Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-04-01
ABOUT THE DETECTIVES.
Remarks of Judge Emmons in Sentencing
the Celebrated Jack Evaas.

In the case Of Evans, convicted Of passing and
dealing in counterfeit money, some Interesting
incidents occurred, and remarks of general in
terest were made by both the Bench and the
Bar, when he was sentenced to seven years i'm
prisonment in the penitentary at hard labor.
Judge Emmons announced that in the present
condition. Of the Courts information il
would be assumed the prisoner was an old of
fender, having sold largely to others for years
He made this announcement to give opportunity
for correcting the impression if it were errone-
Gus; and would delay sentence for any length
of time which counsel thought necessary for
the production of proof of their clients good
character.
Time was not asked, and testimony in sup
port of and against the prisoner was intro
duced
He referred to what on several other occa-
sions he had said more particularly in reference
TO the inutility of delivering homilies from the
Bench to convicted offenders. Such was not
his usage. 1t was only where some peculiar
exigencies demanded explanation or comment
that he deemed extended remarks appropriate
The exceptional ability of the appeal which
had been made in the presence of IA large audi
tory, demanded respectful notice and reply.
The instrumentalities by which so large
number of offenders have now been brought to
justice, the detective force of the Government
have been but slightly referred to in the appeal
made to the court; and certainly not in any
manner demanding the dissent of the court on
this occasion. As this case, however, owes its
presence and result here to the skill and dill
gence of Governmental employees, and as such
agencies have been so frequently subject of
severe comment, he deemed it a duty briefly TO
| call attention to the demonstration which the
history of the present term afforded of the eff
cheney and benefcence of the system.
1t had abundantly appeared that for many
years in this district the passing of Counterfeit
money had become methodized business. 1t
had its manufacturers its Wholesale and retSil
dealers, many of whom were as we'll known and
recognizedin the community as the miller and
| the merchant. Magistrates, County Clerks,
members OF the bar and otherwise apparently
respectable business men kept each other in
countenance in the commission of this unpun-
ished crime. Although arrests sometimes took
place, the most authoritative information war
rdnted the declaration that convictions had not
followed. The astounding and Notifying fact
was presented that while public sentiment pro-
duced activity in the punishment of other high
crimes this class of offenders perpetrated their
wrongs with such impunity and frequency that
the ordinary business of the country was seri-
were joining their ranks were
rapidly increasing Leading citizens ap-
pealed to the Government for pro-
lection. Numerous SUSPECTED persons were point
impossible. Adjective force was sent to discov-
er the necessary evidence for conviction. By a
series of simple, yet skillful plans, large num-
bers of guilty parties were induced TO offer their
criminal wares for sale and display their pos
session in circumstances which removed all
difficulty of proof. The gratifying result is
that numerous old offenders with still greater
numbers of lesser criminals, whom they had
deluded into their service, have been convicted
and punished. That the agency has been eff
| icient and successful is beyond all doubt The
| only criticism which theCourt or q watchful
public jealous of the citizens rights and careful
to guard their reputation, can make Of 1t IS the
danger that innocent parties may DO seduced
| into crime by the agents of the Government.
| His Honor said he had examined the plans and
| methods of this action intended to prevent the
| possibility of such consequence. Detail
would be out of place here. All that would be
before us-to that which is proved by the rec
| ords Of the Court. The extraordinary fact was
true, that of the great number Of indictments
which stood for trial at the present term, pleas
| of guilty had been entered in nearly all, and in
the few which have been brought formally be-
| fore Jury, so clear and convincing was the
proof that in not one of them had an address OF
| any kind been made by counsel for the defense.
| necessary work without any fear that in the eX-
tent Of its success and the rapidity of its execu-
| ton single citizen has been sacrificed by mad
| vertence or unsuccessfulness,
II the detective force would continue I'M
conscientious carefuness, adhere rigidy te
those rules for their guidance so well calculated
to insure the safety Of their action
the time would soon come, if it had no
already arrived, when counsel for the prison
er could no longer by contemptuous emphasis
Of the word DETECTIVE, and a sneerng man
ner cast odium upon the calling. IL will be al
seldom attempted as the like unjust purpos
now is in reference to the word JUDGE. HI
believed there were few more useful arms OF tn
public service than that which had 50 speedily
brought 10 punishment 80 large q number o
dangerous offenders.