Show I AUGUST BELHONT I A few years ago this name was one of the most prominent in Amer jean politics and right soundly hast has-t been cussed by all republican editors and republican statesmen of the country During the past few days the wires and the press have I many times repeated the name but on this occasion chiefly in connec tion with a news item Early last week John Devoy editor of the Irish Nation New York was found guilty of libeling Mr Belmont and sentenced to sixty days imprisonment imprison-ment though the plaintiff asked the court to deal mercifully with the guilty man Belmont did not care to punish Devoy merely desiring his own vindication from a foul charge and that he found in the verdict of the jury The libel of which the telegraph has had so much to ray lately consisted in this In I860 the Fenian head centre bought of Belmont Co the agents in this country of the Rothschilds drafts on the latter in favor of George Hopper and John OLeary for 820000 The money wag part of the skirmishing fund Hopper and OLeary were arrested in England the drafts found on them and confiscated and the men were tried and one of them con victea of high treason and sentenced to fifteen years penal servitude OMahony the headcentre demanded de-manded of Belmont the money paid for the drafts but the latter reused re-used on the ground that the sum had been transmitted tothe Roths hilds The case was in litigation for some time and finally the court ordered the money placed into the hands of a receiver Vhen the latter was after wards called upon to pay over the amount it was found that he had squandered it and was bankrupt bank-rupt The Fenians have always thought Belmont should give them back the money notwithstanding the fact that he had once paid it as the court directed and have savagely agely abused him Last October Devoy published in his paper that Belmont was a trickster and jug ler who had acted flagrant violation lation of the trusts reposed in him as a banker The ar I title was evidently intended to slander August Belmont and inure in-ure his son Perry Belmont who I was a candidate for reelection to Congress for it is said that if the Iso I I son did not share his fathers shame he at least inherited the fruits of his fathers dishonesty The trial was an exciting one and the prominence of the parties gave to it more interest than otherwise would have been aroused Devoys attorneys orneys seemed to be actuated by the same vindictive spirit as their client They took occasion when ever itwas possible to do so to insult in-sult Belmont j as for instance the plaintiff in answering a question said I did all that an honest banker could do when the lawyer interrupted inter-rupted Leave out the honesty if you please There were numerous passages of this character and finally fin-ally the lawyers undertook to revive I an old ana vicious slander concerning concern-ing Belmonts parentage which the banker resented as a brave and honorable hon-orable man that he is Here is a passage from the report of the proceedings What is your name Mr Costello asked suddenly August Belmont responded the witness calmly Where were you burn was the next queslionbut Judge Oowing ruled it out He has answered that in his preliminary prelimin-ary examination n said the judge j land we have no time io allow you to repoa evidence |