The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-08

HERKIMER. N. Y. July 7, 1871.
The trial OF Addison II. Latin. Naval officer OF the
port OF New York. will commence here TON orrow
morning on an indictment for perjury.
THE PROMINENT FACTS IN THE CASE.
emitting Of course much OF what Is said Ia partisan
ship in the matter, are as fOliOws:-
Addison H. Latin formerly and for several terms
represented this district the republican nckct
In Congress. About ST. Valentines day. In February,
1870, John Hartman, tailor residing here received
letter. and upon opening it found that It contained
a bond OF the Wilmington, Charlotte ana Rutherford
Railroad OF North Carolina, OF the par value of
$1,000. lie kept 1t for a time, but considered 1t
worthless, though subsequent inqdiry revealed the
fact that 1t mad some value. Afterwards he sold 1t
to his son Douglass for 500. The receipt
Of the bond by Hartman was generally
known, aud much comment arose from
the TACT that 1t sent to him In an envelope bear
ing Mr.. Lanin's frank. At last Mr. Latin heard OF
the matter and sent demand for the bond, which
was refused. Lanin claims that he had received
the bond for safe Keeping from his brother, Byron
LaGin, VINO was one OF the carpet-Oag repre-.
scntatives in North Carolina. IL appears that
Byron was q wild sort OF youth and that
Addison took charge OF the BOND while
his brother was having frollc In Washington, as
he deemed him unable TO look after 1t. There is no
uOuDI tnat udTtman was encouraged ny
here keep the bond, they wanted to photograph
1t and 1t rs o campaign document, satrizing the
prolific way in which bonds must float about in
radical Coneressmen's pockets In the reconstructed
States. Finding 1t Impossible to induce Hartman to
rclinqush the bond civil action was commenced
for It's recovery, Byron Latin being plaintiff.
ON THE FRI L,
June q and % las, A. II. Lann was a witness. He
testified as to the manner OF his possession of the
bond. and in the course OF his evidence, 1t IL
claimed, he said the bond had never been out Of his
possession from the time he first received 1t to his
knowledge until he missed It, and subsequently
heard OF Hartman having H. Judgment was given
In favor OF plaintiff for $685. the assessed market
value OF the bond. Hartman has never paid the
Judgment. and 1t cannot be collected OF him, as he
has property worth speaking OF. Now came the
mistake. Byron Instituted a criminal prosecution.
charging Hartman with larceny or the bond, ana
the matter was presented to the Grand
Jury few days since. A. III. Lahin was
summoned as witness ana the matter
was fully ventilated Upon his examination
before the Grand Jury he testified that he had
handed the bond. In Washington, to Congressman
Tanner, OF the Troy district after taking 1t from
Byron; that he did In order to be able to say to
Byron when asked for 1t ttat he (AddisOn) had not
got It, If he testified on the trial Of the civil suit that
tue bond had never been out Of his possession, or
course his testimony before the Grand Jury was
false the original evidence was. The Grand Jury
failed to ina against Hartman and Latin returned
to New York. few days afterwards he learned
that the same Grand Jury had
INDICTED HIM FOR PERJURY
and came up here. The Grand Jury, without sub
peneas in regular form and without the District
Attorneys presence took the evidence OF four per-
sons who sworc positively that on the civil trial
Latin had testified that the bond had not been out
witnesses were the three lawyers who defendeed
Hartman IN The civil suit. Lanin explained the
mailing OF the bond TO Hartman In this wise:-He
was in The habit or
70 large numbers OF friends; that ut that time he
was 30 dong; that he remembered putting this
bond in one OF his ranked envelopes and throwing
10 table upon which other envelopes
lying containing political documents ana that this
envelope IN question was addressed 10 ms repubi-
can friend hartman under the impress. Oh that It
also contained one OF the circulars. He testified To
these facts on the first trial.
The various involved raml1cattOns OF the case as
detailed by the PEOPLE Of the town would Nil small
book but the main facts alone VIII be OF interest
the HERALDs readers ms an Others are uepehaent
claiined TO be purely
The county is eminenty republican and this grand
jury was composed OF fifteen democrats and SIX
puD!icans There Is q very suOng clique OF anti
Grand Jnrymen were oil this stripe. The other re.
publicans were meu not at all opposed to MIN, but
nevertheless the vote on finding the indictment
the assertion that IL was O political dodge.
l have conversed with number OF these Grand
and they assure me-republicans and democrats
that all were actuated solely by sense OF dutJ, in
view Of the evidence as presented to them: A paper
carried II 10 some OF the petty Jurors and obtainei
their SIGNATURES. All signed II. the docume IN
effect Deing certilcatlOn tina, the jurors did
not hear Lanin testify that the bond hat
ever passed from his possession to that or
any other person. have cSnVersed VII, WIN some ,nne
did not understand that to be the wording
OF the paper On the minutes kept by judge Pres
colt there note or such testimony by Lailn but
then, again, IL Is admitted tnat there Is note
the Judges minutes OF another point, yH.:-I.arln
testified that he did not let
OTHER PEOPLE USE FRANK.
Therefore. II IS argued II the Judge omitted this
point may he not have omitted others, IL Ia
CLAIMED In this connection, however, that whatever
Lain meant by Others using his frank there are
plenty OF people here VINO have bundles OF blank
yelopes bearing his frank.
District Attorney Mills states that he has no idea
that Latin can be convicted. Mills IL republican,
and OF course, there are some who say he won't
press the case very hard Another singular fact is
that sam Earl and other prominent democrotc law
yers are ~ defend Laain. THIS L. looked on as
piece oil
Earl was the party who ADVISED Hartman to keep
the bond or at least, not to SELL IT, aud the Grand
Jury It is SAID although they acquitted Hartman OF
larceny, came within one vote OF indlcting Earl as
accessory to the larceny The District At or
Indictment OF Latin, and this ~ called pettlfogRng
interference though IT IS said be oniv wanted the
Judges notes admitted. No one can be found as
having made any complaint before the Grand Jury,
though find scores VINO loudly express their belief
In his guilt His friends OF course, scout 1t and
assure MS acauitta though OF the best informed
among them, and very prominent man IN the
state, summed 1t UP to me to-day as ioowso ,,i
LaGn has got the worst OF IT,