The jury will next naturally look to the appearances exhibited on the
field after the robbery. The portmanteau was there. The witnesses say,
that the straps which fastened it to the saddle had been neither cut nor
broken. They were carefully unbuckled. This was very considerate for
robbers. It had been opened, and its contents were scattered about the
field. The pocket-book, too, had been opened, and many papers it contained
found on the ground. Nothing valuable was lost but money. The robbers did
not think it well to go off at once with the portmanteau and the pocket-
book. The place was so secure, so remote, so unfrequented; they were so
far from the highway, at least one full rod; there were so few persons
passing, probably not more than four or five then in the road, within
hearing of the pistols and the cries of Goodridge; there being, too, not
above five or six dwelling-houses, full of people, within the hearing of
the report of a pistol; these circumstances were all so favorable to their
safety, that the robbers sat down to look over the prosecutor's papers,
carefully examined the contents of his pocket-book and portmanteau, and
took only the things which they needed! There was money belonging to other
persons. The robbers did not take it. They found out it was not the
prosecutor's, and left it. It may be said to be favorable to the
prosecutor's story, that the money which did not belong to him, and the
plunder of which would seem to be the most probable inducement he could
have to feign a robbery, was not taken. But the jury will consider whether
this circumstance does not bear quite as strongly the other way, and
whether they can believe that robbers could have left this money, either
from accident or design.

The robbers, by Goodridge's account, were extremely careful to search his
person. Having found money in his portmanteau and in his pocket-book, they
still forthwith stripped him to the skin, and searched until they found