Evening star., 1926-06-06

green goods, game was mGch prdctlceu
TIL cl4 by swindlers. wit h
The SaWdust would-be swindlers as
cl1. their victims. In The
S"iAuAe' Star of May 90, 1875,
is the following about one of these
"a seals, who got into court by pc
culiar procedure:
"A fellow belonging TO the class
known as Sawdust swindlers was tried
in New York on Saturday, the indict-
ment charging that he had used the
United States mails for the purpose OF
perpetrating a fraud in onering coun-
terfeit money for sale. 1t was his
wont to propose to sell to parties in
different parts of the country, whose
addresses he obtained, certain amounts
of such bogus money for a pecunlary
consideration, the latter. OF course, be.
ing paid in genuine greenbacks. IL
the parties addressed took the bait. he
would send them, instead of counter
felt money. box of sawdust or shaw
ings. One of the rascals who had
lost money in a venture OF this klnd
had the unblushing effrontery to sue
the saWdust man.
.'The counsel for the defense took
a peculiar and yet not an altogether
unrea sonable view of the case, argu-
| ing that his client belonged to a class
| of persons who did more to suppress
the circulation of counterfeit money
than even the Secret Service Division
of the Treasury Department. II the
complainant in the case. he argued,
was dealing with genuine counter
| feiters, he would do more toward nooo.
| ing the country with this kind OF
money than the principals themselves,
| but after being once bitten by
sharper it is impossible for the dealers
mentioned to have dealings with them.
These persons would have flooded
their sections with counterfeit money
and the defendant. instead OF beinG
sent to State prison, should receive a
reward for the continuance OF his
business from the Government. In
conclusion, he said his client had Kept
a. record of those who were willing to
receive and circulate counterfeit
money and that the list of names
reached nearly 10000. including con-
eressmen, elergymen and others. De-
cision in the case was reserved. Un-
doubtedly, the law should make the
would-be purchaser quite as guilty OF
the crime as the sawdust swlndler
himself, and both ought to be made to
serve out a long term in the pen1ten
tiary."
notwithstanding the ingenious plea
of the defendants counsel in this case,
he was eventually fined $500 and SEN
tenced to serve Is months imprison-
ment.
The Senate on the 10Th of May. 1876,
voted, 81 to 20, to proceed with the
trial of the inn
Trial Despite peachment charges
Resignation. 9vo1sns Wo Relknsp. n.'for Former @;
Secretary of War, Notwithstanding the
fact that he had resigned that position
and was no longer in Office. The Star,
in it's issue of May 80. 1876, says:
1.-THE settlement Of the matter OF
jurisdiction establishes a highly i'm.
portant precedent, the first of the kind
in American history, viz: that a pub
lie officer be amenable to trial by i'm
peachment for acts done as such Off
Ger notwithstanding he resigns after
such acts were committed. The ques-
ton whether Gen. Belknap resigned to
escape impeachment does not seem to
have received the special considera'
tion of the Senate, which laid down
the broad principle that a public Off
Ger is liable to impeachment even
though he be no longer an officer of
the Government. While justice to the
defendant in this case demands that
he should have fair trial, the inter
ests of the country require that the
trial should be carried on without any
unnecessary delay. in order that the
important legislative business now be-
fore Congress may be transacted be.
fore the end Of the present fiscal
year."
Half a. century ago the most inter.
esting political development In this
Blaine and vestigation by the
Mulligan. h0ass si9,s. 3ndieiaIy ,n,e tS. conn
nection Of James g. Blaine. then a
member Of the House Of Represent.
atives, with the issuance Of the Little
Rock and Fort Smith Railroad bonds.
James Mulligan, witness, had pro.
duced certain letters written by Mr..
Blaine, and on the 1st Of June. 1876.
Mr.. Blaine appeared as a witness him.
self in consultation with one Of them
who. told a fluent story about Blaine
going to him and dropping upon his
knees and Offering him consulship IL
he would let UP on him, with a threat
to commit suicide IL Mulligan refused.
The Star. in its issue Of June !. 1876.
says:
"Mr. Elaine rebutted the allegations
'af the witness Eth kEeat nramntneAs