The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-24

Smith left town for Philadelphia and returned
the 10Th OF the month On about the nth of Febua
U he presented four other powers with certificates under
SEAL in the usual form, draw $500 for the estate of
Peter Dorey, 5000 50 for estate of Samuel Cholle $40
for estate of John Anderson and 75 for of Jo
seph Shaw. The flour last dated and certified
the 18th OF February, 1917, each having the wit
and certifying officers These circumstances, and
the largeness of the sums awoke suspicion the part of
the Register, Mr. Gilet, who made careful personal
investigation of these latter papers, which resulted in his
concluding they all counterfets and fogeres He
declined making payment until day when his leisure
would enable him to attend to the matter and Immediate
y enclosed the powers to T. M Petit United States dis
iric attorney of Philadelphia This gentleman with great
prompness instituted investigation which resulted in
showing that each of the powers forged The names
of two subscribing witnesses, that of the acknowledging
officer, and those OF the prothonoary and register of Wills
and their respective seals also forged or counterfeit
ed 1t further appeared that the prohonoary and regis
ter, whose names had been forged in all the cases,
out of Office on the first of December last The OF
the witnesses and certifying officers the three last
paid the those in the genuine power sent to
Smith, by Pierce, in September last The signatures
all limitations, but not perfect The of the wit
ness and acknowledging officer changed in the four
powers last presented and, investigation, such per-
be found in Philadelphia On ascertainng these
facts the Treasury Department placed the matter in the
hands of b. Key, esq., IT, States attorney for the District
of Columbia. On his arrest, Smith pretended that the
powers which he drew money on the Goth of Janua-
ry, and the 18th of February, sent him by w. S.
Pierce, esq, of Philadelphia, above-named by mail
This story was disproved by him, and confirmed
by Smiths not producing any letter from him on that sub
ject The four aforementioned powers The professed to
have received of c. ngraham in the streets of Phla
delpha, without any letter OF instructions, he being
stranger This preence not attempted to be sup
ported by Smith in any manner The grand jury found
4 Al
having been fory-two forged names and fourteen
terfeed seals in the powers before them On be-
ing arraigned Smith plead not guilty On trial of the
first indictment the net summed up, and the
jury equally divided, and, not being able to agree
were discharged The second trial resulted in verdict
of guilty third jury empannelled, but the de-
PENDANT withdrew his plea and plead guilty, as he did in
four other The other not to he tried
believe a nolle prosequi will be entered The defen-
dants counsel read paper to the court stating his ina
blity repe the evidence against him. though claiming
to be innocent and that his character had been unusty
assailed We shall not attempt to give the details of his
evidence, which developed substantially the above facts
We will only remark that from being in Strengthened
circumstances, it appeared that after commencing
to draw money from the treasury, Smith became money
lender, oanng in one place $3.50, and in another $780,
besides making sundry liberal purchases of watches, &C.
We understand he has been sentenced to the pententay
for eight years, and to pay small fine In his attempt
account for having much money to lend, regret
to learn that he made truly distressing exhibition of
sister a witness We cannot close this notice without
expressing, what we hear spoken OF, in all quarters
of our district attoney-al affirm that he has shown
great diligence and sound judgment in the preparation
and presentment of these but while he felt and
pressed his deep regret at being compelled to aragn and
try brother lawyer, he discharged his duty with marked
irmness and ability His address to the jury in the
in which Smith found guilty, is spoken OF as highly
al
prosecution concur in these views Though young, he
bids fair to attain in due time that high position the bar
which long held by his father, the late lamened
Francis S. Key.