Perhaps the prisoner would like his counsel--Shadrach assented. I let Mr. Wright go up and speak to prisoner; I kept my eye on Mr. Wright when he spoke to the prisoner--he went up and took hold of his hand--Mr. Loring left the room sometime before. When Mr. Wright came in, I was surprised. You said Grimes better not come in--counsel asked me if a friend might remain with prisoner during his arrest--Messrs. List, Sewall and Davis were present--can't swear who asked me. _To the Commissioner._ Some colored friend I supposed--can't swear it was Davis asked it. _Mr. Dana._ Do you know the person you arrested, was the person named in the warrant? _Answer._ The person rescued was the person arrested under the warrant, but cannot say he was the person named in the warrant. _The Commissioner._ Do you contradict your return? The return is conclusive. _Mr. Lunt._ Mr. Riley, do you mean to contradict your return! I warn you, Sir! _Mr. Dana._ He has contradicted it. Mr. Riley, you didn't know that the person you arrested was the man named in the original warrant and complaint, as the slave of Debree? _Mr. Lunt._ I warn you, Mr. Riley, not to give that testimony! I warn you, Sir! _The Commissioner._ The return of the officer is conclusive. _Mr. Dana._ Does the Commissioner mean to rule that a man may be hung in a criminal case, on the return of an officer in another, and that a civil case? This case goes further. Here the very man who made the return is on the stand. Cannot we show by him that a part of this return is matter of form, and that he does not know whether it is true or not? _The Commissioner._ I think, Sir, the return of the officer is conclusive in all these proceedings. _Mr. Dana._ But the fact is already in--and the return is nullified. The objection is too late. _The Commissioner._ If he has answered, it may go in, _de bene esse_. _Mr. Lunt._ Does the Commissioner mean to rule in that testimony? _The Commissioner._ I receive it _de bene esse_; to give such weight to it as I shall think proper. _Mr. Dana._ Mr. Riley, do you know whether the man you arrested was the man named in the original warrant? _Mr. Riley._ Hardly a man is arrested known to the officer. The officer is responsible for mistakes. I don't know that the man arrested was the man named in the warrant. Did not apprehend a rescue or an attempt when Davis left. He left at my request at the time he left. He did not leave the room from all I saw, until his final departure--don't recollect seeing him outside the bar, nor conversing privately with any person beside counsel. He is known to me as a counsellor practising law in Circuit Court. _To District Attorney._ There might have been fifteen persons in court room when I left. My attention was not directed to Davis particularly. He _might_ have been absent without my knowledge. _To Mr. Dana._ I kept my eye on the door after the room was cleared--ordered that no one should be admitted.