Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-08-16

S0'ISIs VI SoOSSe~o W wv
Men to Defend Their Case.
Quebec, Aug. l4.-John +. Gaynot
and Benjamin ID. Greene, accused of
conspiracy 10 defraud the American
government, are free. Judge Caron, in
court here yesterday, gave Judgment
to that effect. He quashed the war
rant on which they were arrested ON
the ground that the charge Of con
spirucy to defraud does not come under
the extraditlOn act, and that the Of
fense is not of sufficiently recent da.e.
The United States government at
tOrneys made no further application,
so he prisoners We're released, and are
receiving congratulations by the score.
John Il. GaynOr and Benjamin u.
Greene are the principal contractors In
the. Savannah river and hnrbOr i'm
provements, for participation in frauds
on which. uggregating millions, Oberlin
NJ. Carter, the army engineer in charge,
is now doing time at the Lcavenworth
military prison. GaynOr and Greene
We're indicted in 1890 by the Georgia
courts, it being charged that they
prOtited by the frauds to double the eA-
tent Carter did, and he received over
$70O.OOO. From New York city Gaynor
and Greene fought removal to Georgia
by every expedient money could com
mand and ingenuity cOntrive. When
their legal resources were exhausted.
early this year, and trial in the Georgia
courts stared them in the face, Gaynor
and Greene fed to Quebec. their bonds
of $4,000 each being forfeited last
March by an order declaring them
fugitives from justice. In Quebec they
engaged eminent counsel and lived
openly. defying arrest.
Desiring to avoid extradition pro.
ceedings in the city Of Quebec. the
fugitives were arrested May II in that
city. and hurried TO Montreal for hear
ing before EXtiadition Commissioner
J.afontane. This precipitated Il legal
battle between the authorities of Mon
treal and Quebec. with wriis of habeas
corpus as ammunition. and eventually
the agents of the United States gov
ernment had to proceed IN the Quebec
courts. Here extrad tion has been
fought by the best legal talent Of
Quebec, and every possible dev:cc has
been resOrted to to delay the proceed
ings.
Marion Erwin. the American agent,
last month made report to the Wash
ington department of justice complain
ing Of irregularty in procedure. show
ing that the fugtives' attorneys were
closely connected by ties of business
and blood with the Canadian author-
ties who have to do with eytraditiOn,
and virtually charging that the case
was prejudiced by these facts.
Whether this was so or not. the pub
licatiOn Of this report raised storm
in Quebec. where II was seized upon by
counsel for Gaynor and Greene and
dragged into the court proceedings with
much display Of virtuOus Indignation
that the integrity of the Canadian
courts had been impeached. 1t was
also charged that Erwin had attempt ID
to settle the case for $500. 900. a state
ment which he vigorously denied.
1t may be fairly said that Judge
Caron has not shown himself nnfrien,lly
to the fugitives since he forced their
trial before him rather than at Mon
treal, and the result has not altogether
been unexpected. What further action
the Washington authorities will take
remains to be seen.
Since judgment was rendered the ac-
cused have enjoyed their liberty and
last night could be seen among the
prOmenaders on the terrace. Accord
ing to the judgment the accused are
perfectly free to travel in any part of
the British empire.
The action of Justice Caron in Dis
charging the prisoners from custody
and the grounds stated for his conclu-
siOns. in the Judgment rendered, came
as surprise to the counsel for the
United States.
Boston, Aug. 14.-AttOrney General
Knox was informed by The Associated