, 1877-10-21


which was pretty important one, that, In or
oer 70 successfully consummAte and carry out
conspiracy Of this character, more parties were
needed merely than Kimberly and Pcriolat:
that Periolai, as contractor, needed subor-
dinates who would pc faithful to him.
The goods must be shipped, and he needed
Is 4 shipping clerk Que upon whom hr
could rely. He had also endcayored to show
that other contractors must of necessity have
been involved in the scheme, and that it could
not have been successfully carried forward and
promoted without the actiyc Assistance and con-
niyancc OF some Of tue members Of tue Board
Of County Commissioners.
Lie then proceeded to demonstrate from the
evidence that Carpenter: sweetzer. johnson,
aud AeCatIrey were all members Of the Ring.
CARPENTER.
As to Carpenter, there were Two INQUIRIES:
First, was he aware that there was any
scheme in progress to dcfraud the countyl
Second, did he tn any way become
party to such scheme and aid or assist in car
ryin@ it out! II these two questions were an
swered in the affirmative, Carpenter was guilty:
and that they must lie thus answered seemed 10
MIR. Storrs clear beyond any question. 1t was
not necessary that Ee derive any personal benc~
tit Or advantage from the maud, or that he knew
Whn tho conspiratoTs were. An English Court
had declared that banker holding trust-fun,ls
knowing the corrupt purposes for which they
we're to be used. was party to the conspiracy.
With reference to the 1irst query, Mr. Storrs
alluded TO Carpenters relations with the
firm Of Forsythe il Co., inquiring whether he
was in such position that he could be aware Of
the cheating. He was their shippinG-clcrk, and
during ls14 was one ot the eUntractors.-a co
partner with reriolat. That he was aware Of
the swindling scheme was shown by his adn,s-
slons to Bears1sley about the keeping OF the
''littlc book." By his statement before the
Grand Jury, where lc said that he kept the
memorandum Of the shortages Tor lis own pro-
lection: and by the book i1sef. His knowledge
was not merely passive. His Was active assist
a'ns;. anss. Ins assistance :.u,, Of shipping
sh.ppi:'c-cler!1 would have exposed the scheme
in All hour. Carpenter aided actively and USE
fuliy BY caeckin@ tie goods not sent, as we'll as
those which were sent The purchase Of cloth
ing truln kvltoGg X Co. furnished an illus1ra-
tion Of this. He aided III kccp!ng the frauds
secret: This was tile reason he Was se]cc:el.
His offensc WIS not Ill exceptional and Isolated
one; it was continuous. He undertook to keep
his book a secret. He kent it not tor the pro-
tcctou Of the public but t,r his own protection,
TO use it Us sword against Periolat. |
Mr.. Storre said he had no disposition (
to pursue Carpenter. In determining the |
measure and extent OF his punishment, the jury |
was weak and
HELFLEss TOOL OF PERloLAr.
He wanted to see him detached from the Ring. |
4 fine within the limits Of ais means was notice
abundant that there Vas u hi her duty thau that
which clerk owed TO his plun1cring employer.
Mr.. Storrs then took up ''tnat chunk Of bccf."
Swcetzcr, as bystan1er called him. No effort,
he said, had bcen made to break the force OF tue
case against him, save Wild aud most violent
abuse Of Kimberly. His story was short one.
n f1r fH in |
the weight Of meats was then read, and |
also that IN refercnt c to the conversations with
perlolat, in which Ferolat told Kimberly that
Sweetzer 1nust pay-that If he didn't lie should
not have the contract. These conversations
were reported to Sweetzrr and he said he would
fix uE the matter. Kimberly had explained in |
detail the manner in which the fraudulent bills
we're made out. This. il false, could easily have
earth, O'Donnell would have known what the
facts were wAile be had the contract. Why Was
be silent! 1t would hare been easy to
have ca called LA certain la.o,.p perso9 alleged
Why was he not callcdl a peculiarly strong
motive for fraud appeared from the evidence
that the contract price for the meat was ruinous-
" low. The hand of periolat was seen in all
this. No friendly Commissioner had conc to
Swcetzer's aid.
When hc reached johnson, s1r. Storrs said
they were getting into the penetration Of the
nsc. His first connection with the conspiracy,
20 far Us there was any proof. was the purchase
If $l1O.44 worth vi goods from Forsytnc Il Co.
N lae Goth OF February. 1874. His next pur-
.}lasc of Sl3G.67 was On the 18th Of May, and in
June Of the same year he purchased small bills
to S2l.35. Tn tic 2Ssh Of May the
irst purchase Of sl10.4 was credited to him, and
IN the .ith of November the other purchases |
to S1i7H2 were charged to the 'k."
,ccpuut. Dec. 10, 1874, he made another pur-
:lasc uf s1o5.S1. This was charged to oft
md loss Dee. 81. The practice Of making retail
f$el,F7
Usual one. johnson, although he had lived for
,ears in the ctr, never bought goods there
'e:orc he became County Commissioner.
There WAS a general understanding, said Brards- |
ey, that sales should not be made to private
parties, '' intimate friends II OF the firm being
Excepted from the rule.
THE ExcEED1sG IMPORTANCE
4 these lacts was shown br the frantic efforts |
# the defcnse to exclude the proof from the
urr. The circumstances became still more |
damaging in their character wi.cll it was consd- /
red that these purchases were charged to profit
nd loss, and that johnson knew it.
}eardsey's evidence was read to show that
ohusou, when he called at the store about the
inc of the Grand Jury investigation, was
anued a transcript Of the ledger in the shape
/ i statement. The pretense Of payment was ]
halow aud false Wasn't it peculiar that Com !
1fssiouers BECAME interested in the books OF !
o1sytl,c i Co. whenever the Grand Jury was
,aking an inyestigatio1l} The time that John
On was stirred into activity and exhibited his |
nccjpts was most suspicious; and it was some ] !
hat strange that when he called at the store
G contcntcd himself with their production. ,
Ihy didn't he bring Periolas along with him!
Ihy were not the receipts offered in evidence! ,
MI. SWEET said it was an oversight.
Mr. Smith remarked that he had told Mr.. ,
torrs that be offered them In evidence.
Mr. Storrs replied that he did not hear Mr.. y
NTH make that offer. :
Slr. Smith rejo1ued that his word was as good
Mr.. Storrs'; if it wasn't, he would leave Cook
Ounty. | :.
Mr. Stor5s rejoined that it wasnot. He would ! :"
sorry to bid Mr.. Smith good-by. II
The Court-Come, come. gentlemen; one :.
ord leads TO another.
Then Mr.. Storrs went on to say that the time . .
hen these extraordinary purchases were ?
adc WAS most significant, in the midst OF the :
auds in that most fraudulent year. 1t was j
tetly iuexplicable that when he saw that bis y !,
count had been charged to profit and loss, he j
d not protest against it. Beardslcy SAID he u
a}e no objection to 1t. In May he had the y
tcrriew with Kimberly, and asked him to u
axe an allowance Of two cents pound for ! NJ
eat to Sweetzer, As it was impossible for him 8
furnish it at five cents. Everything conspired
show that this story was true. Nav Is,
hnson got his first bill OF gootis, which was
,re cd to the s'k.' account. as appeared from
Z Ledger. In December came the Holden it, n,
stiratiou, when it was necessary to hare ~
ore assistance, and johnson bought another -
] of goods, which was on the 3lst OF that ~
onth charged to profit and loss: The laboreF hi