The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-06-02

~ Zhe French Dsf.ultery, TX
The longest day must have an end, and SO eyec
legal proceedings In our courts must sooner on
later. but Invariably later, come to conclusion
II required over eight months 10 settle the cues
ton whether certain French refugees, arrested in
this country for victimisiDg Baron Rothschlld
and the Northern Railroad of France, to pretty
liberal extent, had by that act rendered them
selves liable to be cent back under the extradi-
tion treaty between France and the United
StAtea One Of the defaulters, Carpenter, tor
tnented and harrassed BY the laws delay, and
poeiby acting under the impulse OF conscience,
voluntarily surrendered himself few months
sgo and returned to give all the satisfaction that
he could TO the victims of his fraud. The other
principa, In the matter, Louis Grelet, and the al
legged accomplices, Parrot and David, resisted the
efforts made to nave them extradised. relying on
he legal position taken for them by their coun-
sel-that thecrime with which they stood charged
did not expose them to the action Of the extradi-
ton treaty. That is the question which has now,
IN part, been decided Mr.. Commissioner Belts,
in fair clear and lucid report stated that in his
opinion there was sufficient evidence in the case
TO have Grelet indicted fer forgery. Tho I'D
ministrstion concur in opinion with him.
The Secretary Of State sends his warrant
to the United States Marshal to surrender
Grelet to the proper French authorities Capt.
Rynders hurries up his unfortunate prisoner to
avoid the issuance Of habeas corpus; and at
noon on Saturday, the poor devil who bad been
for eight months feeding "on the vapors of a
dungeon" in Edridge street, and to which bis
yousger brother fen victim, was on board the
Aragp, on his return trip to beautiful France.
So much for Grelet His alleged accomplices,
Parrot md David, are stl in custody, Zone ia close
confinement and the other on parole,) though it is
difficult to explain the reason why. The Com
missioner reports that Auggte Parrot has not
committed sny crime that fails within the provi-
sions of our treaties with France, and that there
Is no evidence before him SUFFICIENT to charge
David with any grave offence. We can hardly
conceive it probable that the report Of the Com
nii-icner should b adopted ~ regards one and
rejected as regards ne others It would be either
adopted as a whole or rejected and overruled as
whole and having been adopted in part, it Is
but reasonable to suppose that ID has been
adopted as q whole; and yet the men, have not
Leen discharged from custody.
Although we have no fault whatever to find
with the report of the Commissioner, or with the
action upon II, we believe that there was con-
siderable stretching both Of lsw and Of fact to
achieve tie e1tradition. M. Belts admits that
there was ne evidence to Maatain the charge Of
burglary, bss thinks there was enough to sustain
the charge Of forgery. But even assuming that
there was evidence enough which certainly does
not appear from the minutes a the proceedings
Ito justify that conclusion, the question still re-
lained whether the falsi6sation committed
anounted to the legal crime Of forgery. II was
falsiHcation, first Of o docket-called bordersou
on which the holders Of stock wrote down the
nmDber inscribed On their shares then Of q cover
or envelope-called q dossier-ir which this dock
ct was enclosed, and ON which YVES endorsed the
numbers written on the docket, and finally the
drawing pen through blank column Of pass
book, opposite distracted shares as an indication
that every thing was square.
We do not see thsa any one or all these falsi8-
cations supposlng It to be updisputed that
they were committed-constitute forgery.
They were not calculated to do and could not
do injury to any one. All they ceSld do was 10
delay or avert detection of an offence which had
been committed months or years previous How
ever. Mr.. Belts deems 1t forgery. The administra-
ton concur with him The accused Is sent of and
the only way the question Of forgery, or not for
gerry con now be settled Is to await the decision
Of the French tribunal. Our own impression Is
that Gselet will be tried aud convicted of en-
bezzlement simply-a crime not contemplated by
the treaty. To the unfortunate criminal, how
ever, the action of the United States authorities
is final He has beon extradited for forgery, and
although he may be indicted fer lesser offence,
be has no remedy to procure his reinstatement in
sfohu gso Hebron, who was some years ago
surrendered to the British authorities on charge
offorgery, was only tried for and convicted of
embezzlcment; and for that lesser offence sent 10
Clerkenwell prison for two years. We think
there should be an understanding that extradited
criminals should either be convicted Of the crime
for which they were claimed, or at least of
crime for which they could be surrendered, or
should be acquitted entirely. The treaties re-
quire amendment in other respects; and when
being overhauled, there should be, for decency
sake, some such provision or stipulation as we
have suggested
We are done now with these French railroad
frauds, and have received through them pretty
claar INSIGHT irto the loose manner in which
the affairs Of great companies and firms are con-
Quoted.
A candid and full statement made by one Of
the parties most seriously implicated, is full of
interest II appears from it that 80 long ago ms
1851, Grelet and Carpenter being possessed Of
funds Of their own 10 the amount Of some eight
or ten shousand dollars conceived the Idea Of
Specializing on the Bourse In joint trade. In Sep
tember and October, 1852, one OF those sudden