The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1853-03-17
T~EIRGRApHIC INTELLIGENCE.
The Case.

WAsHINeroR, March l2,-In the Criminal
Court. United States UersLs George A.
Gardiner, indicted for false swearing in or
der to obtain an award from the late Mex
lean Board Of Commissioners.
District Attorney Fendall and Henry
May, of Baltimore, for the United States;
Joseph II. Bradley and james w. Carlisle,
Of this city. and b. F. Perry, OF South Car
olina, for the defendant.
There being three distinct cases bucket
ed, Mt. Fendall proposed to take up the
case Of John Carlisle Gardner; which was
objected to by counsel for defendant, on the
ground that they were not ready for this
case, aud that il was only accessory to that
OF George A.. Gardiner.
The Court decided that the case of
George A. Gardiner must frat be tried.
A jury was then cmpnnnelcd.
Mr.. May then opened the case, aud spoke
of its great importance; he said ii was the
boldest, largest and most successful case of
fraud ever perpetrated against the Govern
mcnt; the dignity aud responsibility OF the
United States Government, in the eye of
the whole civilized world, were at stake in
the issue. He gave a succinct history Of
the case, and then stated what the prosecu-
ton expected to prove.
Doctor Gardiner, in a memorial to the
Board OF Commissioners, stated that early
in the year lS44, he was largely engaged in
mining operations in the State of San Luis
Putosi, Mexico. employed 500 laborers-had
upwards Of 300,0 0O dollars invested in men,
buildings, steam engines, horses, mules and
men OF s~cience--that in 1916 he was COM
PEELED to abandon the establishment, his
property having heen despoiled by Mexican
soldiers, and that said mines were worth n
half million and would have yielded him
10000 per annum The accused filed with
this memorial, dispositions purporting to be
from persons residing in Mexico, going to
show that he owned said mines and the issue
was on its truth or falsiiy. These assertions
the United States affirm are expected TO
prove that every statement in the memori-
al and every paper presented by him were
false from beginning to end--pure fiction
and invention.
Gardiner received from the United States
as the fruits of the fraud $428, $50, and it is
expected to be shown that the mine was 80
vaguely located it could not be found by the
Commissioners, although they offered $500
reward. 1t is proven that the persons whose
names were furnished as evidence OF the
title could not be found in Mexico; that ev-
cry one Of the dispositions were made in
Washington; the title was manufactured
here; that Or. Gardiner was a poor dentist
and never could have worked such n mine
as he described; that he was practicine
dentistry in q small way on the Pacific
coast, Thousands of miles distant; and tina
the mine, the title, the seals-and signatures
Of public officers in Mexico, were all forged
Mr.. Bradley thinking there was not time
for his opening argument to-day, it was ad'
%journcd till morning.
WASHINGTON, March "a Mr.. Brady
made his opening speech for the defense to-
day by giving a history of the case in al
its particulars down to the present time
Franklin S. Meyer, the first witness or Tho
prosecution was then Gale and testified
81 was Justice OF the Peace for this district
on the 30th November. 1870, upon which
day some person purpurIing TO be George
Gardiner, appeared before mt, and made
oath to the memorial OF said Gardiner, bu
could not identify that person"
DR.. James S. MaCkie testified: Il know
the hand writing Of DR.. Gardner; hnvin!
whilst in the State Department correspond
ed with him, and ! recognize the siEDatur,
10 this memorial, rs that Of the said Georg,
Gardiner.
Edward Johnson and Dr.. Davis t.s,ifr
that they we're clerks to the board OF MEX
lean Cummi %sioDers, and identified Tie mem
uriai before the court, it having been re
ccived and filed hy the board OF commits
%sioncrs, on the ooh Ut November, 1910.
The defcn1e here OBJECTED to the memoir
, al being given TO the jury, on the gronn
that the identi' Of the memorial, as tina
: presented by DR., Gardiner, to the board
l commissioners had not been established. =
{ This point was argued up to a late hour thi
a(ternoun, when the court adjourned.
, Should the court sustain the objection,
. is understood that the case must be dismiss
|, ed.
MONDAY, THIRD DAY.
q This morning, Nv. Bradley referred
f several decisions bearing upon the questio
v raised on Saturday. The District Attorne
: then proposed to produce iurth er evidenc
on the point, and the journal Of the Boar
cf Commissioners was sent for. In tn
II mean while, the Hon. George Evans WI
sworn, who identified the memorial and otht
papers, as those before the Commissioner