The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-10-31

cality; and a. long as this thirst for material
enjoyment continues as long as the masses wor-
ship with such reverence the operators who in
success find protection for their rapacty and
crimes-so long will an honest public sentiment
be without influence and the quiet virtues of life
be showed violently to the wall.
THE FRENCH RAILWAY DEFAULTERs-WHY
THEIR ExTRADrTI0N Is SoUGHT.-It is now some
five weeks since our police succeeded in arrestng
in this city the subcashier of the Northern Rail
road of France, and several Others said to be his
accomplces, charged with having, in connection
with the principal cashier, distracted from the
bureau Of that company over five thousand of its
shares valued at something more than million
Of dollars Subsequently the principal cashier
himself was ar rested near Newburg, in this State
and another of the absconding defaulters named
Guerin about the same time fell into the hands
| of the London police. Those that were arrested
| in this country are now in charge of the keeper
| Of the Eldridge street prison. Their names are
| Charles Carpenter, cashier; Louis Grelet sub
! cashier; Eugene Grelet brother to Louis; Au.
| guste Parrot, Partisan horse dealer, and Made
moisele Felcite Debud, the friend and travelling
| companion Of the latter.
1t will be somewhat interesting to our readers
! to know why it is that these French visitors OF
ours are still retained in custody, and why, if
there was any legal ground for their arrest and
extradition, they have not this RECALLED their
eyes with sight of Ia belle France. We
believe that the reason of their continued absence
from their country is to be found in the fact that
there never was any ground for their arrest and
detention for criminal offence. The conven-
ton between France and the United States
for the surrender of criminals, under color OF
which they were arrested is dated November
9, lS43, and it provides for the delivery in
either country of persons charged with the com
mission in the other country of the offence OF
murder, in its several grades-attempt to CON-
NIT murder, rape, forgery, arson, and embezze-
ment by public officers. We believe that the
crime imputed to these persons does not come
under this category. They could only be held,
if at all, on the ground that their offence came
under the head of ''embezzlementt by public
officers" but, as they were not public officers in
the sense in which that phrase is regarded-tllat
is, not officers of national, State or municipal
governmental course this class of offence has
no application to theirs. The principals, Carpen-
tier and Louis Grelet, were employees of private
company-the Northern Railroad Company OF
France-and in that capacity are charged
with making free with property belonging to the
company, or lodged with it for safe keeping
IT. therefore, their stockjobbng operations led
to embezzlement of stock, that embezzlement
was not committed by them spublc officers, nor
does it differ in principle from the crime of
grocer's boy who would make free with the
francs in his masters till-and consequently
there is no ground whatever for their extradtion
under the treaty. And If this be so in regard to
them, it is so fortiori in regard to the other pr
soners, Eugene Grelet, Mr.. Parrot and Miss Fell
cite Debud, who never were in the employment
of the company, and could not therefore have
embezzled their funds. The facts in regard to
these latter persons are that young Grelet had
made up his mind to emigrate to this country,
and was induced to wait for week or two, that
his brother might accompany him; that Parrot
had sold out his stock Of slow Flemish horses,
and had come over here to purchase a lot Of our
fast PAGERS, and that Mademoiselle was prevailed
upon to accompany him in his expedition. As
regards these three there is no show of either
justice or equity in OBTAINING them in custody,
and their original criminal arrest at the instiga
ton Of Belmont or his agents was entirely Illegal
and a suit ought to be brought against Belmont
and his agents for the act thus committed.
We think we have ehown pretty conclusively,
also, that as to Carpenter and Louis Grelet-
even supposing them to have done every thing
alleged against them, (Which they deny on oath)
they cannot he held criminally, and cannot be
ex,raditcd under the treaty. Their counsel, Mr.
Galbraith, took the same view Of the matter i'm
medately after their arrest, and applied for u
writ Of hateas corpus to have them discharged
from custody. The counsel for the company evil
IDENTIFY had the same misgivings on the subject,
for to counterfeit the effect of Mr.. Galbraiths
movement, he instituted a civil suit against the
prisoners for damages to the amount of 81 ,000-
900, and bad their bail fixed at half million OF
dollars. As it was impossible for them to procure
bail TO that amount, they still, as we have said,
remain in the custody of the keeper of Eldridge
street prison-the criminal charge and the pro-
ceedings Hereunder remaining in the meantime
In saiu quo.
Now, the device Of insttuting a civil suit
again st these persons is mere trick resortcd to
Tor the purpose of delay. 1t is not even suggest
ed that any of them have property which could
20 to satisfy judgment If it were obtained
against them. 1t is thought perhaps that while
subjected to this sort of persecution, they might
make some admissions which would inculpatc
them, and on which an order for their extradi-
ton might be obtained That Is the chief object
to be at aimed. The shares embezzled belonged
to one Of the Rothschilds, and II was at the in
stance and by the excrtions Of his agent here
August Bclmont-that the parties we're arrested.
Having been confidential clerks Of the Northern
Railroad Company, they are cognizant of all the