New-York tribune., 1878-11-22
LOCAL MISCELLANY.

GIVING THE PONTEZ CASE TO THE JURY.
JUDGE DAVIS, IN HIS CHARGE, DEFENDS THE EN-
yIoYMEyr OF DETECTIVES IN THE PURSUIT OF
FRAUD AND CRIME.
The trial of Charles w. PonteZ, as one Oh
the chefs in the great $64 900 forgery OF January
was closed yesterday except so far as the )urSs
IL concerned The proof reported In lliE ihboSE'
had been that Ponlez had become acquainted WIN
gang OF forCers yet except in regard to TINS matter
had maintained a good reputation; that ne
had access TO the cancelled checks OF the hc
insurance company, in which he was
trusted clerk and that Of these checks had oeen e
copy from which the forgery traced The only other
testimony against him that OF one Becker, d
skful forger who avowed that he did the mechanical
work on the forgery bat that POntez supplied nm WIN
the checks and signatures and Information necessary
10 the perfection OF the forgery, and shared III inc %
ceeds Mr.. Dos PassOs Wednesday strongly lresscu
the improbability of a confessed fOrgers testimony
against the good character OF PonteZ ana the
failure OF any other testimony.
Yesterday MI Phelps made the closing argument Ior
the prosecution. He at admitted all the cains
made for Pontez Of public GOOD character the hashness
of punisning a man certainly SICK, perhaps OF
fatal disease but he pointed ont that while petty
forgery might be made by ordinary men, great forgery
uch as this mast have az each end of the line
men OF good character Elliott and Becker, with all
their criminal skill, could have done not1hE
unless at one end they obtained the services OF
man with fair reputation, such as POnteI 10 giNeIbcn
Information and at the other end man ike MaSwel
10 dispose Of the check. Mr. Phelps then closely ds
cussed the testimony, claiming that ~ sho%11 t @ tmav
POnteZ not only was an associate OF crinlnas, ou. h
them TO be criminals III the evidence Tor the prosecu-
conid leave no doubt of IT, Nor could there be any
doubt that he had taken advantage OF MS position as
After recess Judge DAVIS began bis charge He called
attention the te Tact that creatures OF hcon We're
often surpassed by the realities brought Dei0re courts M
In this the jury were to inquire sLnpg INTO e one
truth The prisoner indicted on two charses one
hahn aptiy
the forgery aud second for Icing accessory 10 hls
Judge DAVIS urged that II they found the person
who gave the check as copy, thcy woulu nave lJLe
difficulty In determining who gave the Otner lniornaton
necessary the Orgers. II was claimed by the psoh
ers counsel that omitting Bcckers testimony any one
OF seventy employees might have given the information
That partly true. At rate there was missing
link without that testimony Becker was an aSknow id n
agree wholly with the p"Iu,ar Ienuhcla
ton OF the evidence o. aceSmP1ceS; cSaIPh Sct be
wholly rejected II OF the chiei elements OF the
protection Of society against crime tnat coermais @ @
should be allowed to testify against each Other Inc Jaw
admitted testimony only calling on Jurors 10 scan
It closely They might now convict on the evidence OF
do not" added Judge Davis, concur AT an IN me
very common and. and may say, very popular aenui-
ciation Of detectives who make IL theI speca uu 10
follow up and ascertain crimes and OF those VINO employ
all the honorable means and facilities which the shl
and ingenuity traincd detectives enable honesty TO use
IN the pursuit Of fraud and or me- On the contrary
think that in the administration OF justice society ls
entitled to the use of all the skill and ingenuity indus
try and genius, if may speak, OF trained men &C
custOmed understand pursue and ferret out the de
vices and schemes OF crime, There rs reason why
crime should be entitled to ingenuity, skill and even
genius Tor lts execution aud honesty not be en-
titled to the elements Tor It's pursuit
and detection. In my Judgment 1t Will be well, indeed
police force or our detective force can exhibit
superior skill and ingenuity III following crime 10 thht
shown by criminals IN its commission, and when We
reach that stage e mOnstrous offences which are being
degree"
agreed upon verdict at O'Clock, were locked up for
tie night