New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-05
ARREST OF EX-AUDlTuR WICKLlPFE.
Alleged Embezzlement of $500, coo.
HIS COMMITTAL TO PARISH PRISON.

Thursday, Mr.. james Graham, Acting
State Auditor, made a formal affidavit
before Recorder Becker, charging George
W. WicklifFe, Ex-state Auditor. with the
crime of embezzling State funds to the
amount of S500,000. A warrant was issued
directing Superintendent Cain to arrest the
accused. The warrant was given into the
hands of Special Officers Goewey and Boul-
losa late Thursday evening. They searched
for him during the night but failed to ind
him. Yesterday morning they found him,
Notwithstanding Mr., WickHffe had been in
formed Thursday night that warrant had
been issued against him. Il
The officers escorted him through st.
Charles street to the first precinct station
house, where the clerk entered his name
and the nature Of the offense. AS Recorder
Becker was in his court room at the time,
the prisoner was taken directly there, but
as Mr.. Graham had not then been informed of
the arrest, heswas absent. A messenger was
sent for him, and he soon afterward ap-
peared as prosecutor on behalf Of the State,
in conjunction with Recorder Becker. Mr..
Wlckliffe was accompanied by his attorney,
Mr.. Semmes, and Mr.. MHshaway, friend.
The prisoner quietly asked for the affidavit,
and read it over, apparently rather uncon-
cernedly.
When formally arragned, and the clerk
read the charges. he pleaded not guilty. The
Recorder then fixed the bond at 100000,
out after q consultation between the de-
fense and the prosecution, the court was
informed that there was no objection to the
bond being reduced to $4,000. 1t was so
agreed, but MIR. Wickliffe failed to offer a
bondsman, whereupon he was committed
to the Parish Prison.
As matter of record, we publishthe
affidavit entire, as follows:
Before the undersigned, Recorder of the
First District, city OF New Orleans, parish
of Orleans and State of Louisiana, on this
third day of March, in the year OF our Lord,
one thousand eight, hundred and seventy,
in my office, in the city, parish and State
aforesaid personally came and appealed
James Graham, of New Orleans, Louisiana,
| who being by me first duly sworn, did depose
and make affidavit as follows, viz:
i
| of New Orleans, State of Louisiana, late
| Auditor of Public Accounts of the State OF
| Louisiana, an official created by the consti-
| tutional laws of said State, did on or about
the third day of March, A. D., eighteen
| hundred and seventy, in the city and State
| aforesaid; and prior thereto, take, steal and
carry away from the Office of the Auditor of
| Public Accounts, and from place or places
unknown to afiant, certain coupons repre-
| senting interest on bonds of the said State
of Louisiana, amounting to and represent
| ing the sum exceeding five hundred thou
sand dollars, and of the full value If five
hundred thousand dollars; and has wrong
| fully used, disposed of, concealed, or other
wise embeZZled said coupons aforesaid,
which were received by him in his official
capacity asiAuditor of the State of Louisiana,
contrary to the statutes of the State of LOU
isiana and contrary to an act of the State OF
Louisiana, entitled IAN act relative to
| crimes and offenses," approved March IA,
1885, and to the eighty first section OF said
| act.
And the said George II. Wickliffe, at the
| time and place aforesaid, and prior thereto
| did, with the intent to defraud the State Of
| Louisiana, take and embezzle certain cou-
pons, representing interest on bonds issued
| by the State of Louisiana, amounting to, Of
the value and representing sum exceeding
| five hundred Thousand dollars, contrary 70
| the seventy. first section Of the act afOre-
said, said coupons being part or portion Of
the records of said office of Auditor OF Public
Accounts.
And the said George n. Wickliffe, at the
| time and place aforesaid, and prior thereto
being an officer of the State of Louisians
| to wit: Auditor OF Public Accounts of the
State of Louisiana did illegally convert to
| his own use certain coupons representing
interest on bonds of the State OF Louisiana
| amounting to, of the value of and repre-
senting sum of money exceeding five
hundred thousand dollars, which had been
entrusted to his safe keeping by virtue Of
the law prescribing the duties of his office
| contrary to the seyenty-ninth section of the
act aforesaid.
And the said George NJ. Wickliffe,
at the time and place aforesaid
and prior thereto, having resigned
his office of Auditor of Public Accounts o
the State of Louisiana, or being suspended
therefrOm, did neglect and refuse to pay anC
turn over to afiant, his successor in Office
certain coupons, representing interest OF
bonds issued by the State of Louisiana, o
the value of amounting to and representing
sum of money exceeding five hundred
thousand dollars, contrary to the seCOnC
| clause of the seventy ninth section of the ac
aforesaid.
Aud affiant prays the said George NJ. Wick
life be arrested, under the warrant OF law
and dealt with as the law prescribes.
Whereupon the aforesaid affiant charge
the said George M. Wickliffe, with th'
aforesaid crimes and offenses, and prays fol
the arrest of said George NJ. Wickliffe, and
that search warrant be issued and exc
cuted to search for the said coupons, in an.
of the banks of this city or in any othe
place in the said city Of New Orleans, O.
parish of Orleans, where the same may b.
deposited.
JAMES GRAHAM.
Sworn to and subscribed before me thi
third day of March, 1870.
JOHN P.gBECKER,
Recorder.