Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1857-12-10


Hon. b. B. Chapman to be In
dibted for High Crime against
the United States, if Law and
Evidence are good for anything,
-Matteson Thrown in the
Shade, by the Transcendent,
Sublime Rascality Of our would
be- Delegate!
The friends of the Hon. b. b. Chap
man were thrown into great CONSERVATION
las, evening, on becoming aware Of the
fact that he had by his g~rasping cupidity
and ~avarice, rendered himself liable, to
fine and Imprisonment, by violating a law
of the u. s; made and provided for just
such cases.
Ii seems that Gen. Peter A. Sarpy
placed i'll Mr.. Chapman's hand for prose-
cution a claim against the U. s. Treas
ury; that was first TO be pas ,ed by the In
dan Cfi,e, aid which Mr.. Chapman
agreed 10 gel allowed for an interest in the
same. or , fee of a thousand dollars
READ TUE LAW Below The fee of
a thousand dollars was offered and accept.
ed!
The barefaced and utter recklessness of
taking pay for services illegally rendered
in prosecuting a claim against the Treas.
ury of the L. s; and then signing a re-
ceipt for the same in direct violation of
his solemn oath, and Of a law upon this ex-
pres subject, shows a hardihood worthy
the spiri, vf a Brigand.
We know of no case so clear, so appar-
ent, so glaring in all its details as this.
We know of no instance of a man occu-
plying the position of MIR. Chapman at the
time of the commission of this gross act,
in which all regard for principle, h nor
and idW were so wontonly set at defiance.
The attempt to defraud Gen. Sarpy-
an old Indian Trader in these regions for
the last thirty years, and a pioneer whose
weary footsteps. was n among the first
to brave the elements and the savage foe,
to explore the mysteries and beauties of
our fertile plains-to defrdud one whose
better portion of life has been devoted to
the best interests of our Governmet and
the extension and expansion of our 20 img
Western Elnprre-one whose locks have
grown grey in the whirling storms of ad-
versity and care, was crime enough to de.
serve punishment, even had he de-. ed no
law.
The circumstances that Mr.. Chapman
demurred to giving u receipt for a thous-
and dollars in his own name is evidence
enough tina, he was perfectly aware of the
penalty attending such a criminal act. He
desired Gen. Sarpy to take the receipt of
his brother-in-law, Mr.. Lockwood, but
Gen. Sarpy refused, as Mr.. Lockwood
was not the man he paid the gold to. We
have only time to place another deed OF
the deepest die TO this mans Moral
Grandeur" The papers are in competent
and eminent hands and the case will be
proceed with Immediately, and we have
NOT the slightest doubt of Mr.. Chapman's
conviction. There are other papers and
evidence of a similar nature in another
case of the same KIM that will be brought
to light soon, we und 'rStand.
But here is the evidence of the fraud
and crime, and the law for the punishment
of it:
RECEIPT.
RECEIVED of Peter A. Sarpy, One
Thousand Dollars, the same being pau,
} ment in full for my expenses aud services
in PROSECUTING and COLLECTING hi
clam against the Omaha, Oioe, and Miss
ouri Indians.
Dated, St. Mary's June 29th, 1857.
!, Signed, } b. b. CHAPMAs.
True copy of the Receip, given by B
b. Chapman.
, JOHN r. SARPY.
The law upon this interesting subjec
will be found IN the United States Statute
at Large, Vol. ~, page l70. chapter 81
under the Act, entitled-" I'm act 10 pre-
, rent Frauds upon Treasury Of the U. s
passed February Goth, 1858.
"SEc. ?, And be it further enacted, Tha
= any officer of the United States, or any per
son holding any place Of trust or profit, or dis
charging any official function, under. or i
connection with any Executive Department
e Of the United States, or House Of Represent
f. atives of the United States, who, after tn
passage of this Act, shall act as an agent o
attorney for prosecuting any claim agains
the United States, or shall in any manner, o
n by any means otherwise than in the discharg
. OF his proper official duties, aid or assist /
prosecution or support Of any such claim o
{ Charms, or shall receive any gratuity, or an,
v share Of, or interest in any claim from an
claimant against the United States, with in
tent to aid or assist, IT in consideration O
having aided or assisted, in the prosecution Q
: such claim, shall be liable to indictment, a
v for a m~isdemeanor, in any Court of the Unite
States having jurisdiction thereof, and on cor
4 %viction shall pay a fine not exceeding fv
u thousand dollars, or suffer Imprisonment |
y the penitentisry not exceeding one year, O
or both, as the Court in its discretion shall ad
judge"
If this is no, full enough to cover tn
case, the following is, which leaves nc
The slinhtast nossihiliiu Of iha Honornh