New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-01-26
TIE BLAlSDELLECKEL CASE.
THE SENTENCES.

should be postponed
Mr.. Knox desired a postponement to enable him to
nreseut papers which would be voluminous and take
some days to prepare, and which would put
their case in much more favorable light than it was In
at present.
The Court desired Mr. Knox to the character of
the points Of the afIidavits he desired to submit
Mr.. Knox said that in the early part Of 1868 Major
Alfred Beknap had as special agent Of the Treasury
DEPARTMENT seized the disery of Blasdell and Eckel
Shortly afterward the result Of frequent inter
views between Benap aud Blasdel and officers OF inc
Treasury Department Belknap felt authorized to give
immunity to Blaisde In case Baisdel gave vauaDie iu
formation TO the Government. 1t was supposed that ne
knew facts that would be Of much more Importance to
man. Biaisde accepted tins offer, and. in return for
being guaranteed immunity by Beknap Tor ms ,po ost
importance, which Information, IL properly, InauV9
use Of would lead to the punishment o to s' tbe
Government, among others, McLaren ana the Iat't u
like assurances ana not I'll then made sa benny
Proceedings then instituted against the iea parties
who ran tie Fortvfthst diSery after the first seizure
their names being Lepzinger Beringer, and warrants
wero issued against them. Pending the pioccculmtS
ReIknans movers terminated hut before long period
elapsed Judge Fullerton employed by the Govern
ment ferret ont whisky frauds ana IL was uhdeIsoUu
him information Judge Fullerton ana counsel (Ar Knox
mad been counsel for BelkhAp' anu III "ssu tIio
ION and after tbs these men s continued 70 give IN
formation especially IN relation 10 the rory US
tiery and OF the bribery OF the keepers IN charge OF ~
d Vet tho Depuys for The very matter they disclosed
have indicted and tried All these men had aO9eu
zcalousy to do all they could for the Government Ing
proceedings against LeipziDRer ana Berlnger had
dragged along, and the very parties who would have
given testimony prevented from DONG so Dy DeiS
arrested although at last and while the case was sun
pending before the Commissioner, the Grand jury IN
dcted the parties proceeded against some other usoo
sre that il was not proper make public had been made
hut they were OF such great importance tna pIopeIy
ayaied Of they would evcnuato in the entire overthrow
of the famed whisky Ring" These men had opened
their hearts the faith Of the assertions OF eknap ana
Fullerton, and II all the facts were known ~ Wou1 DC
seen that these moro entitled to appreciation
than The Court was perhapS aware that me
Fullerton case would como on Tor IRA. yeste1aS %
IN the United states Circuit Court ana from the nature OF
the Blasde and McLalen might be important VII
nesses for the defence "nd nc NVusCD Mout INV w
have them appear rs Witnesses before sentence was
passed IN reference to excl although nc au hol ueue
any disclosures az length, yet MessIs BeIShap ana f
lertOn had both been given to understand tat whenever
nc wanted ho held himself ready 70 maKeHauy as
closures could but circumstances had not yet rem
dcred ~ necessary L. call upon him.
Tho District Attorney thought this the most remarkable
II was understood that lOsures were made mpunity
TGGa be c6 sT9Te sd 10 % m s District Attorney de-
MED that any ground existed for the assumption Of
defendants among he worst dotrauders OF the revenue
ia this ety. An ndIcuno1t had been found against them
ibS; ir ,tr,1f r. Wouid not do that indicted men
notorious what Tie disclosures" were that were made
by these men. Anidayits OF perjury had been
procured by Blaisde and Belknap TO procure
Tho removal and disgrace OF Collector Bailey,
the faithful Government officer, who had mo-
Tested tie dstilcry the defendants. Two OF the
pcIurers Who made those niidayts ad already boon
convicted ne counsel or Knox had acted rs counsel
in causing the presentation OF those aidayits Of per
the Commissioner 10 obtain warrants on.
