Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-11-23
A Venerable Insurance COmpa
nv President gone to the
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Peslitenraary,

Pemitenriary.
In New York City for some days Robert
l.. Case the venerable president OF the
Security Life and Annuity Insurance Co.,
has been on trial for perjury in maklr & an
affidavit that the finances of the Company
were in a healthy condition when he knew
they were not On Friday the cause en-
ded The N. Y. "Sun' says:
When Robert l.. Case entered the Oyer
and Termintr CONT 70 my esterday morn
i'g he locked nagsaiu and care Vol AS
though underg ing great ltnJal aLx!ely.
His lighter was with him, and sat by his
Side and his two sisters sat near them.
The Jury irtIred at 81 z. M. MIR. Case sat
depressed and gloomy with the members of
his family. lie appeard to anticipate the
worst, and WAS struggling to retain his
elf-coni roll. In half an hour there WIS a
tap on the jniy room dor. The jurymen
entered AMI ook their seats. Tner Sc;
countenances foretold their verdict befor
| it was announc d. The roll was called
and tie clerk 1t the usual inlerrogato
| rieS.
'Guilty!'' said the foreman.
| There was d, dead silence for a moment
| TIE prisoner sat with bowed head, b dis
PLAYED no m re emotion than Re had at
any time in the trial The members of his
family sat around him weeping.
"If youi Honor pl ase." Mr.. Rollins
said, ''unless objection be made. l move
for sentence"
| EX-Judge Fullerton asked that sentence
be d. ferred until this morning, and Mr.
| Rollins said that he would consent. The
prisone, WAS then remandtd to the custo-
dy of the Sheriff. Ga leaving the court
room MIR. Case Went with the officers to
Sheriff Reily's private office, where he re-
| manned in conversation With members of
his family for two hours.
| At about O'Clock Mr.. Case with his
sister and Deputy Sheriff Burns. stepped
into cab and went to the TombS. He en-
tered the prison door with bowed head,
and, as he stood at tile Warden's desk,
seemed utterly crushed and broken in
| spirit He was assigned to cell 49, in the
| first tier, and Immediately went to it and
| threw imself down on chair. His name
| was entered on the prison roll thus:
| Robert l.. Case.
| Age: IS.
| Residence: Newburg.
Occupation None.
| This morning Mr.. Case will be sentenc-
| ed. Mir. Case is a resident of Newburg.
| He has been IN business in this city all his
| life. He was formerly a mel chant in Pearl
| erty. In 1851 the security Life and AnLu-
| ity Insurance Company was organized, and
| Mr.. Case became one of lis largest Stockhol-
| ders and its first President. 1t is not be-
| lieved that Mr.. Case got any considerable
part of this money, but that it Was eInbez-
| Zled by others.
Isaac H. Allen, the Secretary of the
company, is indicted for perjury on the
same affidavit that Mr.. Gaze signed. His
case will be called IN u few days. Mr. AL
| len is venerable quaker gentleman, sew
| enty-one years of age, and quite infirm.
| He was among the spectators i'll the court
room when Mr.. Case was convicted, and
was SO overcome with emotion that he re-
tired from the room leaning heavily ON the
arm OF friend.
A reporter of the "Sun' visited Mr..
Case while he was in Jail, and the follow
ing conversation took place:
sAnd did you really know nothing of the
condition of the company when you signed
the last report ?''
II did not read the report at ALL The
report was made up by Mr.. Wetmore, the
| Vice President, and the clerks, I had the
fullest confidence in them. When Wet
more brought the statement to me to sign
[ said TO him, sWetmore is this bright p
He said, Yes AS | signed it | remarked
that wished the companies were required
to send in single balance sheet. SC that
it could be seen just how we stood. [ had
NO idea but the statement was true.
didn't read it at all.''
In speaking of the other officers Mr.
Case said: II don't believe they intend to
try Mr.. Allen at all. They had to have a
a scapegoat, and they took me as the head
of the Company. They never can convict
| Wetmore Of ENLIGHTENMENT. He didn t get
any OF the money. None Of us did. have
lost ali my property. All had left was
my place in Newburg, and we Kept board
ers this sum mer to get along.'f
500 you think your counsel will be sue
cessful in getting a new trial ?"
II don't want new trial. [ never coult
live through another This one has almost
killed me. l couldn't go through the ex.
perlences of the past week again. It's ter
rible.' The tears came in Mr.. Cases eyes
several times as be talked. and he brushed
them away hastily. II am not in habit OF
crying" he said, ''but it is relief to me-
when can cry.''
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