The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-06-19
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT.

BURLINGTON, Iowa, JUNE TERM.
The United States Us. Orrcn A. A. Gardner.
The District Attorney appeared for the
United States and George Frozee, Esq. for
the defendant.
The prisoner who was Post Master al,
West Buffalo. was tried and convicted last
week Of purloining 800 from a letter
which arrived at that Office. His youth
und former responsibility make his fall nd
crimina! convictions, subject Of very painful
reflection. The very solemn and i'm
pressive remarks Of Judge DYER, accom-
panying tho sentence fully describe Ibis
most melancholy case:
ORREN A. A.GARDNER: It now becomes
my unpleasant duty TO pass on you the SEN
fence Of Imprisonment which the law an
nexes as the penalty for its violation
You have been tried and found guilty OF
having stolen from letter in your posses.
zion MS Deputy, or assistant Post Master,
ut West Buffalo, in the State Of Iowa, two
bank bills Of the denomination and value Of
fifty dollars each. You have had every
facility offered you which could be allowed
10 prove your innocence. Able and in
genious counsel has faithfully labored for
you. An intelligent and impartial Jury
have patiently and attentively heard all
that could be urged ia your behalf, and !
have no doubt, with . sincere desire to
acquit you, consistently with their oaths
and duty to their country. Your own ad-
missions, and the evidence adduced on the
part Of the prosecution, arc strong and con-
elusive against you, and no one who has
been present during the progress Of your
trial, can tor moment entertain a doubt OF
your guilt. You have offered no excuse
mo palliation for your crime; indeed there
can be none. You were not pressed, and
goaded on to its commission by want, pow
erlyand distress--on the contrary your
situation was at least comfortable QUE
You were an officer in your country's SER
vice; trusted, and generously confided in,
and you could, by industry, energy and
strict integrity, have built up for yourself,
fortune, reputation and character. But in
az evil hour your own unbrdled evil pas
sions led you TO forsake the path which leads
to honor and usefulness, and by one single
act to sink yourself deep in infamy and dis
grace. You must now reap the bitter har-
vest you have sown. You have not only
brought upon yourself but have made your
family partakers Of your wretchednes.-
Father, mother, brother, sister, all are made
TO bow their heads in grief and shame on
account Of your iniquitv. II you have not,
will not feel for yourseIf-surely their dis
tress, will cause YOU TO shed bitter tears Of
repentance. You will now, ia the still and
solitary watches Of your long and dreary
confinement, have ample opportunity to
commune with your own heart, to dive into
lls limos, recesses and bring forth and la,
bare before your own minds eye, the ruling
desires and motives which have hithcrtaI
|sc,uatcd your conduct; to weigh the evil
with the good and then to determine whe,h-
Ter you will come out of the ordeal imposed
Jon you, better and useful man, or cling
Ito your vices and thus sink yourself lower,
if possible, than you now are, in degradation
and wickednes.
You have been recommended by the jury
to the mercy Of the court, not because OF
any doubt Of your guilt, bu, probably in
consideration of your youth, and with the
fond hope that Imprisonment for the short
est time which the law authorizes, will be
long enough for you, in some measure, to
atone for your crime by sincere and hearty
repentance. May il be so!
The sentence Of the court is, that von
Orren A. A. Gardner, be taken hence To
the public Jail Of Des Moines county, in the
State OF Iowa, there to be kept in close i'm.
Prlsonment for ten years from this day,
unless, before the expiration Of that time,
YOU shall be removed, BY proper authority,
TO the Peniten,iary of the State of Iowa.
wherein such an event, you will be KEEP. in
close imprisonment until the expiration OF
the ten Years, commencing on this the 9th
day ofJune, 1851.