OCR Text |
Show RATHER A FORLORN HOPE. The Section of the Statute Under Which Jones and Treseder - are Liable. The point made by the attorneys, yesterday, yes-terday, in the Jones-Treseder bribery examination ex-amination has been greatly magnified, j Some persons have made themselves believe be-lieve that the fact of Mr. Franks not j having been duly appointed a Deputy United States Marshal till the day of the second meeting between himself and Treseder and Jones will figure with -much importance in the trial. This will prove an extremely fragile foundation for any erection of hopes; and for fear the two interested parties should build up any such phantom and afterwards suffer the disappointment that is inevitable the Democrat, who believes in defending and sympathizing with the friendless and unfortunate, un-fortunate, publishes the following statute under which the charge was made ; it is section 5450, of the Revised Statutes of the United States : Every person who promises, offers or gives, or causes or procures to be promised, offered or given any money or other thing of value, or makes or' tenders any contract, undertaking, obligation, gratuity, or security for the payment of money, or for the delivery de-livery or conveyance of anything of value, to anv officer of the United States, or tj any gBrson acting for or on behalf of the United tates in any official function, under or by authority of any department or office of the Government thereof, or to -any officer or per- I son acting for or on behalf of either House 1 of Congress or of any committes of either I House, or both Houses thereof , with intent to influence his decision or action on any question, matter, cause or proceeding which may at any time be pending or which may by law be brought before him in his official capacity, or in his plaoe of trust or profit, or with intent to influence him to commit or aid in committing, or to collude in, or allow, any fraud, or make opportunity for the commission com-mission of any fraud on the United States, or to induce him to do or omit to do any act in i violation of his lawful duty, shall be punished pun-ished as prescribed in the preceding section." The "preceding section," in referring to the punishment of offenders, says thev shall be . " "Fined not more than three times the amount of money or value of the thing so . offered, promised, given, made, or tendered, and shall be, moreover, imprisoned not more than three years." We have no disposition to pass premature prema-ture judgment on this or any other case at law, but feel compelled as a conservator conserva-tor of the public weal to discourage any false and delusive hopes which " can bring only disappointment and heartburnings. |