The daily Argus., 1877-01-24
How Some of our Attorneys
Procure Pardons for
Criminals.
Some Interesting Circumstances Con-
nected with the Pardon ofthe
Late John G, Brown.
Gard. Barker says he was offered
$500 to Exhonerate Brown.
While VIM. II. Guest says Barker is
IAN Internal Liar"

Justice Hayden's court to-day, during the
trial of the replevin suit of Mrs. Mamie |
Velie formerly Mamie Wier) and Mrs.
John c. Brown. as to the rightful owner
ship OF gold watch, valued at $lS5, and
which was worn by the late John C. Brown,
Mrs. Velie's claim ia backed by con
tract signed by herself and Brown stating
that on the 2lst of July, 1874, Mrs. Vele
(then Mrs, Weir presented the watch to
Brown with the proviso that he should
wear it as long as he lived; that then the
watch was to fall to her, and if she was
also dead, then to her Oldest daughter.
To prove that such contract had been
made Gardner Barker was called as a
witness--he being present when the paper
was signed. Barker will be remembered
as the man who was indicted with Brown
stealing four valuable lap-robes from Hull
4 Wrights livery stable about two years
ago; who was sentenced and served tern
ofone year in the penitentiary, but who, while
in our county Jail, made, it was claimed.
an affidavit that Brown had nothing to do
with the stealing of the robes-as be
oarkerl had sworn on the trial. 1t was
this affidavit that fooled Gov. Beyeridge
and procured the pardon of Brown, who
was really guilty aud properly convicted
and sentenced. In the trial of the larceny
case VIM. H. Gest, Esq, of Gest & Parks,
was attorney for Brown, and he is also
Mrs. Browns attorney 10 this suit.
Barker, to-day, swore that he was pres
ent when Mrs. Weir-Velie and Brown
signed theScontract In his cross -exami-
nation, Mr.. Gest attempted to dIscredit his
testimony by asking him in a roundabout
manner, if he had been in the peniten-
tiary Barker refused to answer, and the
court fined him So for contempt, which
was paid by Mr., Velie After some pret-
ty hot passes between Messrs Corbett and
Gest the witness then told the court the
circumstances Of the larceny case, under
questions from Mr.. Gest.
Mr.. Gest then took from his pocket a
paper (the affidavit said to have been
sworn to by Barker, to the effect that the
statements he had made to the jury which
tried and convicted Brown were false) and
he asked Barker if, on Browns trial, he
had not sworn that Brown had SAID to him,
Il wish to God somebody would steal
/ 4,,ll z -, ,rbt - - IL kIOt
effect. Barker answered that he had.
Several other questions Of a like nature
were then asked the witness, which were
answered in the affirmative, when Gest
showed Barker the affidavit and asked him
| if he had ever signed that paper. Barker
answered tha: he had not Gest then
asked the witness if he had ever sworn to
an affidavit in which he Barker fully
exhouerated Brown from all complicity in
stealing the robes. Barker answered no, y
and then in reply to questions from
both attorneys stated that Brown
had offered him $500 if he
would make such an afhda vii
so that he fBrownl could procure par
don on account Of it; that he Brown
would then do all 10 his power to procure
a pardon for him Barker); that he (Bar
kerr agreed to do so, and GU the evening
before he started for Joliet Mr., Gest camt
into the Jail and wrote out the affidavit
that Mr.. Gest understood the arrangement
between him and Brown; that after the
affidavit was written, Mr., Gest said i
he would sign it he (Gestl had no doub
but what he could get Brown pardoned
that he told Gest, you can put my name
to it, but l will not swear to it.
. When Barker had finished making tht
above statement Mr. Gest jumped to BIZ
feet and said, land say you're an infer
nal liar upon which the justice com
manded order in the court room. Mr.
Gest was very much excited.
The affidavit, as seen by the reporter fo
moment, is signed by a coarse, strag
Cling hand, and is sworn to before Mr.
Gest. az notary public, and whose seal j
attached. Mr.. Gest intimated in one o
his questions that he had signed Barker
name to the instrument but that Barke
had held his finger on the pen while tn
name was being written, as is general
, the case with iliterate persons, but Bar
; ker even denied this. At any rate tn
) signature is written in even worse ham
! - -, Io1 e Al In.
q This matter is, therefore, question o
: veracity between the two men, as t
s. whether the signature is genuine or wheth
er the affidavit was sworn to at ALL @
course Mr.. Gest will have largely the ad
g vantage Of Barker in question of veracity
; But even allowing that Barker signed an
and swore to the affidavit, it is very plai
that Gov. Beveridge was badly deceived
, the matter, aud pardoned man who di
!, not deserve pardon IF Mr.. Gest had an
II reason to doubt the truth of the afidav
g. we suppose he will excuse himself for hi
share in procuring the pardon on th
> the ground that he was only acting as al
torney and it was his duty to take adVal
tage of any testimony in favor OF his eli
g ent.
Buy the Victoria self feeding base burr
n er, acknowledged by all TO be the best, 1
L David Don's, No. ,6l7 Ills st. l3d
: Another Change.
" Iobn y Wh,kahaad has h Am onno;nto