Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-02-01
LOCAL NEWS.
THE PARDON BROKERAGE CASE
Trial of Gem l. & Raker


Criminal Court, Judge Fisher
After recess, at which time our report closed
yesterday
Mr. Stanton proceeded TO argue the case
his only object was 10 defend a good but
prosecuted man. 1t cannot be said in the
worst aspect OF the case that any great wrong
had been committed. A woman had been
carried from one section of the city TO the
other. If you find him guilty it will be a
technicality or unsubstantial conviction. Ii
was alleged by the prosecution in the outset
that General Baker undertook to Justify the ar
rest on account of the character Of the
woman. He denied that any such jusu-
hcation had been offered. The fact that
the necessities of the prosecution. He
Judge Hughes) had also said that newspapers
bad published statements on the character
of the complainant He did not himself be-
ieye that the papers had published aIf OF what
was true. On the other hand Baker was abused
by papers too ia this District, and even during
tne trlai paper IN this city had the injustice
10 publish attacks on him during the trial It
was unnecessary for him to defend himself
against the slurs and general clamor against
him. He has done his duty nobly and fearless
~ ana had been rewarded, being raised TO a
Brlgadier Generalship by the present execu-
tive. His duties have been responsible he
possesses qualities of the highest order, and his
fame VIII be lasting; nevertheless his duties
were such as to create prejudice. and he was
not supposing that an attempt had been made
10 create prejudice. He thought that Judge
u
the jury represented the people. Did he mean
To say that the jury represented the people who
come into the Court to overawe iustcel They
were here TO declare the truth from the testi.
mony and 10 look only at the case ITSELF not TO
any supposed imaginary representation of the
IeJple.
Mr.. Stanton here read prayers granted by the
Court, (the two offered by the Defense and
proceeded TO argue that unless there is some
cumpulsion or words of authority, there Is no
ground lor complaint Of false arrest. In this
case there was no claim on the part Of General
Baker. be demanded the money. and accord
ing to one witness claiming il as his own He
went there TO reclaim il as his own He would
admit that if what had been testified were true
tnat he would be guilty of false imprisonment,
but then only technical one The testimony
was in measure contradictory. She did not
iet any opportunity pass without having
MIN, and she was a shrewd, keen, bad wo-
man. 1t would hardly be expected that a wo-
man with tins state of feeling, could give
lair statement of the transaction
DO you suppose a woman taken in CUSTODY
threatened with violence and handouts could
nave acted as meek as she did in the room with
Mr.. Smith She Is contradicted in so MANY
points that proves she has sworn falsely and
applying the maxim of the law, falsus ia ur,O
Jaisus m onniJus-if she swears false in one
respect she swears false IN all. Spear posi-
lively eontradicted her, and other facts proved
showed her utter want Of truthfulness They
were not allowed to prove her character ex-
cept as to truth and veraeity, the Judge very
properly ruling according to the authori-
ties IN the books; but he centended that the au-
thorltIes were not founded in good sense
and that person, especially a married woman
VINO is living lewd life is unworthy of belief
He argued that DR.. Bliss fiatly contradicted
her. Could they believe a woman engaged in
this business when she acknowledges that she
used money in her business. She states posi-
lively that her husband was arrested with her.
winch Is as positively denied by other wit
nesses. The probabilities are that she gave up
the money ON the persuasion OF the defendant
"A hpQ Ia 10
proceeding as an attack upon the President of
the United States by Baker. If this was the
case Baker never would have gone to the
PRESIDENT. 1t never had been considered a
CRIME for stratagem TO be used in detecting
crime. He held il TO be true that a detective
oncer VINO induces person TO commit a
CRIME, such an act should be denounced, but
when party is engaged in the commission of
crime, lie held that it was not wrong 10 ser a
trap to detect such an one. To induce party
can say Baker intended 10 defraud the pubbc
or aught else than his desire 70 suppress what
he regarded as wrong.
The whole matter is that Baker saw that this
woman was engaged in an infamous business,
and with q view 10 track out those with whom
she con federated, and 70 show that the Presi-
dent could not be imposed upon and bv no
means to his discredit he nsed this stratagem.
1t is true we cannot find the men who prosti-
tuted their official influence TO aid thus woman
but you must be satisfied. from all the circuna
stances, that this woman possessed had in
ofc prisons IN WnOm the Pres
ldent has entire confidence, who can 20 10 MIN
ano obtain pardons; but do you sdp6oxa a
woman OF this character could go 70 hrn, aud /,
upon her simple representation 6ddedhIm 70
overlook all records, and be cauehk - Snch "a !
Trap as this was-the pardon OF mad v6o did
not exist! Andrew Johnson ID otmaAef of
soeh stun He is sensibtey4tArnfj ja8 man, 4
ana could not be induced to do, a. fhipg, like 4
tnis. And do you suppose< That. - 5bhewho
had had been bribed yontd CONF 81 ana ac.
knowledge 1t, or That f4hls ,Y04na-8onI -tel |
In % eoaeIasion %si as ss asst szt tsy fsSn did
not claim tha,-they bad any aurnority for the
act of Gen. Bsker: TMelf cerested ppon
different principleS, Ind 5he Jury would do
right and Justice Without regard 70 outside in
nuence. so y<es sz<sfz.E = a-aze -iit as@
The Oopstasaxft6ls arecess, and upon re- !,
assembling. 4ESQkfQAetQn made the closing /
argument, ,toY IL DE0gecution. ,-tEf f
He Conc uy0byquotfn from an Grafton of
Willia1nS MA OF, On athan, as follows:
"rhe 6p1 4est elishman in has cottage NAV
bidsd&x|I uEo~ R-sil the forces of the Grown
That 6314k& 0ay be frail Its roof NAV ne
brp1{1 inds may blow through n: the
stol1l3 Xoory&in may enter II; but the Kis~ ~
En(D3kdare not cross the threshhold ~ hs,
l(&114 tepemept without the authority of la
6s1b looking through the eyidonce 80 az.
81 vhst 90 We behold Why, in free Hnsr.