the financier-第95部分

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　it。　　He　had　put　himself　in　a　most　unsatisfactory　position；　politically　and　socially。　　They　understood　and　took　into　consideration　his　great　financial　and　social　losses　which　Steger　described　accurately；　and　one　of　them；　Judge　Rafalsky；　because　of　a　similar　event　in　his　own　life　in　so　far　as　a　girl　was　concerned；　was　inclined　to　argue　strongly　against　the　conviction　of　Cowperwood；　but；　owing　to　his　political　connections　and　obligations；　he　realized　that　it　would　not　be　wise　politically　to　stand　out　against　what　was　wanted。　Still；　when　he　and　Marvin　learned　that　Judges　Smithson；　Rainey；　and　Beckwith　were　inclined　to　convict　Cowperwood　without　much　argument；　they　decided　to　hand　down　a　dissenting　opinion。　　The　point　involved　was　a　very　knotty　one。　　Cowperwood　might　carry　it　to　the　Supreme　Court　of　the　United　States　on　some　fundamental　principle　of　liberty　of　action。　　Anyhow；　other　judges　in　other　courts　in　Pennsylvania　and　elsewhere　would　be　inclined　to　examine　the　decision　in　this　case；　it　was　so　important。　　The　minority　decided　that　it　would　not　do　them　any　harm　to　hand　down　a　dissenting　opinion。　　The　politicians　would　not　mind　as　long　as　Cowperwood　was　convictedwould　like　it　better；　in　fact。　　It　looked　fairer。　　Besides；　Marvin　and　Rafalsky　did　not　care　to　be　included；　if　they　could　help　it；　with　Smithson；　Rainey；　and　Beckwith　in　a　sweeping　condemnation　of　Cowperwood。　So　all　five　judges　fancied　they　were　considering　the　whole　matter　rather　fairly　and　impartially；　as　men　will　under　such　circumstances。　Smithson；　speaking　for　himself　and　Judges　Rainey　and　Beckwith　on　the　eleventh　of　February；　1872；　said：

　　〃The　defendant；　Frank　A。　Cowperwood；　asks　that　the　finding　of　　　the　jury　in　the　lower　court　（the　State　of　Pennsylvania　vs。　Frank　　　A。　Cowperwood）　be　reversed　and　a　new　trial　granted。　　This　court　　　cannot　see　that　any　substantial　injustice　has　been　done　the　　　defendant。　　＇Here　followed　a　rather　lengthy　resume　of　the　history　　　of　the　case；　in　which　it　was　pointed　out　that　the　custom　and　　　precedent　of　the　treasurer's　office；　to　say　nothing　of　　　Cowperwood's　easy　method　of　doing　business　with　the　city　　　treasury；　could　have　nothing　to　do　with　his　responsibility　for　　　failure　to　observe　both　the　spirit　and　the　letter　of　the　law。＇　　　The　obtaining　of　goods　under　color　of　legal　process　＇went　on　　　Judge　Smithson；　speaking　for　the　majority＇　may　amount　to　　　larceny。　　In　the　present　case　it　was　the　province　of　the　jury　　　to　ascertain　the　felonious　intent。　　They　have　settled　that　　　against　the　defendant　as　a　question　of　fact；　and　the　court　　　cannot　say　that　there　was　not　sufficient　evidence　to　sustain　　　the　verdict。　　For　what　purpose　did　the　defendant　get　the　check？　　　He　was　upon　the　eve　of　failure。　　　He　had　already　hypothecated　　　for　his　own　debts　the　loan　of　the　city　placed　in　his　hands　for　　　salehe　had　unlawfully　obtained　five　hundred　thousand　dollars　　　in　cash　as　loans；　and　it　is　reasonable　to　suppose　that　he　　　could　obtain　nothing　more　from　the　city　treasury　by　any　　　ordinary　means。　　Then　it　is　that　he　goes　there；　and；　by　means　　　of　a　falsehood　implied　if　not　actual；　obtains　sixty　thousand　　　dollars　more。　　The　jury　has　found　the　intent　with　which　this　　　was　done。〃

