Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-29

NAL Swamp Canal Company, in which the
| United States government is a large stock
holder, owning Of the entire interest in
the work. The canal, he says, connects the
waters of Albermarle Sound, with the
Elizabeth river, and Chesapeake and Della
ware Bays, and forming important means
of communication between those points,
both for private, commercial, and govern
ment purposes. During the war work was
materially damaged, and although not in
use, it requires immediate repairs to pre-
serve its existence. The sum of $780, 900 is
| required in order to carry on efficiently she
business Of the Company. and its officers
have asked assistance of the government in
raising that amount.
Sentence Of Baker.
To-day F. P. Stanton, counsel for Lafay-
ette C. Baker, stated in the Criminal Court
that Baker was present to receive sentence
in the case Of false Imprisonment Of Mrs.
Cobb, known as a pardon broker, he having
been convicted in January Stanton re-
marked that if Mrs. Cobb had any title to
the money of which it is alleged he robbed
her at the time of her arrest, and which he
had previously marked as deeoy, she had
her remedy at law, but he (counsel) did not
concede that she had any title to it.
Judge Fisher, in passing the sentence, ,ad-
dressed Mr.. Baker as follows:
You were indicted by the Grand Inquest
of the county of Washington, in November
last, upon a charge of false Imprisonment.
The indictment found against you contained
two counts, the first count for the false
imprisonment of Mrs. Lucy L. Cobb, and
OBTAINING her under arrest for some five
hours and until she had paid the sum Of
$500 for her enlargement, and the second
bae All Ia lea
this indictment you plead not guilty, and
put yourself upon a jury Of your
country who upon a fair and impartial trial
decided BY their verdict that you were
guilty as charged in the second count of the
Indictment and not guilty as charged in
the first count. The effect Of this convic-
ton is substantially, as l understand, that
you were technically guilty of that offense
which is termed false Imprisonment, devoid
of the circumstances of ofaggravation and with
which the first count in the Indictment
sought to invest it. It appeared in the evi-
dence to nv satisfaction, certainly, but not
to the satisfaction of the jury who convicted
you, that the act with which you were
charged was the result of an honest, though
it may have been an ill-advised endeaTor
in the discharge of your duty as &
Government detective to discover by whom
and by what means certain fraudulent
and corrupt practices We're carried on
against the Government of the United
States, in obtaining pardons from the Exc
ecutive. Whether you were successful
in that endeavor 1 know not, nor is it
necessary for the purpose of this case that
l should, nor do desire in any way what
eyer to intimate the slightest suspicion
that the party arrested was one of those
who were engaged in the bad business of
pardons by fraudulent and i'm
moral means, or by any indirection what
ever but after fully and maturely, and, l
hope, impartially considering all the cir
of your case, l have come to
the conclusion that, though you may have
been guilty technically of the offence of
false Imprisonment, there is not apparent
in it any circumstances of moral tOrpitude
or of malice, or OF such ill-treatment
of the party complaining as would
warrant me IN visiting upon you
what would be a heavy punishment
The case presents itself to me in the aspect
of one where any officer of the government
in a Jealous effort to discharge his duty may
have been led by his zeal to go a hairs
breadth too far and done an act which,
though it cannot be Justified in law, yet
which in a moral point of view has done
much to mitigate the punishment. The
sentence of the Court therefore is that you
pay TO the United States a fine of one dol
lar and the costs Of prosecution
General Baker Immediately complied with
the sentence, paying the fine and costs. The
latter, it is understood amount to about
thirty-six dollars.
District Attorney Darlington entered
,lolLe proSegui in the other indictment against
Baker for the false imprisonment of Joseph
Il. Cobb, and the three indictments against
speer for the false imprisonment and rob
berry of J. r. and Lucy Cobb.
The Late senator Foot.
tits stated that before taking leave this
morning of all in the room, including his
wife, brother, nephew and DR.. Baxter, OF
Vermont, Mr.. Foote expressed a desire to
take last look at the Capitol, and request
ed to be raised in his bed that he might do
so. His wishes were at once complied with.
Just as they had raised him so that his eyes
rested on the building he expired.
His remains will be taken to the Senate
chamber tomorrow, and the funeral ser
vices will be held at one o'clock P. NJ. Both
of Congress will adjourn to attend
the funeral. The friends of the deceased
Will leave the city for xermont with the
body tomorrow afternoon.
Eulogies will be pronounced in both
HoAses ofCongress at future day.