Show Sum StartllDs AMertlons NEWORKIAIW April 22The cue of the United States vs John H Aufde Biortej and Erastus Sheppard charged with conspiring to defraud the government govern-ment war closed today The jury found verdict guilty Aufdeniorte wa1 convicted abouta mo run ago of embezzling 25OoO of the governments money and was sentence to five years in thepenitentiary S ep adwas with Aufdemorte in Mexico when arrested and had a portion ot the stolen money in bis possession which he bad received from Aufdemorte The prisoners pris-oners were remanded for sentence NEW 0IEA5S April 22 Erastus Sbeppard convicted today of conspiracy con-spiracy Aufdemorlc to cefraud the government spoke In his own behalf He made a statement in regard to his life substantially nl follows When 1 was Li years of age I was employed in a counterfeiting establishment establish-ment which was owned among others by Charles H Leonard recently mayor 0 Galveston Texas and at present one of the most nrominent citizens of that city Interested with him were the mayor of New Orleans city officials chief of police judges and limbs of the law Then the JuJge of the criminal court for the parish of New Orleans was partner in establishment also a certain prominent lawyer who now occupies a jndgeship in Baltimore These people were engaged in counterfeiting counter-feiting Mexican coin United States bills and money of every description The Mexican money was manufactured downstairs and the United States notes etc were turned out up stairs My position was that of messenger for the establishment and as such I delivered counterfeit money to the banks of the city and the high officials Thousands and thousands of dollars of this money was manufactured and circulated cir-culated here and elsewhere throughout this Coutrv and Mexico It wad while in the employ of this establishment that I became acquaiqtcd with the art of cou at erf citing many of the persons engaged in the business of counterfeiting in the times to which I allude have left behind them sons and daughters who move in the highest society circles of the Crescent City ladies and gentlemen of prominence and the greatest respectability For this reason I do not propose to make known the names for whom I first worked in the counterfeiting business All mv life it has been my misfortune to suffer and bear the brunt of others misdeeds My whole life has been one of a continued sacrifice Sheppard is now C2 years of age |