, 1877-02-11

The United States vs. James q. IIildreth. In
dietnent. Now a comes tue District 4 Attorney, and
thercupon the motion to Qnash the ind1ctmcnt:com-
ing on to be heard; after Argument the Conrt, he
iuE fully advised ovcfrules slil motion, and said
defendant being arraigned upon the indictment in
this behalf for pleo thereto says he Is not guilty
therein charged. .~.
On Tuesday June 6, the following entry ap-
pears:
The United states Of america rs. James II.
Attorney. and now comes also the defendant by his
cnunsci. and now comes ol to be heard the motion
case. and, after hearing the defendant and arsu-
ments Of counsel, the Court nrerrnled such motion.
And, on motion Of the Dlstrict-AttoEney.. it is
ordered that warrant issue a aSains me &C.
the defendant in person. and by leave OF the Court
withdraws his plea Of not guilty to the first and
eleventh counts in the indictment herein, and
pleads guilty to said first and eleventh counts.
Here the mention Of =.
LITTLE EPISODE
not spread on the records cf the court becomes
necessary. On the afternoon OF SUNDAY, June
lS, Hidreth' fled to Canada. He had become
imposed day or two before on 4 few Of his
crooked brethren. and determined to seek cor
poral safety in flight. He boarded the Michi-
gan Central train at the Twenty-second street
station, and on Monday mbrning was safely
under the protection Of the British Lion. Let
us resume the record.
On Monday, June 10, the following appears:
The United States OF America versus James H.
Hfldreth. Indictment. Now comes the District
Attorney, and now comes also the defcndant. by
hts counsel, and, motion Of the District Attor-
ney for sentence and Judgment against the de.
fendant, upon bis plca of guilty to the first and
eleventh counts Of said indictment hcretofofe en-
tered herein, and after hearing the statements Of
the defendants counsel in mitigation of sentence,
and the statements of the District Attorney the
Court takes the samc under advisement.
n $f L..
pleaded gully, or, after trial, had been adjudgcd
SO. were called up fur sentence. The following
is the record III the case Of the Western De-
mostlencs:
The United States OF America versus James II.
Hidrcth, indictment. Now comes the District
Attorney, and his motion the said James Il.
Hidrcth Is three times solemnly called IN open
court and required to appear and answer the in
dctment on tle against him in accordance With the
tenor and effect Of said recognfzance, and comes
not, but makes default, aud thcreupon the said
Francis W. Warren. he surety mentioned in said
recognizance, IL also three times solemniy called
and required to produce the body OF tho said James
H. II1dreth In discharge OF his said recognizance,
comes not, but makes default, and falls to
produce ths body Of the I'D James +:
defaults of the said James g. Hildreth and Francis
W. Warren be entered, and that Judgment OF for
M feiture m be deereed against them in the sum Of
And It Is further ordered By the Court that writ
OF scre !acas may issue to them to show cause, If
any they can, why THIS judgment OF ICT1etkufb
should not be made absolute. and that the same
be made returnable to the next term Of this Court
4 few weeks after the departure OF this self
convicted fraud, his friends here began
NEGOTIATIONS FOE HIS RETURN.
Stories were in circulation that unless things
were fixed SO he could come back and escape
the penalty Of Imprisonment, he would turn
squealer aud diyulge all the schemes aud tricks
he had ever been engaged in during bis Alder
manic career. Whether or not be ever had any
S3rfrr
any degree OF certainty but csrtain it is that the
rumor OF his intention to do so was productive
OF good fruit. His brother visited Washington.
Prominent politicians, either through fear or
sympathy, contributed their valuable aid, and
an arrangement was finally entered into BY
which he was accorded permission to return and
roam at will, on condition Of the payment Of
fine of s., Coz and the costs of prosecution. It
was further agreed that sentence of imprison-
mcnt should be entered up against him, but
don had been arranged for. The fun sentence
has never been formally pronounced, nor
has my OF it, except accidentally, been
spread upon the records OF the Court.
In accordance with this arrangement Hldreth
emigrated from Canada, and arrived here on
months. He was the recipient OF an almost
kiugly ovation at the hands Of his political
croncs; and the s'bummers," whose moral
sense Of right and wrong has become SO
fraud and perjury, are to them synonosnous
with shrewdness, were not slow to extending
the right hand Of fellowship, and set 'em up
with q frequency which battles the multfplca-
tiou-table to dceipher. A week later, Hiloreth,
with the air Of a man engaged in an ordinary
business enterprise, visited the Government
building, and fulfilled bis portion OF the agree
ment. He paid the 5000 fine and the costs OF
prosecution. The record of this portion Of the
Judgment Of the Court bears date Nov. 9, and
Is rs follows:
The United States rs. James II. Hi1dreth: In
aictment for violation Of 1ntesnal Revenue law. It
appearing to the Court from the report Of the Clerk
OlS il, the amount Of the fine and costs ad}udged
against the defendant and paid Into court In this
case i is therefore ordered BY the Court, on mo.
the anc, to wit: S 600, be paid over to the Of
the United States, and that the said sum Of SIS II
be transferred to the United States to the order Of
the Sub Treasury therefor to wit: to ]. d: Harvey,
Collector Of Internal Revenne for the First Dis
trict, for said fine of S3 GOO, and to George $.
Bangs, ESQ.,, Assistant Treasurer. Chicago, for
said SIS. II.
There yet remains to be spread on the Court
records the sentence OF Imprisonment which 1t
is understood will be done at an early date:
crooked record Of Jumes Il. Hildreth, ex-Aldcr-
man OF the Seventh Ward. There is yet
ANOTHER CHAPTER OF Il DAMN1Nd CHARACTER
It Is comprised in the single word perjury, un-
bIushing perjury, committed at regular inter-
ya1s duriug the time he was invested with the
functions OF Gauger. When be filed bis official
bond he solemnly subscribed to the following
oath Of Office, which is printed on the back
thereof:
I. James Fl. Hildreth, haring been appointed to
swear Tor aairm) that have never voluntarily
borne arms against the United States since have
been citizen thereof; that I have voluntarily
given no aid, countenance, counsel or encourage
nacnt to persons engaged In armed hostility
thereto; that I have neither sought nor
accepted, nor attempted to exercise, the
functions Of any office whatcver under any
authority OF pretended authority In hostility to the
United States; that haye not yielded voluntary
support to any pretended Government, authority,
poye1 or Constitution, within the United States,
hostile or inimical thereto. And do further
ewear Tor affirm that to the best of my knowledge
and ability will support and defend the Consttu-
ton OF the United States agl,nst al enemies,
foreign and domestic; that will bear true filth
and allegiance to the 6ame; that take this obliga-
purpose OF evasion; and TINT fuiN TeH and faith
Juily t5ischQTgs the duties Of the office on tn1tch
am dJout to enter. So help ME God.
Once month the Gaugers were by law re-
quired to furnish d statement OF the work done
BIZ them, and to this statement was appended
an affidavit, Feciting that it was true and
faithful account OF the work performed, and
that 81 ssnether be nor any member OF his family
has received, either personally or By the inter-
yeution Of another party, any money or conf
pensation of any description whatever, nor any
promises for the same, either directly or indi-