The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-02-29
More Political Crime.
From the New York Express

From the New York Express.
VIM, b. Stokes, OK NJ, G., from Ten.
ncssec, and one Of the noisest Radicals
in Congress, has been tried and Just
convicted before the Circuit Court of
the District Of Columbia. The offend
CT was accused OF receiving fees for
the prosecution Of claims against the
|, :, while holding Il seat in the House,
The law provides that Congressman
guilty Of such acts shall on conviction
he punished by u tine not exceeding
$4,000, or Imprisonment. not exceed
ing one year, The facts are these:
During the war n company, known rs
Beatty's Independent scouts, was raised
in Tennessee. 1t never exceeded fifty
men. After the warclOScd Stokes secured
the passage Of II bill 10y Congress to pay
these men. The rolls were patched up so
as to include lO2 names. Stokes received
for hi. services $4,000. The prosecution
claim in addition to the specific charges Of
the indictment that Stokes knew the claims
to be fraudulent
During the war Stokes was one Of
the saints, as well as death on Demo
Gratis and all others who did not walk
the straight path Of Radicalism, How
he came out in the end is shown by the
verdict of the jury and BY the following
specimen letters.
W]AsuINGTON. ID. c., Sl3 Sixth st.
DEAR CAPTAIN: win You please cal
around. liclls to pay. As ever yours.
W. b. Stokes
P.S.-Kccp cool, and say nothing;
AsuCT MOUTH rAys.
Stokes has been talking too much
Stronger had rebukod him, as the last
letter offered in evidence would indi
cate:
Confidential and frivatc.)
All j. working well; nothing known OF
said. hope you will succeed In every
thing and return o
Letters are coming to me in relation tC
other claim-, All | want is to get out o
+, Congress and have yOu with me, and w
can make enough in twelve months to dc
us both tor life: ! can get into the lleav'
lest business that amy MAJ ever got into
AMI ! want you with me to do the writing
and | will do the engineering.
DO your work quick and well, and thcl
come here. lis best to have the claim
, paid Off here. This letter, of course. vii
not he seen. | would not tell Hatfield tJt
much.
Shut mouth pays.
Burn this ID letter up, and ! promise
l to sin no more. W b. >.
QUARREL AMONG ROGrEs.
STRONGER testified that he met Stoke
} on the night he received his money, tolC
him 1t was all profit, and said: Now lOol
; here, Stokes, | will give you $4,000, and NJ
[ more" Stokes said they had agreed It
pay him UUc-third. StiOmcycr told iIim
that they never had agreed to pay him any
such thing. T%hcrcupon Stokes clearc,
= out. On croSS-rXaminatiOn StrOmcyc
said that the cOnspiralor> were surprise,
at Mr BroadlIcad'S decision. Broadhca,
gave them over 100000. whereas they cA
} pcctcd only $4,000. STRONGER said tina
he calculated to MAX S2O0O0 III the job
lie acknowledged that he was undrrthrct
indictments for forgery in Judge Carter
Court, and that the understanding wa
that if he would COME to Washington ant
tell the whole thing, he was not to b'
prosecuted.
T., Not Il small share Of soldiers boun
ties and soldiers, pay are founded upo,
= just such claims rs the above. Stokes
has got the sentence Of the court ant
; jury, and now is the time to ask-W Uc
MKT.