Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-09-22

Monday they were called before hin
TO be sentenced, in the performance o
which duty he said that they had beer
indicted Of malfeasancc in office ha,
been guilty of breach of trust
had bcen corrupt in Office had violatct
their oaths lad been negligent in tn,
performance of their sworn duties, be
sides misappropriating the public
funds.
The sentence was then pronounced
as follows;
In the case Of the Commonwealth
VS.. Valentine Benner, Moses Hine and
Patrick Conry, Benner and Hine were
each sentenced to pay a fine of 81 900
the cost Of prosecution, be removed
from office and undergo an imprison.
ment of two years. Conry was SEN
fenced to pay u fine of $500, cost OF
prosecution, be removed from Office
and undergo an Imprisonment of two
years.
ifhe sentence fell like a thunder clap
upon the guilty parties and their po-
litical friends, who had thought the
righteous Judge would not dare to
administer the law so fearlessly. But
this act was applauded throughout the
country, and the honest press every
where agreed that it was deserving Of
the greatest credit.
The New York Sun said of IT,
"The punishment of these public
plundercrs is an evidence ofimportance,
not only to the people Of Pennsylvania,
but to those of other places. 1t shows
that the rule of addition, division, and
silence is broken in that commonwealth,
and the moral influence of such
change will be felt everywhere. Tho
public gratitude is due to Judge Perish
ing for firmness, wisdom, and modera-
ton in this trial, and in the sentence
with which it ended"
The Philadelphia Times said
"ln the mountains of Schuylkill,
where disorder and lawlessness have
so long rcigned, the people in a fortu-
nate hour called Cyrus l.. Pershing
from his district home to hold the
scales OF justice before them. lie came
a stranger, and with the single purpose
of discharging his responsible duty
with fidelity. In this epidemic of Of.
fetal peculation it was deemed safe for
the commissioners of Schuylkill county
to pocket illegitimate profits in the
construction of new county building.
They reasoned that it was done else
where; that nearly every city had its
confederated band of plunderers, and
that they escaped the tolls of retribu.
ton.
But they were brought before
court in which Judge Pershing pre-
sided, and there justice was blind to
social position, to political influence
and to official honors. To the utter
of the plundcrers, they |
were tried as other men who come in
10 the dock, friendless and penniless,
and the brave, just Judge quickened
the integrity of officers of the court
and of the jury by the sternly impair
Lial manner in which he discharged
his own duty and defined the duties of
others.
;
Honor IN Iud0e PershnO for this
noble example Of the omnipotencc OF
Justice faithful officers are charged
with her sovereignty
Such, Democrats OF Pennsylvania, is
he man selected as your standard
Dcarer Such, independent and hon
sst men of all parties, is the candidate
presented for your suilragcs Such,
Republicans, is he who challenges yon
20 find in his public or private charac-
ier asinglc strain of dishonorunworthy
If the citizen, legislator and Judge