Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-03-06
snioidc ofnr. Gardner.

| The Telegraph on FRIDAY announced that
the notorious DIR. Gardner, had been convict
! cd and sentenced to ten years Imprisonment in
the penitentiary for frauds upon the govern
| ment in his celebrated Mexican claims, under
which he had been paid from the U. S. Treas
ury the sum of four hundred and twenty-sey-
en- thousand dollars. On Saturday the news
came that Dr. G.. had committed suicide i'm
mediatly upon entering his cell after the SEN
tence of the law had been pronounced upon
him.
The tragic end of the chief actor in one of
the most extensive acts of fraud ever perpetra-
ted, adds new interest to the whole history of
those transactions, and we publish sketch of
it below.
At the close of the Mexican War in ls4s,
our government appropriated the sum of $S,-
$4,000 for the satisfaction Of the claims of
American citizens against Mexico, for damage
done to their business transactions in that
country,on account Of TIE war and appointed
board of Commissioners to adjudicate these
claims.
who is citizen of New York. appeared and
demanded half million for damages incurred
| in the suspension, during the war, of the
working Of a certain rich silver mines in
the State of San Luis Potosi, in Mex
ico, and for the total loss Of said mines, and all
his investments therein, of which he took
oath he was in possession at the commence
ment Of the war.
He submitted large number of documents
besides, in support of his claim, purporting to
be from parties in Mexico in the neighborhood
of the mines which he pretended to have own
ed, and an award exceeding $4,000 was al
lowed in his favor by the board, consisting of
George Evans, Of Maine, Robert I. Paine,
North Carolina, and Caleb B. Smith, of
Indiana. This decision being final, the
money was forthwith paid over by Thoms
Corwin, then Secretary of the Treasury.
Numerous persons were interested with him
| in his suit, and the attorneys by whose inge-
| nuity the swindle was accomplished, appear
! to have had liberal share of the spoils.
After the payment of the money to Gard
/ ner suspicion was raised that the claim was
| fraud. Evidence was adduced to show
that he was a rogue, and agents were Dispatch
| ed to Mexico to investigate the matter, who
returned with the fullest evidence that Gard
ner did not own mine at the place he claimed
to have done, and that in fact there scas no
mine near the locality.
Meantime Gardner had gone to England,
leaving most Of his money on deposite with
bankers at Washington, but hearing the
charges against him, he put on bold face and
returned to Washington where he was indict-
ed on two bills, for forgery and perjury, and
brought to trial in december last The trial re-
suited in the verdict above stated and the par
ticulars of the last scene in this story of crime
are given in the following despatch from Wash
ington:
"On entering the cell where he was confined
he was observed to drink some water, throw
ing his head back, and it is supposed he took
strychnine pill. He was seized with convul-
sions almost Immediately; afterwards giving a
letter to his brother Charles Gardiner, remark
ing that he was 'sgoing before Judge who
would not pronounce him guilty" and expir-
ed in great agony. His corpse remains in the
Jail. He was 36 years old; had the education
and manners Of gentleman, and was engag-
ed to be married to a lady in Georgetown
|
TIE LAMrLIeHTER.-The advertisement Of
this new Romance in real life, which we have
already noticed, appears in another column Of
this days paper.
A friend writes from Boston,
THAT great sensation has been produced
in the literary world, by its publcation-that
it is work Of great power-that it bears evil
dence within itself, Of having been written
by lady, though who the authoress is, has
not yet transpired. 1000 copies of it were
sold on the first day of its publication"
NEW PATENTs.---ro the following persons,
residents of Worcester County, Patents were
issued at the Office in Washington, in the
week ending Feb. 2Sth:
James Pitts, Of Lancaster, Mass.-For i'm
provement in cotton picker cylinders.
Jos. Sawyer, of South Roylston, Mass
| For improved socket for bench hooks.
William Sumner, of Worcester, Mass.--For
improvements in organs.
| nav~vwnnttN - Why IL a loving husband