, 1876-07-02
HESING'S CASE,

HESINGs CASE
| It is q mere matter of fact, palpable to
every one who has had occasion to observe
it, that great deal of sympathy is felt for
HEs1Sa, more particularly among the Ger
mans, but largely among Americans too, be-
| cause the term Of his sentence was much
| longer than the public expected Some part
| of this sympathy is also due to the general
| Impression that the Government was COM
mitted to giving JAKE REHM entire immunity,
! and thera will be a reaction now that it is
found that tho Court has the discretion of
consigning REIN to jail fully as long and
| fining him twice as much. It can scarcely
be claimed that, as matter of justice, such
| a sentence is toosevere for the parts that they
| played in the conspiracy, and the equasiza-
ton of punishment ought to satisfy any
would not be given to another offender
| against the law pressed by greater necessities
and with less excuse.
OF course We have no authoritative in
formation us to what prompted Judge BLoD-
aErT to sentence HEsNG for two years, while
sentencing others to three months, six
months, and year; but, in reply to fire.
auent questions why he did SO, we may say
that our presumption is he was guided
mainly by Mr. HEsNG's own sworn testi-
mony in the MUM case. This was not mere
hearsay nor outside information, it was evi-
dence that came directly under the notice of
the Court, sworn admission by HEarSa Of
his connection with the Whisky Ring, and it
could not vol be ignored in determining
HEsrsG's guilt and punishment. In his
evidence, which was given not for the Gov
ernment but against the Government, and
which certainly bore the impress of truth,
HEsnso admitted TINT, for some years, he
had been sharer Of the profits of public
Offices, a participator in the b!ackmai money
levied by REIN. He admitted that, Of GER
tain blackmal be had levied upon g. Buffalo"
MILLER at the instance of REuaf, he had kept
$4,000 and paid REHM $1s,o00; that he
drew out $25, 900 profits from distillery to
which he was admitted as partner simply
for his "induence," and without ever pay
LII Qut QOAt1s tuttL Ae subsequently cAJ40 Ills
interest in this distillery flor which he paid
nothing) for something Like $4,000; that lie
received $4,000 from RoELLE, another dis
.tiuer, knowing that he was running i" crook
cd; that he took $4,000 from JUEssEN for
having ths latter appointed Collector; that
he received 5000 1north from s'Bufalo
MILLER as his share Of the County Treasu-
rcr's profits on deposits amounting to some
thing like $4,000 in all that BRADLEY let
him have the use of $4,000 for two years,
free of interest, because he supported BRAD
LEY for Sheriff that O $4,000 mortgage he
owed on piece of property was paid off,
and the check he had given for the amount
returned to him and that he got $25,000
from FARwE1L and WARD for withdraw
ing his son WASHINGTON from
Congressional contest Now, taking Mr..
HEsNo's own freely-made statement of
these transactions, and not assuming that
be suppressed others of q similar character,
it is seen that, within, period of three or
four years, he admits that he received
6,oo0 from whisky and other "crooked"
and politically corrupt practices.
It was impossible that such a statement
should not have influenced any upright Judge
in fixing sentence. If any public man has
ever damaged himself by his own statements,
Mr. Kissing is that man. In letter he pub
lished subsequently to giving his testimony,
HEs1No tried to justify his conduct in several
particulars, but we sincerely hope he will
feel differently after he regains his liberty,
and that he will turn over new leaf. We
should very much dislike, and SO would most
people, to see HEs1Na kept in prison for
q longer period than JAKE REHM.
It would not be fair, as things
have turned out. At the same time, all those
people who have any hope for the purity and
pormanency of popular government, and take
genuine interest in reforming public
life aud politics, will be careful how they
blame Judge for awarding severe pun
ishment on such offenses as HEsNa has ad-
mitted himself guilty Of. We are very sure
Mr.. HEs1NG feels no resentment towards the
Judge for the gentence, OF that he thinks
the Court did other than its duty. He is
not the man to desire to manufacture SEN
timental sympathy for himself which the
public would deny to poor wretch who
should steal few dollars to buy food for
his starving wife and children. At the same
time, it will be hard to convince him
or the public that the ringleadsr in the
crooked business should escape with a
lighter penalty than that inflicted on sub
ordinate and follower.
Az an interesting feature Of war news in
Europe it may be stated that the German
War Department has just adopted new
scheme of mobilization which will enable
her in case Of war to bring more powerful
forno into +ha fo11 than sha a111n1nonn1 in