Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-07-02
RAIL ROAD SUBSCRIPTION CASE,

NAIL hOAD SUBSCRIPTION CASE,
Some of our readers are perhaps
aware that bill was sent before the Grand
Jury, in April last, charging several of our
most respectable citizens with an attempt
to bribe Christian Albert, one of the Com
missionrrs Of the county, to induce him TO
subscribe 100000 to the stock OF the Sus-
quehanna rail road company. That Jury
was composed OF men of character and
standing, from the different sections of the
county. Mr.. Albert was the only witness
examined, and such was the nature of the
evidence, or rather want OF evidence, that
the Grand Jury promptly ignored the bill
The prosecution was then looked upon as
one got up for sinister purposes, well un-
derstood in this neighborhood, and designed
rather to crafty some private pique, or
malicious promptings, than the public good.
But as there had been some vague rumors
in circulation, there might then have been
some slight excuse for these proceedings.
But after such quietus, one would have
supposed that the orisinators and actors in
the matter, would have been glad TO have
seen the whole transaction rest under
cloud of oblivion.
Not SO, however, with the instigators OF
this prosecution, or we should more prop
erly say, persecution. They had been
foiled with their own weapons. A few
men in one corner Of the county, were
called upon, and prompted by the prime
movers, who, strange TO say, reside in
Danville, in another county. Information
was made before Esquire Eckman OF Rush,
a Justice of the Peace, whose location was
most convenient for the operators in Dam
vile, and the sympathies of whose neigh
bors were more likely to assimulate with
the citizens of that place. John G. Mont.
gomery, Esq, of Danville, whose love for
the interest OF the people OF this county
and for the people ofSunbury in particular,
is proverbial, had invested himself with
the title Of counselor and prosecutor gen.
eral AT his instance special, instead oI
general warrant was issued, compelling
the defendants, one of whom together with
Mr.. Albert, the witness, reside in the ex.
treme end of The county 80 miles distant
to appear before the Justice in Rush, with
in few miles of Danvlle.
We expected, as a matter OF course, tina
some additional testimony would be offer
ed, but strange to say, MIR. Albert was tn,
only witness examined, and he swore tha
his testimony was the same as that Offered
before the Grand Jury, and upon which
that respectable body had promptly dismis
missed the case.
In bis argument MIR. Montgomery assail
ed the defendants with all the venom ane
bitterness he could muster, and in III,
ebullilion Of his frenzy charged the Borougl
of Sunbury with wholesale corruption, al
Lodging that the defendants came from {"
tainted atmosphere"
Happily, however, Mr.. Montgomery i
looked upon as kind of mono mania
upon any thing relating TO Sunbury, ant
this whole movement is so well understood
by every right minded man in the commu
nifty, that it can result in no injury TO an,
one except, perhaps, 10 the originaiors O
these proceedings. We should have let
his case for adjustment BY the court, with
. ou, a word of comment, had not Mr.
Montgomery caused an exparte statemen
{ 10 be made in the Danville papers.