New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-03
ORLEANS, SATURDAY.

COlfax, the parties were prosecuted by in
dictment; the result of the first trial was
disagreement-a mistrial; the parties were
subsequently tried for conspiracy; the stat
utes for grand and petty juries are the same
here as all over the United States; the busi-
ness of jury commissioners was at that time
done by two freeholders.
Relative to secret plot, or rule, or order
made by Judge Durell in 1873, Mr.. Beck
with knew nothing of it; he supposed such
rule or order existed prior to the Grant par
ish difficulty. and was in force to day.
l knew Mr.. Claiborne, clerk of the United
States District Court; he was clerk q long
the amount ia not very positive, but l be-
ieve it was about $4,000; Indictment is
still pendidg against him; he is refugee,
being in France; he was probably on his
way to Havre from New York when the de-
felt was discovered; he has not been ar
reeted as he could not be reached
Relative to the charge against j. H.
Oglesby with being connected with whisky
frauds, know little or nothing.
Relative to the Indictment pending
against Mr.. Clarke for being interested in
the sugar cases, Mr.. Beckwith said the case
had been disposed Of; Perry Fuller died; a
man in Memphis, also indicted, disappeared,
and finally the case of Clarke and another
man remained to be decided; there we're
heavy fOrfeitnres against them; don't be-
lleve any of the in dictments against these
men were good.
Relative to frauds, etc, by government
officers in the city, Mr.. Beckwith stated
that he was willing to assist the committee
with all the facts and information in his
power; there were certain matters now
pending before the grand jury which he, of
course, could not disclose.
To Mr.. Conger-NO more force has been
employed in my Office than was required; in
fact, the force in the office is not enough
for the immense amount of business trans
acted; all my time is occupied in public
business from A. NJ. to 10 P. NJ to the e2-
clusion of my private business.
Mr.. Claiborne fed the country before his
detalcation was discovered; his bonds
man was a clerk in his office, and be.
lieve if he was prosecuted $50 could not be
obtained; Mr.. Claiborne was appointed by
| Judge Durell, think. in 1862
To Mr.. Vance-Mr. Oglesby is not under
indictment that know of; if such was the
case and he chose the jury to try his case,
just grounds of objections would be made
| to tho drawing, as, of course, party in
such case could. if he chose, take advau
| tage OF his position in the drawing of the
| jury.
In almost if not in all cases, where settle
| ments tor bond sureties are determined al
Washington the approval of the same are
| sent to my Office for NY Endorsement OF
| opinion; in come of these cases my advice
or recommendation was not followed by the
authorities in Washington.
Considerable amount was obtained by
! the sale of sugar and wine in the sugar and
| wine cases; the amount in excess of the
| customs due was sent to the Secretary OF
| the Treasury for distribution; part of the
| sugar frauds were under the administration
| of Perry Fuller, with Mr.. Gray as his
| deputy, and the remainder during the frs,
few months of Colonel Casey's sdministra
ton as collector of customs.
MI. GibeOn-Were as many as seventy
FIVE or eighty indicted in the Grant parish
case!
Answer-The indictment was found
against seventy.three; the first trial wal
in the November term and the second ir
the Aoril term; the trials were quite
lengthy; they have not reached final judg
ment yet; there have been only two whisk J
| cases tried; one was q mistrial and the
| other was q verdict; in one case, the distillel
was entered in the case of MIR. Wills. be
cause Mr.. Beckwith said he did not wan
him acquitted.
| To Mr.. Riley-Rslative to the disclosure
of names of persons in the employ of the
government, charged with defrauding tn,
| government, Mr.. Beck kwth stated that al
such q case was now before the grand jury
he could not at present say anything in re
lation to the matter.
| At the conclusion of Mr.. Becky this testi
mony, the committee went into executive
session and adjourned until ten o'clocl
Monday morning.
The committee leaves this morning 70
the jetties on the yacht Julia in compap.
with Captain Eads, with the exception o
Messrs. Vance and Woodburn, who procee,
to Coushatta this evening.