It　was　in　these　words　that　Cowperwood's　appeal　for　a　new　trial　was　denied　by　the　majority。

For　himself　and　Judge　Rafalsky；　Judge　Marvin；　dissenting；　wrote：

　　〃It　is　plain　from　the　evidence　in　the　case　that　Mr。　Cowperwood　　　did　not　receive　the　check　without　authority　as　agent　to　do　so；　　　and　it　has　not　been　clearly　demonstrated　that　within　his　　　capacity　as　agent　he　did　not　perform　or　intend　to　perform　the　　　full　measure　of　the　obligation　which　the　receipt　of　this　check　　　implied。　　It　was　shown　in　the　trial　that　as　a　matter　of　policy　　　it　was　understood　that　purchases　for　the　sinking…fund　should　　　not　be　known　or　understood　in　the　market　or　by　the　public　in　　　that　light；　and　that　Mr。　Cowperwood　as　agent　was　to　have　an　　　absolutely　free　hand　in　the　disposal　of　his　assets　and　　　liabilities　so　long　as　the　ultimate　result　was　satisfactory。　　　There　was　no　particular　time　when　the　loan　was　to　be　bought；　　　nor　was　there　any　particular　amount　mentioned　at　any　time　to　　　be　purchased。　　Unless　the　defendant　intended　at　the　time　he　　　received　the　check　fraudulently　to　appropriate　it　he　could　not　　　be　convicted　even　on　the　first　count。　　The　verdict　of　the　jury　　　does　not　establish　this　fact；　the　evidence　does　not　show　　　conclusively　that　it　could　be　established；　and　the　same　jury；　　　upon　three　other　counts；　found　the　defendant　guilty　without　　　the　semblance　of　shadow　of　evidence。　　How　can　we　say　that　　　their　conclusions　upon　the　first　count　are　unerring　when　they　　　so　palpably　erred　on　the　other　counts？　It　is　the　opinion　of　　　the　minority　that　the　verdict　of　the　jury　in　charging　larceny　　　on　the　first　count　is　not　valid；　and　that　that　verdict　should　　　be　set　aside　and　a　new　trial　granted。〃

Judge　Rafalsky；　a　meditative　and　yet　practical　man　of　Jewish　extraction　but　peculiarly　American　appearance；　felt　called　upon　to　write　a　third　opinion　which　should　especially　reflect　his　own　cogitation　and　be　a　criticism　on　the　majority　as　well　as　a　slight　variation　from　and　addition　to　the　points　on　which　he　agreed　with　Judge　Marvin。　　It　was　a　knotty　question；　this；　of　Cowperwood's　guilt；　and；　aside　from　the　political　necessity　of　convicting　him；　nowhere　was　it　more　clearly　shown　than　in　these　varying　opinions　of　the　superior　court。　　Judge　Rafalsky　held；　for　instance；　that　if　a　crime　had　been　committed　at　all；　it　was　not　that　known　as　larceny；　and　he　went　on　to　add：

　　〃It　is　impossible；　from　the　evidence；　to　come　to　the　　　conclusion　either　that　Cowperwood　did　not　intend　shortly　to　　　deliver　the　loan　or　that　Albert　Stires；　the　chief　clerk；　or　　　the　city　treasurer　did　not　intend　to　part　not　only　with　the　　　possession；　but　also　and　absolutely　with　the　property　in　the　　　check　and　the　money　represented　by　it。　　It　was　testified　by　　　Mr。　Stires　that　Mr。　Cowperwood　said　he　had　bought　certificates　　　of　city　loan　to　this　amount；　and　it　has　not　been　clearly　　　demonstrated　that　he　had　not。　　His　non…placement　of　the　same　　　in　the　sinking…fund　must　in　all　fairness；　the　letter　of　the　　　law　to　the　contrary　notwithstanding；　be　looked　upon　and　judged　　　in　the　light　of　custom。　　Was　it　his　custom　so　to　do？　In　my　　　judgment　the　doctrine　now　announced　by　the　majority　of　the　　　court　extends　the　crime　of　constructive　larceny　to　such　limits　　　that　any　business　man　who　engages　in　extensive　and　perfectly　　　legitimate　stock　transactions　may；　before　he　knows　it；　by　a　　　sudden　panic　in　the　market　or　a　fire；　as　in　this　instance；　　　become　a　felon。　　When　a　principle　is　asserted　which　　　establishes　such　a　precedent；　and　may　lead　to　such　results；　　　it　is；　to　say　the　least；　startling。〃

