Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-03-17
The Case of DR.. Gardiner,

tragic end to great crime was Yesterday
achieved by DR.. George A. Gardiner, at WASH
ington Having been convicted Of fraud up
on the Government by which sum amount
ing 10 something neai four hundred thousand
dollars was obtained from the Mexican indem-
nifty money, he was yesterday morning sem
fenced to ten years hard labor in the Peni-
tentiary. Soon after he was found dead in
his room, having, as is supposed, taken poison
IN order at one blow to escape the disgrace Of
his offence, and the rigor of its punishment.
The case is rs remarkable as any recorded in
the Causes Cele5res A large sum had been
appropriated by Congress under the treaty Of
peace with Mexico to pay off the claims Of
American citizens, who at various times had
suffered injury at the hands of the Mexican
authorities. A special commission, consisting
OF George Evans Of Maine, Caleb B. Smith Of
Indiana, and Robert Treat Paine of South
Carolina, was appointed to examine these
claims and decide what was due 10 the res
pectiye claimants. Among them DIR. Gardi-
ner came forward with all sorts OF documents,
duly signed and sealed, 10 prove that he had
been the owner OF a valuable mine in the De-
partment of San Luis Potosi, and that the
Mexicans had broken up his mining establish
ment, causing him loss of some half million
dollars. more or less After looking into the
papers. and weighing the arguments present.
ed 10 behalf of DIR. Gardiner, the Commission
finally awarded him, if not the whole. a larger
sum, as we believe, than was given to any
other single claimant. He got the money.
paid his counsel large part of it, and with
the rest off was a rich man. Soon after this
be went to Europe, and while there the sus-
pieiOn became SO strong that bis whole claim
was fraud, that an injunction was laid on
considerable portion Of the money which he
had left in bank at Washington. He turned
and was indicted about three years and a half
ago. He was first tried under the indictment
about year since, but that trinl resulted 10
the disagreement of the jury. The evidence
against him was procured by commissions
sent to Mexico expressly for the purpose. Tt
was very conclusive; the papers on which his
claim had been prosecuted before the indem-
nifty Commissioners were proved TO have been
for the most part forgeries, and forgenes Of
the worst character; and il was shown that
the mine he claimed 10 have lost never had
existence. Still, his case was managed with
ability, and The evidence he furnished ON the
first trial was such as TO stagger and divide
the jury on the question of his guilt We
believe, however. that in the interim addition
al proofs were obtained. which no longer left
the possibility Of doubt. and which mot only
resulted in the verdict yesterday, but in the
infection Of the laws EXTREMIST penalty by
the Court. The next stage in the drama was
his snicide,--a terrible confession Of the jus
tce of bis sentence, an awful blow 70 the
friends who had stood BY him through She
prosecution.
The certainty that this great claim was
fraudulent tends to excite the suspicion that
the Commissioners may have been equally
deceived in regard to other awards. But We
presume that as SO much time has elapsed
since their decisions were made. no sieps win
be taken toward revision Of thsm.-E =.
Tribune.