The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-12-07
Col. Wilkinson Sentenced.
Jefferson CITY State Journal, Dec. ..

JEFFERSON City State Journal, Dec. ..
Tho case of the u. s. VS. Charles y
Wilkinson, late United States Inter
nal Revenue Collector for the FIT
Collection District OF Missouri, on al
Indictment for embezzleincnf, cam,
up before Judge Krekel, of the Cni
ted States District Court on Frida,
last, on motion for sentences. Mr.
Wilkinson appeared attended by hi
attorney, Hon. AN Lay.
Wilkinson was arrested In August
1875. aud gave bond for his appear
ancc nj the then approaching term O
the United States Court, to answer
the charges brought against hiRl. Dut
he forfeited his bond, as will he re,
membercd. he having taken trip via
England and Australia, to San Fran.
rested and brought into court.
The cause Of Sir. Wilkinson's flight
as explained by himself aud which
appears probable in view of all the
facts, was the great public excite
inent that then prevailed over the
frauds that had been discovered in
connection with the manufacture OF
whisky, and the great difficulty APP
pretended of getting an impartial tri-
al for any one even remotely rcspon-
sible for the matter. i.c had been col
lcctOr uf the district III which Sllec-
hans distiliery was located, which
had been seized for the illicit manu-
facture of WHISKY, aud u great part, If
not all, the deficiency IN his account
to the government was for stamps OBJ
tanned bv Shcehan. that Sllcchan had
not paid for. 90
On his return and appearance in
conit IN April last, Mr.. Wilkinson
proceeded to satisfy Mr.. Botsford
that however much truth there was
IN the charge that he vas behind In
his account to the government, there
was no truth IN the suspicion that lic
was connected with any whisky ring.
and thereupon it was agreed that If
Mr.. Wilkinson would pay up his de-
ficicncy to the g 'vcrnment, which, In
law. was embczzlement and punisha-
ble as such, he would recommend him
to the leniemcy of the court and ask
that his punishment might be the
minimum that the law allows.
Accordi .gly from that time to this
Mr.. Wilkinson has been engaged in
the effort to raise the funds to pay up
and make his deficiency good.
BY his fight. however, MIR. Wilkin.
sons resources had been sadly Grip
pied, and he found it impossible to re-
alize a single iariling from anything
he had formerly owned, with which
to meet his debt to the government.
lie was consequently compelled 10 re-
turn and submit to such. sentence as
the court in its Judgment might see
fit to pronounce.
Mr.. Lay briefly addressed the court
and appealed for lcmicncy in Mr.. VIII
kinson's behalf. lie read from tn, af-
tidavils OF Edward Shechan, John
Sheehan. McGinnis and VOLS, show
ing that II large portion of his def
cheney vas for stamps that Sheehan
g. Co. had obtained and not paid tor
MIR. Botsford stated briefly that
while he admitted this 10 be the fact
IL did not relieve Mr.. Wilkinson from
his legal OF moral responsibility tor
the deficiency that followed from the
act. lie thought the circumstance
should be received, however, in mlti-
CATION of sentence.
The court in reply referred to the
great difficulty that had been expert
cilced in fern citing out the frauds on
the revenue, while the parties to
them had not only combined to coin-
init them, but had ONT into court
protesting their innocence OF them ;
the court has been compclledto gropc
their way through the dark to the
light, en%coumicriug almost insur-
mounta,,lc difficulties. When at last
they had been conquered, he did not
see the good that was to be obtained
unless the penalties of the law were
enforced.
Referring to the petition IN behalf
of Mr.. Wilkinson from st. Joseph he
said in substance that il was strange
that a community that had clamorcd
for prosecution until it seemed like
persecution should so suddenly rclcut
So tickle and unstable u public scnti-
mcnt was an unsafe and unreliable
criterion for the guidance of any ono.
With the petition was n letter adj
dressed 10 him in German. This his
honor referred to as III exceedingly
reprehcnsiblc proceeding. These doc
umcnts go on to the records OF the
court, and should be written in the
language OF The country.
The sentence OF Mr.. Wilkinson
would be Imprisonment in the pcni-
Tertiary for two years and to pay II
fine equal to the amount charged AS
cmbezzlrd, So S57 80.
Stay of execution was granted for
a reasonable time, to enable Mr.. Will
kinson to present his case to the De-
partment of Justice at Washington.
lie was taken charge OF by the Mar
shall and taken tn the county Jail.
A Constitutional oru