The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-02
BROOKLYN TREASURY FRAUDS.
Fifth Days Proceedings in the Trial Of
Cortland A. Sprague.
Rodman Testifying that Sprague offered
Him $50, 900 to Leave the City.


Him $4,000 to Leave the City.
One OF the features OF the proceedings In the
Sprague trial in the Brooklyn Court OF Sessions
! yesterday was a statement OF NJ T. Rodman,
Sprague's deputy, to the effect that last summer.
just after the suspension OF the Trust Company
and the discovery OF the frauds, he was offered
$4,000 and his expenses, by SpraRue, II he would
leave the city for six months In order that matters
might be arranged during his absence. He de-
clined the offer. 1t may be remembered that
at about that time Rodman temporarily absented
himself from the CITY, and 1t was reported that he
had absconded. He read report to that effect
published in the HERALD, and Immediately returned
to Brooklyn, where he was shortly afterwards
arrested and lodged in the Raymond Street Jail.
This testimony created no little surprise In the
court room yesterday, but 1t had no apparent
effect whatever upon Mr.. Sprague. He retained
the stolid, Indifferent appearance which has char
acterzed him during the trial. It was noticed,
however, that he gazed steadily at Rodman, VINO
remained the sole object OF his attention during
the day.
RoDMAN TEsTIFYING AGAIN.
| Rodman was called to the stand mme diately
after the opening Of the Court, and examined by
Mr.. Van Colt for the prosecution. He stated that
on the 5th Of June, 1871, his private account was
credited with s., 000 the amount OF the Utey Hare
check.
| Q. Did you on the same day pay the amount Of
the Utley Hare check to the credit oil the city A.
did on tine 9th OF June the day AFTER and credited
1t to the city account
| @. Is that the check by which you made pay
ment9 A. II is; it is dated June 9, to order Of
cash, ana signed by me; my private account with
the trust Company is debited with the amount Of
that check: the credit the 5tn Is 100O and the
debit on the 9th IL the check; the deposit to the
credit of the city on the 9th OF June was in excess
OF the receipts OF that day by $3.50.
| @. Can you say positively that transaction was
under direction OF Mr.. Spraguei
| Objected to aud objection sustained.
| Witness-Have seen Utley Hare; do not know
him; did not deliver this check to him; this is the
check by which the over deposit was made; In the
time Of the trouble with the Trust Company in
1873 went out Of the city for three days; was Ill
when was absent
g. why did you returns A. saw report in
| the HERALD that had absconded; l telcgraphed
| on Saturday that had not absconded and would
return.
Mr. Barnard-You must ask what concerns Mr..
0p 3. Biz Mr.. sprague say anythngY
| sPRAGUE OFFERS R0DAAN FIFTY THOUSAND DOL
LARS TO GO AWAY.
A. ne said 1I would 60 away for six months he
and money to live on he promised to give me this
il would stay away till he could arrange with his
to 60 away for day, and l consented to 90. and
went for one day, on the condition that nothing
against me returned, and have renamed since.
| O. You testified when you drew these checks
him. 30 You UNDERSTAND what he ' meant N 'Ha
Objected TO- objection overruled Exception.
term snas in this @ pr sns
as s e as .s ing
tha mir ,c o1on 70 ho ~
S MONEY Els sS nss to all
O. Were there not other uses OF the city money
by direction Of Mr.. Sprague before and after this
case, involving large sums
S6sSss Is ss asess Exception
& Did aF.spSas6s II from ON Time e time borrow
iarss sums o. money and pay them into the
to City credit A. There were; the check Of MUIR
cember I, 1870 not passed to the credit OF the
Trust Company IS payment from MIR. Sprague to
q. was the check. any part Of it, passed to the
credit Of the city on that day or the next' A.
e 70 as q the ns c On
urers receipts OF that day; the difference ss2 so,
was retained BY somebody; Murray's check for
Trust Company to the credit Of the city; &C. 600 in
on saturday and On Monday passea
to the credit OF Of the city IN Nassau !! BANK az
ss 81 rom % eaS s
Sprague had 1ve-sevenths OF 1t and had two-sev..
that the case Win the other Is q
ticket, $4,000 were deposited IN the Trust Company
TO the credit Of the city; Murray's check Of that
retained and divided between us as before; on Oc-
MR.. sPRAouE BORROWED FROM THE TRUST COMPANY
on coaterals in the name or e. M. Cullen,
SCI, 900; on october rs, 1872 the books show the
entry or the amount borrowed; under Culen's
name in the books are the initials c. A. s.; on that
day there is an excess credited to the city Of
$4,000; that excess was created by $4,000 Dor.
day; THIS made $4,000. the $4,000 were retained
by Mr.. Sprague and 100000 deposited In
s We're ON on
the Fulton Bank; the whole amount was de-
posted to credit Of CITY, the deposits that
rowed by Sprague on collaterals; an account was
kept by me OF the moneys reserved out OF the city
they were kept in the sale, ana the last Tune he
took the keys OF the safe he kept them; these men,
frequently TO see how the account stood / sug-
gested his borrowing moneys to cover the def.
ciencies; the DEFICIENCIES annoyed me, and wished
BORROWED THE MONEY,
Mr.. Sprague furnishing the collateral; my salary
had no personal estate at that time when rst
went in the Treasury had nothing, and went out
borrow money, real estate or other when Sprague
told me to elk it, had no means to fix 1t
cy y sprasue WAS director Of ius
/ Company, and II / used money OF the COM
pany 1t would appear In the books and
money; only used the city money; both rooms In
| Trust COmpany's offices were used by the Treas
/ urer; the private desk was in the back room, and
the public desk outsde the sale was In the inside
| room the books were kept In the private or inside
room occupied by the Treasurer-the fund books,
bank books, pass books and receipt books; my
duties in Trust Company and as deputy called me
In and out OF both rooms my hardest work was
! as deputy; was ordinarily when Sprague was
therej occupied in the outside room;
| sPRAGUE'S COLLATERALS
were kept in the safe back OF his chair; his private
| cOlaterals were kept In an iron box In the safe;
the securities OF the Trust Company were kept In
an iron safe In the vault Mr.. Sprague's were not
kept with these; the whiskey cOaterals were kept