New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-04

tune out of the rev enue to punish gov
eminent which he does not like.
The sentence of Judge Woods upon the
| persons indicted for revenue conspiracy
demonstrates this rigid justice. He thus
treats the offense of revenue robbery:
The government officers who have been
found guilty have not emily violated the stat
| ute under which they have been convicted,
but their guilt implies disregard of their of6-
cial oaths, the taking of brides and generally
faithlessness to the government in whose
service they were and whose bread they
ate. The man who undertakes to serve the
government and who takes upon his con-
science the obligation of an official oath
owes to that government fidelity, honesty
and the vigilant discharge Of duty. He
should be on the side of the government,
and against ell who would cheat and plum
der it. No temptation should be effectual
to swerve him from the path of duty. The
officer who is set and paid to watch the
revenues, and who for bride or for any
other consideration allows the revenues
to be despoiled, who conspires with the
plunderers to rob tho government whose
commission he bears, can certainly present
no strong claim to the exercise of the discre-
ton allowed the court in fixing his punish
ment.
He deals impartial condemnation to the
illicit dstillers:
Illicit distilling implies. fsst, the selection
OF revenue officers who can be corrupted,
and, second, their actual bribery by the pro.
prietOrs OF the illicit still.
Nor do think the cases of the recti6ers
and Wholesale liquor dealers in any better
plight. These mem also are found to have
been engaged in the conspiracy with the
government. Their offense implies the ad-
ditionsl offense of bribery.
The assault on the credit and per-
manence of the government is treated
thus:
Il not only deprives the government of
its dues, out it breaks down and ruins the
honest producer who pays his tax. It not
only debauches the government officers,
but when success sfully carried on lowers
the tone of comm erCial honor and business
integrity In the co immunity.
In many places it has been regarded as Q
venial ofense, but rightly considered it is
not 80. know Of NO misdemeanor which
tends more directly to sap the foundations
of government and society.
1t may be added that the frauds in su-
gar, cigars, liquors and perhaps some
other leading staples. have proved the ruin
Of many honest traders, and compelled
some men, who would have rather been
honest than not, either to join the rings
or quit their business. Such has been the
testimony in St. Louis and elsewhere.
The impartiality of the court is further
indicated:
In behalf of John Henderson it has been
urged that he is man in the decline OF
years; that he has q large family de-
pendent upon him; that he has large
business connections, and others must
suffer embarrassment from his pun
that he is a lsrge.bearted, gen.
erous and benevolent man, the friend of |
the widow and orphan. and of al in dis |
tress, without. regard to sect or national. |
ity. The business community, the clergy, |
the Sisters of Charity, the orphans have
pleaded his case with me, and have not |
thought it improper to hear all that could |
be said in his favor.
In behalf of Otto H. Karstendiek petit |
tons signed by more than 230 Of the prom |
inent business men of this city have been |
presented to me praying for clemency in |
the sentence.
These petitions represent that Karsten.
dick has carried ON business in this city |
with good repute for twenty.six years, that |
he has recently become bankrupt in for |
tune, that he is broken in health and il the |
father of six mOtherless children. The |
signers of the petition for Karstendiek |
also include Fehrenbac in their pray
srs, and say that he is young man who
has been always devoted to the interests of |
his employers, and is Of good repute in the
community.
One person has prayed clemency for
Reals, and several for James, government
,tficers convicted.
Yet the judge melted out the same con-
lemnation to each-Dives and Lazarus.
The rich man ''being in torment" besought
hat they would dip the ''ip of the finger
n water" Even the lenity extended to
weed was adverted to as reason for
lemency. All would not do. Not wealth,
nth the offer of fifty thousand dollars con-
onation; not the Intervention Of charity,
ct the record of pious life and associa-
ions, not the complicated concerns of
anks, levees and other corporations
othing could prevent sentence. The
risoner, convicted of conspiracy to de-
raud the government revenues, heard this
read sentence:
John Henderson, the sentence of the
curt is that you be imprisoned in the
enitep tiary of the State of West Virginia, |
t M0undsville, for the period of six teen
,onths, and that you pay a fine Of $4,000.
The Republican official accomplioe re-
eived the following sentence
William G. James, the sentence of the
ourt Is that you be imprisoned in the
of the State Of West Virginia,
t Moundsvile, for the period OF sixteen
,onths, and pay fine Of $1,000.
The court reduced the term and fine
Fahrenbach, Karstendiek and others,
n the ground that Il
John Henderson appears to he the only
erson OF substance among the six who
ave been convicted.
While. then, the justice of the govern
lent is memorable, it has been tempered
nth consideration for the poverty of some
those who deemed there was neither
anger nor dishonor in robbing the
ublic treasury. IL
We trust these convictions will put
op to the couspiracies to rob the govern
lent The whole subject and system of {
lvestigations prove the determination
: the people to demand integrity from
~ administration, and no men Of either
arty need expect to step into the control