|
Prev
| Next
| Contents
"WHEREAS," HE STOLE NOTHING.
One of the most celebrated courts-martial during the War was that
of Franklin W. Smith and his brother, charged with defrauding the
government. These men bore a high character for integrity. At this time,
however, courts-martial were seldom invoked for any other purpose than
to convict the accused, and the Smiths shared the usual fate of persons
whose cases were submitted to such arbitrament. They were kept in
prison, their papers seized, their business destroyed, and their
reputations ruined, all of which was followed by a conviction.
The finding of the court was submitted to the President, who, after a
careful investigation, disapproved the judgment, and wrote the following
endorsement upon the papers:
"Whereas, Franklin W. Smith had transactions with the Navy Department to
the amount of a million and a quarter of dollars; and:
"Whereas, he had a chance to steal at least a quarter of a million
and was only charged with stealing twenty-two hundred dollars, and the
question now is about his stealing one hundred, I don't believe he stole
anything at all.
"Therefore, the record and the findings are disapproved, declared null
and void, and the defendants are fully discharged."
Prev
| Next
| Contents
Stories and Anecdotes About the Life of Abraham Lincoln
|
|