Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-04-26

lently lent a hand IN his removal thence ANU
back.
The Court, upon his conviction, felt no little
embarrassment in coming to result, as to the
degree aud character Of punishment they should
award against him, for the serious and Infamous
crime at which he had been found guilty. be-
fieving, however, as they said, that he could not
live long-that his capabiity to commit harm,
even If his inclination to do so continued, was IN
great measure destroyed by the affecting paraiy.
sis under which he then labored-that il sent to
prison he must remain there public charge with
out rendering any adequate service in return tor
his support-but above all, that he was likely ac-
cording to every reasonable probability OF SO
shortly answering for his trarsgressions before
another and higher tribunal. they came to con-
be answered in his case, by imposing upon hun
fine. They, therefore, more out OF regard to
the forms of law, than from any desire to exact
its collection, imposed upon him fine OF flus
dollars.
The brother of the prisoner, who manifested
for him during all this while the most fraternal ST.
Iicitude, advanced the fine, and with one horse
wagon, in which he had placed bed, drove oh
with hun from the prison.
One of the prose- cutting counsel having business
in this city on the following day, crossed the ferry
at the foot of Courtlandt street, but the extent
of his surprise and establishment may be better
conceived than described, when almost immedl.
ately on landing he ran plump against the dying
man, who was Fastening towards the ferry with
the eagerness and speed Of flying Mercury
The counsel of course expressed his amazement
at this singularly unexpected rencOutre. to which
the culprit replied, chuckling at the success OF
his ingenious expedent, and proud Of the decep.
ton he had practIsed By the lBimitable manner IN
which he had acted out The character Of Grip
ple-Oh! am a great deal better to-day than
was yesterday Then, with knowing wink and
hearty laugh, he dropped his arm and contract
ed his leg. to prove the identity Of the paralylc
CHEAT. and recovering himself Immediately, turn.
ed hastily upon his heel. and made The best OF his
way to the ferry, leaving the counsel to gaze with
wonder at the miraculous recovery OF his loco.
motive powers. Of which but the day before he had
been seemingly deprived, and also to reflect upon
the creduhtv of rose who had been SO success
fully duPed BY an arch imposter. Y. Cou.
.Anofher H,ar -Iu detailing yesterday the
hoax played of by an arch imposter, with such
complete success upon the Cours of Sessions at
Hackensack, N. by which an individual con.
victed Of the crime of perjury, was, through an
undeserved commlsseratiOn, set at large upon the
payment OF a nominal fine of five dnlars, we lit
tie suspected that another had been successfully
practsed upon similar court at Newark in the
same State.
1t appears that a young man BY the name ct
John Springer. who had been but recently before
liberated from Imprisonment in this city, upon
various criminal charges, was arrested at New
ark in the early part of October last, IN compa.
ny with another hopeful youth, charged with pass
ing counterfeit money, and committed to the
Newark jail for trial. They respectively crimi.
mated each other. but Springer, in whose posses.
sion the stock in trade of counterfeit money was
found, told the Magistrate on his examination
upon the charge, that he was only seemingly act.
ing with his associate in passing off the money,
the better to enabe him to bring to justice the
real offender, BY obtaining the evidence of his
guilt-that although caught in bad company, he
was really innocent of any evil design himself
and that he had obtained the appreciation of Mr.
Sparks, of the New York police, to the plan
which had been projected, of accompanying his
associate to Mount Pleasant where the spurious
money was to be bought, and afterwards, upon
his arrival here, to give the necessary informa.
ton and have him arrested
His more fortunate associate, shortly after be.
ing committed on the charge, was bailed, and
nothing has been heard Of MIN since. Springer,
whose trial had been deferred from time to time,
in the expectation thar bis associate might be
brought forward, renamed in prison from his
first commitment until FRIDAY last. when his case
called up at the General Sessions by Anal
Dodd. Esq the District Attorney. Springrr's
council produced an affidavit Of the prisoner, al.
Ieg'ng the materially Of Mr.. Sparks as witness,
upon which he moved to put off the trial until the
next term, but in consequence of the previous
pos'ponements the application was denied -
Having no alternative, the prisoner, satisfied
that under the evidence he would be convicted,
made virtue of necessity. and pleaded guilty;
at the same time insisting upon the truth of the
statement which he had made to the magistrate
upon his first arrest. In confirmation Of this,
his counsel submitted to the court letter, pur.
porting to have been written in this city by VIM.
q Sparks. addressed to the prisoner, in which.
the story Of the prisoner is substantially corrobo-
rated. and in which the writer expresses his re.
greet that in consequence Of his engagements IN
court here, he eannot attend the trial of the prs
4. 49,