The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-10-07
HOW JUSTICE WAS BETRAYED,

When Richard Harrington was indicted
and tried for conspiracy in the safe bur-
glary last winter, the whole power Of
the Washington Ring in all It's rami6ca-
tions, the District Attorneys Office, and
other connecting influences, were exert
ed to prevent his conviction. The jury
was picked as far as was possible by
THE Uuited States Marshal, brother-in-
law of the President; witnesses were
spirited away and concealed by o cor
rupt use of the public money, and in the
midst of the trial Harrington was in
vited as a guest to the White House for
effect op the jury and the community
That the jury was tampered with after
retiring is no longer matter of doubt
Boss Shepherd and some of his confed-
crates were found in the building at
night, and signals between the jury
room and parties outside were seen
plainly by various persons who, suspect
ing collusion, had placed themselves in
position to watch the movements within
and without. 1t is believed that a very
large sum of money was expended in
various ways to procure an acquittal'
In spite of these extraordinary efforts
there was disagreement. Three men
could not be driven from their belief in
Harrington's guilt. The case had been
managed by the Hon. A. G. Riddle, as
special counsel. Soon after the trial he
ascertained that important testimony
could be had which had been kept out
of his reach, and which would insure
conviction in another trial This fact
was made known to G. IL. Williams,
then Attorney General, who, instead of
cooperating in the interest Of justice,
abruptly dismissed Mr.. Riddle, and the
case against Harrington, with those of
Williams, Whitley and Kunz, who had
also been indicted at the same time.
When Mr.. Riddle entered the court
the next day, herose and said;
'T have received this morning the
communication to which Preferred yester-
day as the one which l would be able to
submit. 1t reads as follows:
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, |
WASHINGTON, Dec. s, 1874, !
"HoN. A. &. RIDDLE-Sir: Will you
be good enough to say to the Court in the
safe burglary case that the Govern
ment does not propose to take any fur
ther proceedings in the case against any
of the defendants upon the present in
dictment. Whatever other steps may
be taken in reference to the case will be
the subject of future consideration
Very Respectfully, .
GEO, II. WILLIAMS,
Attorney-General
Judge Macarthur, peculiar friend of
of the Ring, was holding the criminal
term, and he promptly came to the re-
liefof the conspirators by declaring:
"I dismiss the indictment, cancel the
the recognizances, and discharge all the
defendants. That will be the order of
the Court, So ends the prosecution"
From that day to this no attempt has
been made to bring these criminals
before court for trial. and the statute
of limitations which is said to apply has
nearly run its course, because the Dis
trict Attorneys Office was used to screen
the villainy and to thwart every form of
prosecution. 1t is thus seen that the
great machinery OF Government, and
especially of the department created to
promote justice, was scandalously en-
ployed to protect gang of scoundrels
who had deliberately conspired to ruin
a citizen for no other reason than be-
cause he had resisted the outrages and
exposed the frauds Of the Washington
Ring.
Mr.. Clemont H. Hill, then Assistant
Attorney-General, who was detailed to
aid Mr.. Riddle in the case of Harrin-g
ton, and who was in earnest through
out, was soon after the trial driven from
Office on account Of the zeal he had eX-
hibited on that occasion. The upright
discharge of duty was something the
President could not tolerate when it
touched the persons or the interests of
the Ring which is intrenched at the
White House.
1t is said new leaf has been turned
over, and that Mr. Pierrepont desires to
redeem the reputation Of his office by
disinfecting it of the impurities left by
Williams. If he means to live up to
these professions, there is a great oppcr-
tunity before him. A Grand Jury is
now sitting at Washington, and nothing
is easier than to bring before it wit
nesses who can turn inside out the
whole villainy of the safe burglary, and
bring before the blaze of day the in
famous wretches who conCocted that
diabolical crime Now is his chance,
and he will do well not to miss it,