The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-07-08
JUST PUNISHMENT.

JUST PUNISHMENT.
, an imitator of his misdeeds, and, luckily fo
! society, sharer in his punishment
When will combined law and Justice over
take the evildoers in our own State? Wher
, VIII the crew Of white, black-and-tan frauds
and conspirators against the people OF Louis
lana, be also sent to the Penitentiary, 50 long
gaping for them? When will jury convict
and judge sentence the men who, in Louis
lana, have prostituted their usurped Offices to
the basest purposes of corruption, collision
and peculation?
1t seems that two men named Marks, father
and son, operating Offices styled Whar6ngers
in San Francisco, arranged to swindle the
pubic after the newest and most approved
carpet-bag style. Judge Blake, in charging
the jury, said:
If all that is alleged in the Indictment has
been shown, beyond all reasonable doubt, by
the testimony submitted on the trial, to be
literally and strictly true, the defendants
should be declared guilty by your verdict
But showing, according to the strict letter
of the indictment, is not required. It is suffi-
Gent if it appears from the testimony, beyond
reasonable doubt, that John J. Marks was an
officer such as he is alleged to have been, and
| that the defendants conspired to appropriate
| to their own use, without authority Of law,
portion Of the public money Of the State of
California, and that to effect the object of such
conspiracy, and in pursuance of the purpose
thereof, the defendant, Thomas Marks, with
out authority of law, received from the said
Fritz any part Of the 500 referred to in the |
indictment, for the joint use of himself and |
his cO-defendants, or for the sole use of him |
self or his co-defendants, with the knowledge |
that the money SO received was public money |
OF this State. 1t must appear, however, that
the offense, if established, was committed in
March, 1872, and before the day on which
this indictment was found, that is to say be-
fore the 31st day Of December, 1872.
The learned judge put its very plainly, and
if such things are what he says, and what the
jury say, for we find that it was .'verdict of
guilty" then there is abundant room and food
here in Louisiana for half dozen judges, and
as many juries to clean out the Augean sta
bles Of State rascalities already known to be in
full operation. Funding debt frauds; State
House jobbery; Auditorial cash auctions; vi
yerian appropriation bills; snap judgments on
Or in collision with fiscal agents IN esse or
o0sse; school money felonies; fraudulent parish
bond issues, and so on, to the fatigue and dis b.
gust and ruin of all good citizens.
To peruse the comments of the San Fran
'isco press upon the verdict against their
elons is like breathing the fresh and invigo-
ating atmosphere Of some mountain land af-
er having been long confined in the low and
nfeebllng climate Of a malarious swamp:
THE CONVICTION OF MARKS
AT last we have verdict that it is a crime
o enter into a conspiracy to embezzle or steal
'ublic money, For long time it seemed
lear case that Marks was stronger than the
eople, and could defy all their attempts to :
ring him to justice The indictments were
elayed Grand juries met and separated n
1arks went out of Office when hard pressed y
nd sought to stop all further investigation. n
'wo years ago, if Marks had been tried on
ne same charges, he would not have been
Dnvlcted. He was a power in the commu-
lty. He manipulated political conventions, 7
nd helped to put up and put down candi- .,
ates, his own influence being strong enough =,
| some instances to turn the scales one way .
r the other When the trial on criminal
harges could not be put off any longer, Marks
ent into court and fought with all his own
inning and strategy, and with all the ability r.,
hich money could command Strong evil =
snce was excluded on technical grounds o'
very point was stoutly contested, and so
renuous and plausible was the defense that,
bile there was no change in public opinion,
ere was general impression that this bold
I'd INSCRIPTIONS man would walk out Of IN
urt without so much as a nominal fine Con- Al,
1ering the adroitness of the defendant his 0'@
ng and successful avoidance of any trial at
!, and the fact that he had, months ago.
tn the Alta and Post to defend him, and
pecially to engage in the business Of Gre
ng public sentiment in his favor, the
It that Marks has heen convicted at all is
e OF the most significant local events of the
mes. That verdict fairly represents the
ar and honest judgment of the community
'rks has prospered by malfeasance in office
the gross betrayal of public trusts. So
g as he was on the fiood-tide Of prosperity /
could laugh at these grave accusations.
W, when righteous judgment has over a
zen HIM, his property and reputation dis Y
pear together.
That a better and brighter day is in store
our people We firmly believe, and at the r
( Of being styled radical and Bourbon by L
ected accomplish Of the usurpation, we WIZ
pose to do our humble part in bring oci
70 condign punishment all who have sold -
lnselves out to the common enemy, and
red themselves as willing tools or coadiu-
) in his schemes of plumber, infamy and NJ.
lson.
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