The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1895-05-03
A MILD COURT SENSATION
DAvENPoRTPLEA GUILTY
Gives Reasons for Doing So. In
stigated to Commit the Crime by
Man Employee by Gov
erment Official.

When "Docn Davenport, the coun-
terfeiter, came into the United States
court this morning to plead to the in
dic,ment against him, he created q
stir. When asked whether or not he
was guilty of having molds in his
possession, which constitutes one
charge against him, and Of coming
spurious dollars, he acknowledged
that he had done both.
No one expected him to plead guilty.
1t was supposed that he would stand
trial, but he had something to say.
When Judge Bellinger formally asked
him if he desired to make statement
before sentence was passed, he walked
to the witness stand unfolded a tale
that aroused the ire of the judge.
"Last December,n said Davenport,
"a man giving his name as Charles
French call at my house on the farm,
and said that he would like to remain
there several weeks trapping. He had
traps, and he set them. One day he
asked me how to make countefeit dol
lars, knowing | understood the bust
ness because / had served o term for
the offense eight years ago. He gave me
so cents with which | bought plaster
and solder. / made the molds, and q
few coins with them.
"French told me that he only
wanted t., learn out Of curiosity, and !
did notsee any harm in showing hin
But, soon afterward, / was arrested on
this charge, Now that man French
was simply employed bySpeclal AGENT
of the Treasury N. R. Harris to corner
me.n
AS it is well settled principle Of
criminal law that man cannot be
held for crime when instigated to 1t
by detectives, Judge Bellinger deman-
ded an explanation from District AT
torney Murphy. He arose, and said
that French had not instigated Daven-
port; that he had simply caught
Davenport in the act.
But this explanation did not satisfy
Judge Bellinger at all. "You may sll
down." said he to Davenport. II will
investigate this matter. Sentence will
not be passed at this time. Detectives
Of the government have no right to
aid in the commission of crime, and
thus come into this court TO ask thai
the criminal be punished. want II
understood that PERSONS who 60 about
instigating will not find their business
successful in this COURT
And a stiffness that was embarrass-
ing reigned for moment
why then did you plead euilIy@"
asked the judge, suddenly turning t.
Davenport
"Well, what else was ! going to doG
supposed that they had me, and l'v'
got no money for lawyers
The judge then asked for French bu
he was not present, He announce'
thar he would look into the matte
aud learn the truth, Should he tin'
that Special Agent Harris did employ
French to trap Davenport in this way
the countefeiter may get off.
Judge Bellinger is very po-ilive III
the matter. He has great antipathl
10 detective work of this class, believ-
ing that ii is not the business of the
government officials to create cases.
Davenport's record as a counttrfeiter
will likely iniure his chances of being
credited, but the methods employed in
working up the case are very likely to
influence the judge in giving sentence,
should he decide to pass sentence at
all,--Portland Telegram,
1t is the general opinion around
here that the above statement of
"pocn Davenport's Is true and that
some of the so called detectives around
Lebanon took this plan of making
money out Of the government at
Davenpori's expense. II we are cor