Judge Fullerton who 1t had been said, was an agent Of
the Government and counsel says he may want Blasdcl
and Mclareu and the rest OF these thieves To TESTIFY IN
his favor. Judge Fullerton know that Baisdel, Powell
that these aifdavits false and pcriurcd,
and yet It is said that Knox and Fullerton
thieves haES 6 ferret out whisky frauds Bepuy II
on the record had, by his own confession made per
reputous manner, from u. X. Commissioning who had
been instructed by Judge Fullerton To say nothing to the
time Collector Of Internal Revenue had been blnck
mailed and sent out OF the country II Major benapor
all night for them 20 grant immunity TO thioves
But Tho only rea information possessed by
has been conveyed through the DistrctAtorney, aud
Although the Attorney General had at first ordered
be proceeded with and although every obstacle had been
thrown in the way by the defense. tho defendants lad
been duly convicted These efforts TO stay sentence
ali pretences OF the shallow knd After tho Attor
neyGencral had fully considered all the reasons adduccd
for postpOnemen lie had ordered the to proceed
aud that II sufficient answer 10 ell that the counsel las
Mr. knox in reply said that moro reckless tissue OF
mistaements for the ears Of outside parties for bun
combe and 10 deceive the general public had been
made in that Court. Why had the indictments against
pressed with much ardor by the District Attorney II
was because these men had gone to Washington and
getio officer for deuliction Of duty, that no
instituted these proceedings against them aud had
indicted although other indictments rotting In tho
pigeon holes Of MS Office. lie tMr Knox knew from tho
start that Judge Fullerton gave the most pcrempory
and absolute assurance 20 these men OF Immunity for
past ofcnscs and he, (Mr Knox believed Judge Fuller
ton had full authority from either tho President the
Attorney General fhe D.trictAttorney had gone out
side Of the TO falsely charge Benap with procuring
false aidaylts, when he we'll knew that be had frequently
said that he did not believe Beknap had anything TO do
with IT,
instituted against Dcpuy or any OF these parties on ac
count Of any action by them adverse to him, and said
that II just the reverse he had commenced pro
ceedngs against all the parties named before they had
endeayored, fruiuessly 10 iiJure HIM
Judge Blachord said that most OF what had been said
had nothing 10 do with the matter under consideration.
Mr.. Knox thought the Disrict-Atorney had gone out
hluself (Air Knox.
Judge Blatehford said these personalities must
Mr.. Knox denied that Messrs. Bekuap n Blaisde had
anything to do with procuring false ndayits against
Collector Bailey; that he mir. Knox had appeared
andavs, or for the men who made the adayits; that
Judge Fullerton had endeayored to blackma Collector
Smith, that there had been unnecessary delay In the trial
OF this the part Of tho Defense aud said that the
be trial. and that every delay had been made for ade
postpone the sentence until Saturday next
Judge Blatchford said that assuming that tho Govern
had not been officially informed OF the fact before or dur
ing the trial. and could take cognzance Of now The
prosecution could have been stayed at any time by the
Government through the District Attorney The Court
knows that the so stayed before trial but
ence then the has been put on trial by the mme
diate act Of the Government II any promises had been
made by the Government officials they must take the
OF keeping them. To call upon court TO redeem the
promises Of any other department Of the Government In
such matter this Is a novel request If case
pending IN another court In which the defendants might
be needed witnesses II why they should
not DO sentenced Their offence not felony 1t
only msdemeanOr and sentence for did not disquafy
them from giving testimony They need not be removed
from the city Immediately and could be at hand II their
testimony was needed. There good reason why
the Court should not proceed TO sentence the defendants
The defendants then called up for sentence and
Judge BlachfOrd said
Avah Balsdell and John J. Eckcl you have been con.
vcted after very fair aud full trial by impartial jury
upon testimony that both jury aud Court consider
elusive OF your guilt You have been convicted on three
counts each Onense two different Ofcnses