The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-16
washington Post1

Another celebrated case will be re-
corded in the annals of the old criminal
courts of this district by the trial of
Mrs. Bradley, charged with the killing
of the late Senator Brown of Utah.
and it will have at least a semi-na-
tional Importance. inasmuch as it was
United States senator who was
killed"
Thus remarked one of Washington s
oldest inhabitants, who for a long time
has been familiar with proceedings in
the Washington courts. There have
been many dramatic events i'm the
course of some of the trials in our
temples of justice" he remarked. "and
just now our mind reverts to one trial.
that | expect few persons in Washing
ton remember, that was marked by
circumstances which gave il a sort of
international tinge
L allude, he said, ITO the trial of
DR.. Charles John Gardner, away back
In the year 1853. Gardner was a den
list, and for a time lived in the re-
pubic of Mexico, where he went to
seek his fortune The doctor was a
bright, keen-witted sort of a man. and
always depOrted himself like thorough
gentleman. When he was in Mexico
ne got an idea into his head that he
could successfully carry out a scheme
by which this government might be
Wheedled into paying him a while lot
of money, and for a time he was secure
ly located on easy street.
He managed while in Mexico to Sc
cure a number of fraudulent titles to
silver mines, and did not hesitate to
commit forgeries in nearly every case
to support his claims to the mines, and
Il commission which was then in ses-
sion here adjusted matters growing out
of the war between Mexico and the
4 United States approved of his demand,
and he was actually awarded a very
large sum.
There were several persons, however,
not only here, but in Mexico, who
avOwed openly that DR.. Gardner had,
with his fluent pen, committed all sorts
of forgeries, and it ended al last in a
suit being instituted by the United
States, and Gardner was indicted for
forgery. 1t was quite a long trial and
was characterized by the production
of much documentary evidence
There were two trials. In the first
the jury could not agree. The defend
ant seemed never so much at his ease
as when the second trial was going on.
He was the very picture of elegance as
he faced his accusers, ard the court
room was crowded with friends, who,
like himself, were confident that he
would be acquitted
But they reckoned wrong. for the
jury did convict him, and here comes
in the dramatic part of it. Gardner
stood up while the jury was being
polled, and heard every man in the
twelve answer in response to the ques-
ton, Guilty or not guilty. the fatal
word Guilty He fairly staggered to
his seat and asked for a glass of water,
at the same time putting something
into his mouth. He was taken back
to the old jail, then located where the
pension Office is now, and died in a
spasm within half an hour He had
taken strychnine in the court room. in
the presence of judge. jurors and every
one else.
There was another very dramatic
picture in the criminal court room when
John SUrratt, tried for completely in
the assassinatio of President Lincoln,
was discharged by that good man and
excellent jurist, the late Judge Wylie !
The jurors we're out. but the court had
not taken a recess. 1t was twilight, and