he,
said Devanney, had stolen various sums of money collected by him as
conductor and intrusted to his care by his employers—some days to
the extent of five dollars, and more; and that said Devanney also
informed deponent that he, said Devanney, had been discharged for
“knocking down,” viz., stealing the sum of ten dollars collected by
him in one day’s work; that on the last occasion when deponent saw
said Devanney, said Devanney said to deponent that he, said
Devanney, was about to depart for Ireland, and told deponent that
he, said Devanney, would do anything for money, and was going to
Ireland “on the make,” an expression which designates hirelings of
every denomination who have no regular employment at any respectable
business; that said Devanney was frequently the associate of common
prostitutes and the frequenter of houses of prostitution; and that
said Devanney’s general character is bad, and that deponent would
not believe said Devanney under oath.
Sworn before me this 30th day of
April, 1867.
A. LATHEN SMITH, Notary Public, New York
City.
[Untitled]
State of New York, City and County of New
York, ss:
I, William C. Conner, clerk of the city and county of New York, and
also clerk of the supreme court for the said city and county, being
a court of record, do hereby certify that A. Lathen Smith, before
whom the annexed deposition was taken, was, at the time of taking
the same, a notary public of New York, dwelling in said city and
county, duly appointed and sworn, and authorized to administer oaths
to be used in any court in said State, and for general purposes; and
that his signature thereto is genuine, as I verily believe.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and affixed the seal of the said court and county, the 14th day of May,
1867.
[seal.] WM. C. CONNER, Clerk.
