Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-30


receiving the goods.
MAINE.
PORTLAND, Sept. 29.-Rogers the defaultng
cashier OF the Prescott rational bank, Brunswick
was arraigncd this morning before Judge Shep-
ley, United States circuit court, plead guilty
and was sentenced to six years hard labor in
state prison.
The following was the prisoners statement !:
| "ln the latter part of 1850 was elected cashier
Of the Brunswick bank, having then a capital
| OF 100000. Previous to this time, for several
| years, had been in trade, but being without
capital was not very successful and left the bust
ness then in debt about $500. January list, 1851 ,
commenced acting as cashier, as before stated
with salary of $500 per annum. My position
as cashier seemed to call for living like other
people, and having family of four children,
found, withStanding all my plans and efforts,
at the years end my expenses amounted to
more than my salary. In 1853 or 1854 was of
fered situation as cashier in the state of Mas
SachuSettS, and making it known to the directors
OF the bank, they held meeting and offered me
salary OF $500 per annum, and concluded to re-
main. The position occupied seemed to make it
impossible for me TO lessen my yearly expenses.
On the other hand, the increase of my family,
together with the cid Indebtedness, called ur-
gently for more money, and under such a state
of things, and having no special check upOn me
II can easily be seen how commenced by plac-
ing memorandum in the drawer ard taking
out at the time being such sums as my mme-
dlate wants required, meaning in good faith to
replace it at some more convenient season.
l was also urgently entreated by two of the
directors for temporary loans from time TO time
to whom gave more or less assistance expect-
ing the same to be repaid in good time; but
these loans were never repaid, aud resulted in a
loss to me of $4,000, which is included in the
present total deficiency. Thus kept along I'M
i'll the charter Of the bank expired in October
1881. In the meanwhile a charter had been
granted for theLFirst Prcepscott bank, the off
GERS CHOSEN and the bank organized, giving me
the office OF cashier ut a salary of $500. CON
tinued to otficate as cashier of the Brunswick
bank, collected all dues to the bank and dis
tubuted them to stockholders, and made a settle
ment of all the affairs of the bank During
this time | had taken about $4,000, which was
easily carried forward, INTO the new bank as no
settlement had even been made of nv accounts
from 1857 to 1865; and particularly during the
period OF war prices the old sad look of things
stared me in the face, deficiency of income and
inability to meet the ordinary expenses of living,
and SO resorted to various plans to cover up
my fault. One thing should be mentioned.
one OF the directors requested me to send for a
y. .. l-lO treasury note Of $1,000 | ordered it
from Boston. 1t was charged to the account of
the bank, but was never received. The sum was
about S1O17. Though this was known to the
president and directors at the time, no action
was ever taken in regard to it, and that sum
tends to make up part of the deficit.
In 1868, 1t was concluded to ask for q national
organization, and it was very soon after carried
into effect. | had myself opposed this new or
ganization, fearing my deialcation would be dis
covered. My plans were, however, overrued,
and setabout making the best appearance pos
sbe; at this time my delalcation was much
larger though think about this time my sala-
ry was raised to $1,000; but as no special exam
ination was made the whole thing was easily
carried forward with the dOngs of the institn-
ton, which was supposed 10 be in a prosperous
condition: after the decease of the late Joseph
McKeen, Dec. 2, 1865, became treasurer of the
Bowdoln college with salary of $3.50; in order
TO carry forward successfully the'duteS of both
positions, was obliged to have an assistant in
the office of treasurer. This expense together
with the almost unavoidable additional outlaws,
made the offices of very little if any pecuniary
advantage Thus matters continued until Au-
gust, 1871. During all this time have never
been engaged or interested in any spcculatiOnS
whatever, either in stocks or in any other way,
nor have at any time paid out large sums not
belonging to myself, nor have | entrusted to
others, nor reserved to myself, in any way, any
of the funds of the bank to secure any benefit
TO myself or others, except as | have stated. 1t
will be seen that the whole covers nearly
twenty-one years, starting with a debt of about
5000.
During the last month | met with a loss of
$1,000 in the wreck of brig Josephine, which
sailed from Portland for ST. John this interest in
estate sold, and during the last twenty years |
have suffered other losses amounting in all to
the sum of $1,000. have recently, by deeds
and bill of sale, made over TO the bank all
property of every description which have in
the world, and my wife has released her dover
therein. | consider this property worth about
$4,000,
Such in substance is the sad story The
property which | have conveyed to the bank
and what have used in meeting my family OK
penses represent all that have received from
any source whatever, the amount which have
received except from the bank being much less
than generally supposed. During all this time
no person had the remotest idea of the real facts
in the case, or that matters in the bank were
wrongly managed, till | felt compelled to make
known to my family and then to the officers of
the bank that | was a defaulter. Thus have
attempted to state TO the court the material
facts in my case; but do not pretend to offer
this statement to the court as a legal or moral
defence for my conduct. The mental suffering
which during the last twenty years the knowl-
edge of my undiscovered guilt has caused me
has been a heavier penalty than any this court
can impose. have never attempted, | do not
desire, to escape the consequences of my crime.
leave myself in the hands of the court.