While　he　was　notably　comforted　by　the　dissenting　opinions　of　the　judges　in　minority；　and　while　he　had　been　schooling　himself　to　expect　the　worst　in　this　connection　and　had　been　arranging　his　affairs　as　well　as　he　could　in　anticipation　of　it；　Cowperwood　was　still　bitterly　disappointed。　　It　would　be　untrue　to　say　that；　strong　and　self…reliant　as　he　normally　was；　he　did　not　suffer。　He　was　not　without　sensibilities　of　the　highest　order；　only　they　were　governed　and　controlled　in　him　by　that　cold　iron　thing；　his　reason；　which　never　forsook　him。　　There　was　no　further　appeal　possible　save　to　the　United　States　Supreme　Court；　as　Steger　pointed　out；　and　there　only　on　the　constitutionality　of　some　phase　of　the　decision　and　his　rights　as　a　citizen；　of　which　the　Supreme　Court　of　the　United　States　must　take　cognizance。　　This　was　a　tedious　and　expensive　thing　to　do。　　It　was　not　exactly　obvious　at　the　moment　on　what　point　he　could　make　an　appeal。　　It　would　involve　a　long　delayperhaps　a　year　and　a　half；　perhaps　longer；　at　the　end　of　which　period　he　might　have　to　serve　his　prison　term　anyhow；　and　pending　which　he　would　certainly　have　to　undergo　incarceration　for　a　time。

Cowperwood　mused　speculatively　for　a　few　moments　after　hearing　Steger's　presentation　of　the　case。　　Then　he　said：　〃Well；　it　looks　as　if　I　have　to　go　to　jail　or　leave　the　country；　and　I've　decided　on　jail。　　I　can　fight　this　out　right　here　in　Philadelphia　in　the　long　run　and　win。　　I　can　get　that　decision　reversed　in　the　Supreme　Court；　or　I　can　get　the　Governor　to　pardon　me　after　a　time；　I　think。　　I'm　not　going　to　run　away；　and　everybody　knows　I'm　not。　These　people　who　think　they　have　me　down　haven't　got　one　corner　of　me　whipped。　　I'll　get　out　of　this　thing　after　a　while；　and　when　I　do　I'll　show　some　of　these　petty　little　politicians　what　it　means　to　put　up　a　real　fight。　　They'll　never　get　a　damned　dollar　out　of　me　nownot　a　dollar！　I　did　intend　to　pay　that　five　hundred　thousand　dollars　some　time　if　they　had　let　me　go。　　Now　they　can　whistle！〃

He　set　his　teeth　and　his　gray　eyes　fairly　snapped　their　determination。

〃Well；　I've　done　all　I　can；　Frank；〃　pleaded　Steger；　sympathetically。　〃You'll　do　me　the　justice　to　say　that　I　put　up　the　best　fight　I　knew　how。　　I　may　not　know　howyou'll　have　to　answer　for　that　but　within　my　limits　I've　done　the　best　I　can。　　I　can　do　a　few　things　more　to　carry　this　thing　on；　if　you　want　me　to；　but　I'm　going　to　leave　it　to　you　now。　　Whatever　you　say　goes。〃

〃Don't　talk　non