New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-16
ORLEANS THURSDAY
The Counterfeitinx Case.

The trial of p. Harris, indicted for coun-
terfeiting United States coin, was concluded
in the United States Circuit Court yester-
dry morning, resulting in the conviction OF
the prisoner.
The evidence had been all given in the
previous day, and at the opening of the
court the counsel for the defense, S. C..
the jury. He touched little or nothing on
the evidence, but made pathetic appeal
to their feelings.
The United States District Attorney fol-
lowed on behalf of the government. He
made no appeal to the feelings of his aud
itory, but contented himself with calling
the attention Of the jury to the evidence,
and making few reflections on the nature
Of the offense the prisoner had committed.
The government had no motive for this
prosecution except to protect the poor and
the inexperienced. Pecuniary interest, the
government had absolutely none. The
officials of the United States were not likely
to be deceived with counterfeit coin, and
should an officer at any time receive any,
the loss would fall ON him. Neither were
bankers. brokers or large business men
likely to be deceived with counterfeit COIN
1t was as rule on the poor that the evil
consequences OF counterfeiting fell.
The defense requested the court to charge
on several points of law, the principal point
being that the act Of 1864 repealed the act
Of 1925. The court declined to accede to the
motion of the defendants counsel on this
point, but accedcd on several others of less
Importance.
At the conclusion of the judges charge,
verdict of guilty was rendered by the
jury, and the prisoner remanded for sen
tence.
The prisoner received the announcement
with an attempt at the 'whimpering
dodge" in accordance with his cOunsers
appeal about his age, meekness. etc. He is a
man probably known by sight to most resi-
dents of the city and suburbs. During
many years he might have been seen at in
tervals perambulatins the streets and lanes
with a box under his arm. in the character
of IA clock mender He is a somewhat large
sized. elderly man. with hair inclinins to.
and beard decidedly gray. His nose has
been eaten away by disease. which com
bined with the ravages of smallpox. gives
him no attractive appearance. His wife.
apparently much younger than himself, at
tended court throughout the trial, with two
young children. the eldest not more than
seven years old. A great deal Of sympathy
was felt for the family by the spectators
generally.
The penalties attached 10 the offense of
which Harris is convicted are: Fine not
exceeding tive thousand dollars. with i'm
prisonment not exceeding ten years.
In conducting this case the prosecuting
counsel. Mr. Beckwith. is entitled to great
praise not only for ability but for the
great forbearance he displayed, although
he certainly received some provocatives to
retort. He. too, might have appealed to
the jury with tremendous force; and. in
answer to the appeals by the defense in
behalf of the Young children. he might
have said that nothing so bad could happen
to them as to be brought up to manhood
under the tuition of systematic and prae-
ticed evaier of law.