American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-09-18
Ioommunioatsd.1
The Gardiner Case.


The Republic Of yesterday and the Latsllyen-
Ger of to-day give to the public the report Of
the proceedings, at Judges Chambers" on
Tuesday last, in the matter of admitting to
bail DIR. George A. Gardiner, against whom
the grand jury Of the county and city of Wash
ington had rendered true bill for perjury.
The report Of said proceedings being thus
admitted to be true, the proceedings them
selves are not little curious.
am not going to proclaim the guilt Of DR..
Gardiner that point should not be prejudged.
But when person has been presented by a
grave, sober, and intelligent body Of grand ju-
rors, acting under the solemnity Of an oath, as
guilty of perjury, it has been customary for the
public to look upon such person with some
degree of suspicion. But in the case in hand
we find parade of bankers, lawyers, and other
professional gentlemen Of high character, re-
pairing in state to Judges Chambers" as if
to carry matters by storm, and giving bail for
the accused in the sum of $4,000, by trans
ferring, by and with the written consent of the
President of the United States, that amount of
the caveated or attached funds, which the person
thus bailed is charged with having fraudulenty
obtained from the United States Treasury, to
the credit and custody of the persons consent
ing to be bail upon such terms.
In this way the recognisance Of DR.. Gardiner
was obtained. Mr.. Counsellor Bradley, on the
occasion, called the act of the President
"humane agreement" as it transferred por-
ton Of the Gardiner award from the caveat to
the recognisance, and thereby furnished the
accused with the means Of obtaining bail.
Certainly it was most g humane agreement"
on the part of the President, and if the naked
truth must be told it seems as if oil the officers
Of the Government-well paid to look after the
interests Of the United States, from the Presi
dent down to the prosecuting attorneys-could
not appear more frenzied to get DR.. Gardiner
acquitted than they would be if they fully be-
lieyed and had the proof Of his entire innocence.
And now for peep into the actual state Of
the case. The report Of the proceedings on
Tuesday does not give the public all that it is
naturally curious to know in the matter. 1t
represents that unincumbered stocks, deposited
by DR.. Gardiner with Corcoran & Riggs, were
declared in evidence to be worth $40, 000-and
so, with the consent Of the President Of the
United States, those stocks were used to pro-
cure bail for the accused. It further appeared
that the whole amount of stocks deposited by
DR.. Gardiner with Corcoran s. Riggs did no
reach $780, On the strength Of this deposit,
Corcoran & Riggs had given two letters of
credit, for $4,000 each, to DR.. Gardiner. The
remainder of tho deposit was deemed good for
10000, the amount of bail required.
Now, what becomes Of the grave statement
published in the National Intelligencer some
time ago, and in the New York Courier and
Enquirer, and repeated by many hired or inter-
ssted writer's, that DR.. Gardiner had on deposit
with Corcoran & Riggs the sum of 800, 600
The whole available sum deposited there
available for DIR. Gardiner's bail-turns out to
be $1,000!
But where has the award of $428, $50, made
on DR.. Gardeners claim, gone? Where is it !?
We have learned the whereabouts of $40, 900
of it. Now for another slice. The official re-
port of Tuesdays proceedings at "Judge's
Chambers" says: at appeared from the evil
between two and three hundred thousand dol
lars) had been left by him in New York, and
had been caveated by the President, and was
held subject to the verdict"
This statement, doubt not will prove to be
very erroneous one. The Reporter must have
labored under some misrepresentation. The
writer of this has conversed with one Of the
learned counsel employed by DR.. Gardiner, and
been informed by him that there was no evil
dence submitted at Judges Chambers" that
DIR. Gardiner had on deposite in New York be-
tween two and three hundred dollars nor did
said learned counsel know of any such evidence
The Treasury official statement, which was
published in the Courier and Enquirer, on the
subject, having been sent from this city, repre-
scented, most emphatically, that Dr. Gardiner
had on deposite with Corcoran & Riggs 800, 900,
and with Mr.. Thompson, President of the
Life and Trust Insurance Company of New
York, 1880, 0O0-making in all $780, of his
award.
Now we have seen the 300, 900, with Corco-
ran s. Riggs, dwindling down to $4,000. At
this rate, how much ought the $780, 600 with
the Life and Insurance Company to stand for !?
The fact is, there has been vast amount of
mystery about this whole business. A great
pile Of money has been taken out of the peo-
ple's Treasury, and very influential, and POM
pous, and consequential men have been inte-
rested and engaged in it. Indeed, two large
piles have been taken out of the Treasury, in
this connexion-the Gardiner award of $685.
$50, and the Mears award of upwards Of
1853, 900, for which latter award Dr. Gardiner
was agent. Mr. Corcoran, the Banker, memo
rallied the Board Of Commissioners that he
had purchased one-quarter Of the Gardiner