The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-31
United States VS.. Hosea IIildreth Smith.

Last week gave summary OF the facts relative TO
the arrest, trial. and conviction OF Smith. After his
tence, application for his pardon made to the
President The latter referred the petition to Judge
Crawford, who tried the cause, and requested state
ment OF the facts which appeared the trial On re-
cevng the judges report the President refusedto grant
pardon. We do not see upon what grounds he could
have been pardoned He convicted on one indict-
ment and plead guilty five others From the facts de-
veoped the trial. there could not have been solitary
reasonable doubt of his guilt He entirely failed to show
single fact calculated to fasen ,he charge OF forgery
upon any other person. For causes, well under
stood, he did not even offer TO prove good character
Since the trial. numerous facts have been developed, in
dcang his true character and establishing, beyond the
possibility of doubt that he guilty TO the fullest
tent charged Smith came this city in February 1885,
and took lodgings with Mrs Hamilton, Pennsylvania
avenue. On leaving there he protested to be without
money, and offered to give his note. On writing it, and
handing to Mrs H. she found he had signed it
with the name of Abr-m s. Codding When questioned
if his not Smith, he said il was, but he very Of
ten wrote it Codding Nothing paid on this note until
Smith was threatened with prosecution for swndling,
and then principally in an old watch. About the same
time he gave bootmaker by the name of Rhea small
note signed with the name of Coddng, but with differ
ent christian This note not paid until after a
threat of prosecution His purposes in signing fictitious
name cannot be the subject of reasonable doubt
1t is ascertained that Smith employed one d. o.
Hare of this city to engrave two seals from impressions
on power OF attorney which he produced The en-
graver retained specimens of his work in wax, which
on comparison found to be identical with those on
the forged powers OF attorney presented by Smith He
paid $ls for this engraving One OF these seals is
imitation OF that of the court of common pleas and the
other of the register of wills in the city of Philadelphia
This fixes his guilt beyond controversy But there is
further evidence. II is asceraned that he obtained
permission to use seal press belonging to notary
whose office is in the same building with Smiths Here,
on two three different OCCASIONS he used two different
seals without exciting suspiciont beinsupposed that
he had been appointed to Office which rendered it
necessary for him to make impressions with seals.
On the last occasion of his using the sealpress,
ii was particularly noticed by a young gentle
in the office, that he made one impression Of
each seal each sheet of paper used by him. This
responds with the seals the powers produced by
Smith, each having two sealsone the prothonatorys
and the other the registers The young gentleman
fered to, and examined of the seal Impressions
made by Smith, who instantly took 1t from him. Before
looking al the powers presented by Smith, he described
this seal with accuracy, and seeing them selected the
seals resembling the one he made by Smith Hence
it is certain Smith made these seal impressions with his
own hands After knowing that he procured the seals
to be made and actually applied them himself,
doubt his guilt and believing him guilty, the proprety of
his punishment cannot be questioned The temptation
to forge papers to draw money from the government is
very great and has led many peperate the crime OF
forging both and seals. great preventative is
10 punish whoever is convicted and clearly guilty Sym
pahy with all such is misplaced and calculated to
sion further offences. On reviewing all the facts
nected with Smiths case, doubt the President
was clearly right in refusing to pardon him Smith is
now in the penitentiary
The "New Orleans Courier OF the 23d saws he city
thrown into tempest of Joyous excitement last
night by the glorious of Taylors victory. salute
Of hundred guns fired on the public square by
Gally's artillery"
The Richmond Enquirer" of this morning says that
"our city, yesterday, was filled with excitement of
pleasure the arrival of the news (o the victory Of
Buena Vsta) and the loud mouthed artillery Of Captain
Ellis celebrated the stirring events at Buena VISTA GOOD
Prospect the so rounds of echong the univer
sal JOY that pervaded our community"