, 1878-03-23

| aeitv OF a sleuth. hound, to hunt out the
| truth. Soon he had accumulated mass OF
| evidence that would justify public Journal
| in opening its columns TO an investigation.
| He submitted his information to the propri-
etors of the paper, and after long discus
sion, he was allowed to ventiiate 1t. Then
commenced that attack, and array OF dam
aging circumstantial evidence, against the
managers of the institution that attracted
the attention Of the city and state, and made
CONTEMPORARIES who had heretofore held
aloof, acknowledge that the Caa had become
power in journalism. Charles H. Hemp
stead was the superintendent OF the mint at
the time Like other government institu-
tions, then and since, 1t was cursed with
political riyalries and jeainusies which were
a foe to good discipline and exact manage
| ment. The power at Washington was
stronger than himself and poEtlca. tavori.es
| in the institution could not be removed, even
for cause. We shrewdly suspect that all
the information Newell furnished the public
came from the superintendent, who WAS
chafing in the political manacies that bound
! his hands. Major Jacob L. Snyder was
United States sub-treasurer and treasurer OF
the mint during this period, and held the
double Office Til June. 1861. Alter Charles
n Felton's incumbency, April !, 1868, the
offices were separated.
Major Snyder was man OF unblemlshed
character IN public as well as IN private HE
| There were two other men III the mlIt also
named Snyder-one u. H., Assayer) has
been since associated with Mir. Charles
| Wheatleish III theatrical business, ard the
other is the employ of the water company :.
| present In pursuing his Investigations,
Newell, who was little hard of hearing,
yot matters somewhat mixed, with what
result we viii see further on. The similarity
of names was the rock On which he struck.
Ii had been fair sailing till the treasnrers s
department came III his way. The onslaughts
continued fierce and persistent. Mean
time, the United States grand jury made a
special inquiry into mint affairs, the most
ac.ive man in pursuing the inquest being 4
person named hapiiacl Schoyer. Mr.. Haras-
zthy was indicted. 1t was hot Work a..
round and in self-defence
THE SUB-TEEASUREE SUED "THE CALL FOR
LIBEL.
An Indictment was found September l9,
1857, and the case was tIIed Ill the county
court Lcfore Judge Freelon. Col. Edward
u. Baker, o.ie OF the most eloquent pleaders
ever before the California bar, was retained
to assiStthe prosecution; and the defence was
undertaken by the comparatively unknown
law firm, Love 4 Watson. 1t Was " Cne
Cause Celebre" of the time, and the result
of the triai was watched with absorbing III
terest; by none more 50, We may add, than
by the hve young proprietors OF the Gait
who had staked their fortunes on the Issue.
Acguittal meant an accession OF public colt
tidence to their paper !: conviction, $500 line,
| years imprisonment, ahd the virtual run
OF their enterprise.
1t WAS soon developed after the trial had
been commenced that the fatal error had
been committed, in pGrsumg the mint deidi-
cations, OF msstating the Eane y wrong
man had been ;.:r;.igued before the pabilc
III the columns u. the paper; and although
great coed had been done generally, III ca
posing the corruption, Ill tins Individual III
stance hardship lad been suffered 10y the
, sub reasurer, Snyder IL was 4 hcAiish
position; and the jury was fioted ariXiousiy.
Baker, Ill a mastery speech, asked tor con-
victIon and the fall extent oi the penalty /;
but there WAS a comforting lack Of attention
on the part OF tie Jurors. On the contrary,
! when VI Nastson spoke "f the iuties OF a prop
erly y-conducted newspaper. and the real ben
eiit the defendants had been to the commu-
nifty Ill the controversy out of which Mr..
Snyders sult had grown, they listened with
undivided attention. Freelon charged dead
against the defendants. Newhaii then OF
! the firm of Newhall X Gregory, auctioncers,l J
! ,l,a o. l,,y
given to the jury, and 1.-THE boys" returned
| to the printing Office, each felt, as he took
DIP his composing stick, that lie was doing
SD for the last Ulme n the service of tie Cat,
and the work went YEARLY forward; but
| soon the cloud. lifted Love dropped In All
| hour or two afterward with the cheering In
tciligcnce: ''lioys, the jury has disagreed" :"
! Then there We're congratulations all round,
! and one me;nber of the firm, usually rosy
! checked, but who had become very pale at
| the prospect Immediately resumed his nat
pral color and embraced the Office boy in
the excess of his delight. 1t hardly right,
We suppose, to tell the secrets OF the jury
room out OF doors bu: We did hear that
| Mr.. Newhall emphatically refused to find a
| verdict agaiI:St the defendants.
How could We know" said he, In self
vendication for this course, what is going
on around us if il were not for such a paper
as the Gail? How could We have known OF
these mint rascalities if it were not for the
trouble it has taken to unearth them? Sup
posing it has made a mistake in this particu-
lar instance. 1t was unintentional We
must take the spirit and intention shown in
the matter, and, above all, consider the
great amount of good the investigation has
done. By" and he struck the table heavi-
ly with his hand, Il will SIT here till tie
Day of Judgment, before bring verdict
against that paper
And so the jury disagreed, and the threat
encd danger was averted. The case never
came to trial again. A full explanation put.
hshed in the Cal, salved the wounded feel
ings of Major Snyder, and he consented to a
mol. pros being entered. But We think the
success OF the paper dates from this mint
case. The popularity acquired by the vigor
and persistency of the fight was very great,
to say nothing of the sympathy excited by
tie prosecution.