New-York tribune., 1873-12-16
BROOKLYN CULPRIIS.

opp Acrrp TI1pNs Upon HIS ACCUSERS.
cso,>,ns ., u,s DEFENSE WITH STARTLING
cu,Rcps-SErrHER RoDMAN MGR HiMskLf A
,,,,v,r,rrprHr MONEY HELD UNDER COVER
v,,ru rur pRooKLYN TRUST COMPANY AND NOW
Due THE CITY
Mr. i More. counsel for Cortiandt A. Sprague'
who was recently City Treasurer of BROOKLYN having
,,,,i,.d until patience ceased to be virtue for
r;.trict Attorney Brittd TO press the trial of his
clieut has given in outline the main grounds OF the
defense The defense embodies several startling
charges Briefly it is this: Sprague is a defaulter
neither to the city nor the Brooklyn Trust Company
those connected with the Trust Company led him to
believe that Rodman was a defaulter to the extent
of S2OSOOO, and hence he assigned his property to
the city: his counsel now claims that checks
indorsed by him were deposited with the Brooklyn
Trnst Company. and only partly credited, the
balance being held by Mills and Rodman under
cover with the Trust Company; and, finally the
officers are trying to save the Company and keep the
money out of the hands of the city. MIR. More
speaks for Ills client below:
MR. MoRE's LETTER
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: As counsel for COrtlandt A. Sprague,
YOU publish this statement which know to be
trle, and which will be proved on his trial
l. Before he would accept the Office of Treasurer
those IN the interest OF the Brooklyn Trust Company
agreal to procure the passage of law authorizing
spraguo to appoint depaty it being understood that
he 90 appoint ROdmaa- TOT WHOM tno if'' N''"
pany was 70 vOuch and 90 security.
sprngue personally is a defaulter either to the
city OF Trust Company in any amount Whatever
q Those interested in the Brooklyn Trust Company
made him believe that Rodman, as Deputy Collector
was in default to the city some s2O50o (hodmah was
also Secretary OF the Trust Company
To knnW
bere be assigned property the city, that
he was moi to city for Rodmans dealca-
tions and he refused to take that ground saying Il
have neglected my duty The people elected me Treas
urer ought 20 have looked after 1t III person, ana II
1t takes my cent will make up any de1acaton 10
the city on Rodman part" At this time. Sprague ana
his council had no doubt that Rodman in default to
the city.
g. After spragues arrest his counsel went into
thorough examination of the matter and found that
neither Rofman as Deputy Treasurer nor Sprague as
Treasurer was in default the city in any SUN What-
ever.
4 Mr. Sprague knows nothing OF books or figures IL
WAS the Teasurers duty deposit all moneys in one OF
the city depositories once there he couldn't draw 1t
Out, All the difficulties with the Trust Company
aud in this way: check TO the order OF the CITY treas
urer ndorsed by him and collected by the Trust
Compqnv is only partly credited the citU the balance
Mills AMI dmau carried under cover in the trust COM
plny Even Roduan doesn't dispute this but the fund
SO lett OH tie Trust Companys books he Thought was III
the Treasury. The hgh-minded gentlemen controlling
that COMPANY acted on this hnt aud trying to save
that Company by any means from paying this mdeOteu-
the cv ana Tor some unaccountaoie reason 'ho
Cornnrton Counsel and authorities taking no steps
20 collect it.
Nj sprrue aud his desire hs friends to accept
this explanation until the trial. T. Mokt'
No. TalYeH-Si.. NeC York. Dec. Is, 1873.