The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-03-23
from the FhsiadeIThla FresVy tcr.an
Fruits OF the Love OF Money,

The announcements last week OF the DE-
cision Of the pro;raetea trial q nf. G~Ta.-
ner, at Washington City. aud OF his death
BY suicide, sent thrill OF horror through
many mind. A dentist by profession, he
was residing in Mexico during the iste war,
and on peace being declared, brought II
large claims against oar government. Tor
damages, because Of the interruption Of
certain silver-mining operations, IN which
no professed to have been engaged. After
an examination Of his numerous and appa'
rentlv satisfactory testimonials, he was a
wardea about S.5e 200. Suspicious having
arisen that he had been guilty Of fraud, he
waa brought 10 trial. and after delay oil
some three wears, in which he apparently
manifested the utmost Willingness 70 meet
thorough investigation, he was tnall,
convicted Of perjury, on but one 81 num-
Der OF indictments against him, and sen'en-
ced TO ten years Imprisonment IN the penn
tentiary-immediateiy after which. having
been taken to Jail. he aieG in commissions,
though, TO have been produced BY stsych-
nine.
In many respects, this case Is almost
without parallel. The complicated rs
ture of the plot the talent displayed in car
rying ii out, the apparent anxiety tor lnres-
tiration, the sir 81 innocence 50 long aud %
successfully assumed, and the terrible death
hy selt.snarder, when the long delayed DIS
grace and punishment arrived, could scarce
" find counterpart in the annals OF luFls-
prudence.
or the anteceden;s Of this unhappy man
we know nothing: bat the origin Of his ap-
usI.inr career iay II that root Of ell evil,
.tae lot & cfmoney." His desire TO Dc rich
led hi.n, as has been the case with multi
tudes of others, to disre gard the means iot
attaining wealth. Had he been satisfied
with the slow gains Of the calling 10 WHICH
lie had devoted himself. he ight have earn
ed a sufscieney 10 have supplied all ms
wants, and 10 have sustained HIM in Eespec-
liability. With yoraeioas propensity ioE
securing large fortune, without the iaoolF
Of earning it. and with the treasury Of the
government within his reach, he resoEted =
fraud and perjury upon the most extended
scale, and carried out his iugenioaslg con-
cocted scheme, until he seemed 10 have iri-
umphed over the vigilance Of the public oiti-
Gers. and 10 have secured his enormous
gains The talents he displayed through
cut the progress 81 the affair. give evidence
that was man who might have render
cd himself eminent, useful 10 society. IL
sn evil hour, however, he yielded TO tbs
cravings of coretousness, or the ambition
fo-riches, and involved himself in guilt,
which as the result, has hurried him, by his
own hand, into the presence OF Judge
whose condemnation is infinitely more fear
fal than that of him whose sentence a. al
earthly tribunal SO overwhelmed hiR-
The Language % the judge. il pronoun-
cling the sentence, deserves TO be ponder
ed
.Frorn vour fate" said, he, "others
should Learn, that IA plan, however remote
It's origin, with whatever forecast lad. how
ever steaIthIly u adroitlg pursued forYcaFs,
and az length executed, CT with whatever
success Tor time attended, can be so cum
ninrly devised as 10 escape detection
The uaexampled ingenuity, Of the net
WORK spread out CD ias trial. and the fact
that It has been exposed a. the last stage,
ought not to fail u BENEFICIAL effect ia
convincing all men. that If they will tram
ON laws, human and divine, they shall sur
fer fer it."
BE sure you- sin will find YOU out i q
Divine declaration. which in this case, has
had i remarkable fulGlment. Let all who,
in making haste to be rich, are tempted to
gain their end br dishonest means, take
warning A good name and conscience
q, ease. with Whatever success il m4y
please Providence 10 crown the labours d
honest industry, arc infinitely more to b
desired rrrn great riCiges, win the upbFai6
incs OF guilt and the terrible consequence
10 which il NAV lead THIS case, too teach
esa much needed and health!ui lesson, a.
regards the frequent depredauons upon IN
public treasury. Within late years CRIME
Of this description has been SO often repeat
ed with iupunity, that il would seem hard
~ TO have been regarded as cIsreputab!e.-
Men who, II they had committed any ord
nary larceny. would have been BRANDED
with iafamy, and made 10 feel the righteous
penalty OF the Law, when they have thrus
their hands into the strong boxes VI the
government, and carried Of tens or hun
dreds Of thousands OF dollars, have not On
II gone unwG.pt Of justice, but seem, in
public estimation, scarcely to have soIec
their hitherto fair names Crime when per.
petrated on large scale, and by men 10
honorable stations, thus ceases = BE- crime
and becomes an achievement Of heoTsm.-
The idea OF sacredness y hich guards private
property, il leo many instances Is laid q.
side, in regard To what belongs to the gov
eminent Public property is looked upon
g. but lawfG! pluadsr.
The persevering, and finally successful
course ofihe law ii this extraordinary case
shows what can Be done, and what should
be done, if practicable, in cy:rr case o!
fraud, or Of tepredations upon the public
treasury. Let things be called by their
right names, 50 that crime shali be known
and treated as crime, and and is penalties
inflicted no matter what position It's Perpe-
traitor may have occupied IN society. 1t il
time that the strong arm of the law should
arrest that popular casuiatry. which pre-
tends TO make that which would be erin.
inal If committed upon private indiyid.
ual. ay9nial oaence when tt.g public i the
sufferer.
TIE Czar Nicholas.