New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-24
THE KOuNsTAMM CASE.

THE KOUNSTANM CASE.
The case of the United States agt. Solomon
Kohnstamm terminated on Saturday last in a
verdict of " Guilty" and the prisoner was at
once placed in the custody of the Marshal. For
more than twenty years merchant OF this city,
always in possession of ample means, the bust
ness companion and social equal of our wealth
les, citizens, the prisoner stopped TO the COM
mission Of tho mcanest crimes, and has reaped
the bitter fruits Of his folly.
Selling his opportunity in 1861. when our
affairs, financial, military, and political, were
in confusion, he entered upon a career Of crime
the results Of which were characterized by
Judge Nelson in his charge to the jury as
" truly appalling BY degrees gaining conf
dence in proportion 10 his success, he first
bought claims on the Government at mere
nominal price, then induced ignorant Germans
TO sign papers In blank on one false pretext or
another (Which papers he would cause his clerks
10 fill up with the items of spurious clams),
then caused bis victims TO sign false atiidayits,
written in n language foreign to them, and when
no more Germans could be found TO sign his
blanks he would forge, or cause his accom-
plices to forge, names of contractors and certify
ing officers to bills, certificate, and affdayits
1t was said by Judge Pierrepont, one Of the
counsel for the prosecution, that kohnstamm
had realized in this way in period of
about two years something more than
5000 900, the whole amount of Government
claims which he collected during tho Pc
Rod being about $500, 900. In other words,
of every three dollars paid him by the Mus
tering and Disbursing officers in this city, two
were obtained on false or forged bills! 1t was
also stated, for the prosecution, that Captain +.
s. Larned, L. S. A., one Of the Regular officers
doing business with him, had been led step by
step, by various seductive arts, to pay the pris-
oner 800, 900 worth of false bills and then,
stung with rcmorse, had committed suicide at
Nahant, after having made full confession,
and sent it to the DistrictAttorney.
10 was attempted, on the part of the defense,
to show that Kohnstamm had bought the Piciier
claim Zone of forty-eight on which no was
indcted) ignorant of its character, and bill OF
sale purporting to have been executed by
Steincl, tho officer whose certificate was
appended to the bill, to Kohnstamm was pro-
duced. But, on the other hand, it was proved
that Kohnstamm had been full, and repeatedly
warned of tho falsity of the claim by the
Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment in question,
and that he had made admissions of nature
which fixed his guilty knowledge OF the fraud
beyond doubt.
The prisoner was represented in court by an
array Of very able counsel. Beside Messrs.
Beebe, Donahue and Marbury, who did the pre-.
liminary skirmishing last year, he had VIM. NJ.
Evarts James T. Brady, and ex-Judge Dean,
with others. The speeches Of Messrs. Dean and
Brady for tho defense, and John Sedgwick and
Judge Pieuepont for tho Government, were
very able, and were listened to with tho closest
attention by Judge, Jury, and spectators.
In view of the fact that tho public treasury
has been robbed of quarter Of million
of dollars by this man, and that our
staggering load Of debt has been thus
much increased, the issue of tho case is
most satisfactory. Not only will ho receive
the punishment which he so richly deserves,
but the example of his punishment will be of
immense service. Judge Piercpont truly re-
marked in his speech that tho result Of this i'm
portant prosecution is Of more consequence to
the preservation of our liberties than tho issue
of tho next battle. Let il once DO understood
that fraud like Kohnstamms can go UNPUBLISHED
and unrebukcd, and there will DO an end to oil
security of public property and public morals
It is proper to state that it Ia due to the persist.