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2 D.C. 296

United States v. Weight

Decided April 15, 1822

The indictment in this case charged that the defendant at the county of Washington in the District of Columbia, with intent to defraud the United States, feloniously uttered and published as true, and caused to be uttered and published as true, certain forged papers and documents respecting a pension, against the peace and government of the United States.

Decided 1822-04-15

¶1The defendant had never been in the District of Columbia until long after the receipt and opening of the letter containing the forged papers. The case of Rex v. Johnson, cited from 7 *298East, 65, is a case of publication of a libel in London, written by the defendant in Ireland. The procurer and the publisher were both guilty of the publication; if it had been a case of felony, Cobbet, who published it in London, would have been the principal, and Johnson would have been an accessory; but in misdemeanors there are no accessories, and he was therefore a principal.

¶2Judgment for the defendant, on the special verdict.

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