The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-06-09

A BIG RASCAL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Koknstamn, of New York was convicted
in the Circuit Court of the United States,
last week, upon charges of defrauding
the Government. There were forty-sev-
en- indictments found against him-one
of which was selected by the Government
to try the question of his guilt. 1t is
more than year since Kohnstamn was
arrested on account of these fraudulent
! claims. He was first sent to Fort Lafay-
ette, but was transferred from thence to
the Old Capitol Prison at Washington,
and, after being confined there some time,
was released, and these proceedings were
commenced.
For more than twenty years merchant
Of New York city, always in possession of
ample means, the business companion and
social equal Of our weathiest citizens, the
prisoner stopped to the commission of the
meancst crimes, and has reaped the bit
ter fruits of his folly.
Selling his opportunity in 1861, when
our affairs, financial military, and politi-
cal, were in confusion, he entered upon
career of crime the results of were which
chacaterized by Judge Nelson in his chargs
to the Jury as truly appalling" BY de-
grecs gaining confidence in proportion to
his success, he first bought claims on the
Government, at a mere nominal price, then
! induced ignorant Germans to sign papers
in blank, on one false pertext Or another
(Which papers he would cause his clerks
to fill up with the items of spurious
claims,) then caused his victims to sign
false affidayits, written in language for
eign to them, and when no more Ger
mans could be found to sign his blanks,
he would forge, or cause his accOmplices
to forge, names Of contractors and certify
ing officers to bills, certificates, and afida-
Wits 1t was said by Judge Pierrepont,
4, one of the counsel for the prosecution,
that Kohnstamm had realized in this way
in period of about two years something
more then 100000, the whole amount of
Government claims which he collected
during the period being about 100000.
In other words, of every three dollars paid
him by the Mastering and Discussing
officers in New York city, two were OBJ
tanned on false or forged bills 1t was also
stated, for the prosecution, that Capt. F.
S. Larned, T. S. A., one of the Regular
officers doing business with him, had been
led step by step, by various seductive arts,
to pay the prisoner over 100000 worth
of false bills, and then, stung with re-
Inorsey Rad committed suicide at Nahant,
after having made full confession, and
sent it to the Distriet-Attorney.
The prisoner was represented in court
by an array of very able counsel. Besides
Messrs. Bcebe, Donahue and Marbury,
who did the preliminary skirmishing last
year, he had VIM NJ Eyarts, James T.
Brady, and ex-Judge Dean, with others.
The speeches of Messrs Dean and Brady
for the defense, and John Sedgwick and
Judge Pierrepont for the Government,
were very able, and were listened to with
the closest attention by Judge, Jury, and
spectators.
In view Of the fact that the public treas
ury has been robbed of million of dollars
/ by this man, that our staggering load of
debt has been thus much increased, the
issue of the case is moss satisfacto+y.-2
Not only will he receive the punishment
which he so richly deserves, but the ex-
Eample of his punishment will be OF ira-
mense service Judge Pirrepont truly
remarked in his speech that the result of
this important prosecution is of more
consequence to the preservation of our
liberties than the issue of the next battle
Lee it once be understood that fraud like
Kohrstamn's can so unpunished and
unrebuked, aud there will be an end to
Fall security of public property and public
morals.