The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-07-11

The Plot -Another Claim Of The same kind
Testimony before The Grand Jnry-Sranse
DereIc pmeWs
WAsHISGToH, July =, 1851.
The Gardiner inye I'll cation was continued
before the grand jury to-day, and the facts elicit
ed, AS il is reposted, are highly important, and
bear strongly against Gardiner and }. H. Mears
Mears' claim WAS precisely the same as Gardi
ner's, and was conducted by Gardiner as Mears's
agent 1t was for losses in consequences OF ex-
pulsion from quicksilver mine, IN the vicinity
of GARDENERS silver mine.
Gen. Jose Maria Jarero, brigadier general IN
| the Mexican army, being in town, was subPGnaed
is understood, at the suggestion OF the Presl-
dent, aud, not understanding English, DIR. Chas.
w. Davis, secretary Of the late board, was sworn
as interpreter. 1t is reported the general said
that he had never heard Of DR.. Gardiner except
as a dentist; and that being we'll acquainted in
San Luis Potosi, he would necessarily have
known if Gardiner had possessed valuable
mine snch rs he represented but that he was
wholly ignorant of it that, as to Mears' claim,
he Jaroro) had never heard of quicksilver
mine in Mexico which paid the expense Of work
it; but that, on the contrary, the Mexican gov
eminent had offered u reward Of one hundred
thousand dollars to any one who would discover
such mine, and the reward up to this day had
never been claimed; that he is confident no or
der was ever given by tho Mexcaa government
to destroy the property Of any American c.ti-
zen; that whenever the American army APP
prolched any place, the Americans were ordered
into the interior, and their property, to the
knowledge of ths Witness was invariably pro-
tected; and finally, that if valuable quicksilver
mine had been discovered, such as Mears repre-.
scented, it would have been matter of noto-
riety; but that he had never heard Of it.
Senior Cuesta, interpreter to the Mexican Lee
CATION, it is reported, said that power of attor
ney had been sent to the Mexican minister, from
lrastegui the project of Rio Verde, who certi-
fed Gardeners and Mears' papers, to collect
from Gardiner a certain per centage, in case the
amount allowed on the claims was up to one
hundred and sixty thousand dollars, and diff
ferent per centage, if the amount was larger.
According to this agreement, Irastegui should
have received forty -nne thousand dollars but
Gardiner deducted attorneys fees, &c, and only
paid twenty-eight thousand. The Mexican min
lister refused to have anything to do with the
paper, and handed it to Cuesta, who employed
J. NJ. Carlisle to collect it, and to whom it was
paid.
1t is said that evidence can be produced, to
show that lrasegui is person of VIGOROUSLY
bad character
The jury, probably, will await the arrival of
Porte, who will be here tomorrow. There is
no donbt think, that true bill will be found
against G. A. Gardiner and Mears, for perjury
and fraud and against Chas. Gardiner as an ac-
complete. This will bring matters to crisis.
The French papers are abusing this govern
ment, because, as they assert, it will not refund
the value of the seizures alleged to have been
improperly made by Collector Collier, in Cali
forna. have the best reason to know that
every claim thus due by this government to
French citizens, will be promptly paid, the mo-
ment proofs Of the amount of the losses are
laid before the proper department; but, in the
absence of all proof, and refusal to enter into
details, it cannot be expected this government
will pay just what the extreme honesty of the
French claimants choose to demand
The papers here publish Mr.. Webster's
Grafton this morning, and lay great emphasis on
the fact that it has been revised by hmself. So
also was the copy published in the Herald last
Saturday, four days ahead of the papers here
and that copy agreed, word for word, with the
original deposited in the cornerstone The
copy published here has scarcely any alteration
made in il.