The New York herald., 1877-10-13
An Appeal for Mercy-The Sen
Ia tence of the Court.
FIVE YEARS AT HARD LABOR.
Gilman Transfers His Property to Pay
e t''a His Creditors.
OFF TO UBU RN.

William G. Gilman, tho defaulting insurance scrip
broker ONO 46 Pine street, surrendered himself ycs-
terday and met his acquanances amid all tho painful
surroundings attending such event. It was gen.
orally known that tho officers OF justice could have
laid hands upon him easily fer days past and were
only restrained by Tho tendency Of an arrangement
with hts creditors, proposed by his friends But his
dcomewas sealed, afhdavits against him having been
presented to tho Grand Jury BY those suffering IRON
his extensive criminal acts The Grand Jury, after
long session. Anay handed into the Court OF General
Sessions Recorder Hackett presiding, number OF in
dctments against Gilman for forgery Accordingly
bench warraut was made out This warrant how
ever wasnot put into execution, letter. backed BY
pubstanlaf' pledges, having been presented 10 tho
Court setting forth that Gilman would promptly ap-
: poar when called to the bar ofJustIee.
shortly aher eleven o'clock District Attorney Ben
jamin K Phelps entered tho court aud soon after him
appeared Mr. l. f. Chittenden, counsel for the ac
cused. But few persons present aware or the
proceedings about to take place, owcr still tho
painful spectacle by which thoy be accompa-
ncd minor case OF petit larceny was In progress
at tho time and not half dozen persons recognized
William G. Gilman, who, with his brother-in-law, Mr..
George W. Lane, and the Rev Dr. Gilman, quietly took
his court Tho District Attorney and Mr.. Chit
tcndcn consulted for few moments, whom the former
handed to the clerk an Indictment against William G.
Gilman for forgery In the third degree tho specific
charge being for the forgery Of $40, 900 insurance
scrip on the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Company
besring date April 81 1871 and tho number 2, 100
.lapfsa sA - GILMAN Ar THE BAR.
Without much ado the clerk summoned the culprit
70 the bar. The mention Of his aroused general
attention Every eyo turned toward him, and his
many friends In court soon clustered In his imcd
vicinity. He was plainly dressed, wearing jewslry,
nnd seemed detected. Ho is Of medium hsight, dark
hair and whiskcrs and about forty years old He
awaited his II could not be speedily made
known to him. Said the clerk to him, .You are
charged with forgery In the third degree Do you do
maud trial or do you plead guiltyf"
Gilman simply inclined his head. and on tho quss-
ton beng repeated he responded in somewhat husky
voice, equity" " W
'"Have sou anything to say Why Judgment should
not be pronounced against your" asked the clerk.
The prisoner with downcast eyes replied. ..Noth
Ing" Then his counsel Mr.. Chittendcn, and In
ttemuous said that bcioro was passed
II was only just to sow the prisoner to explain tho
manher In which his crime had been committed and
road the following communicates whIch he had sens
10 his PASTOR the Rev. Dr. Hougbton. OF the Church OF
the Trapsnguratlon. During ats devery she accused
kept his eyes the ground while the uttcrance or
his counsel was oftentimes checked by great emotion
ana feeling that shared by all present It was one
= OF the most Affecting witnessed In this
coxrEssloN.
OCTOBER 8. 1877
To REV. DIR. HoUGHros AND MY DEAR WIPE, BROTH.
It's proper to state certain facts In explanation not
extenuation. Of my conduct. From the lime began
me implicitly, sums Of money ranging from $1oO to
$4,000 These sums would ofion remain undisturbcd
Tor weeks and months, and paid for tho privilege,
It was proper and was undersiood that employed
them IN busness never speculated In stocks on
margin. nor lost nor won money by any wager or
game. did make investments in nterpriscs which
promised we'll IRON time to time, in good faith, and
which turned out utterly bad. For ths.my JUDGMENT
Ia to be blamed. Tho possession Of money
and the control Of It gradually made me iee aud act
whether from losses or expenses, which began many
years ago, came SO gradually that was scarcely
nIpg behind, could not bear TO look tho deficiency
Sqnarey In the face but hoped for better times lines
Insurance Company and the vcssitudos OF the other
ronpanles impaired the confidence OF buyers every
thing but Atlantic ana competition for that the LAST
lew years has carried prices so high as to leave
margin for profit, and has made the commissions ut
tcrly inadequate to meet the scale Of expenses
winch was doing business and living Consequently
my business was greatly restricted. Tho worse my
nfars grow the moro unwilling became to investi-
gate them MY books ana accounts, which had
been my pride, were neg ected. drined hopciossly
IN sea oi Iroube, scizng every straw which
| allowed my reputation TO sunor by long delay 10
making up accounts which were called Tor This
moral weak quite inexcusabe. How easy TO
say so now. but now hard u seemed to do wnat
should years ago have done reducing expenses Al
home aud III the Office and resoutely closing ac-
counts which were a temptation to me ana winch, il
honestly treated, must that rate OF interest have
Prior 10 the panic OF 1873 had mndo Improper uso
Of trust funds IN my HANDS under the pressure of
additional lossoa After that time the accounts
Ia my hsnds began 10 bo urawn on by the dcpositors
myself sorciy pushed, but always managed TO extri
cate myselfwIthou dong anything criminal though
must confess the moral basoness OF my proceedings
AS nearly as can remember must have pu, forth
the hrst "raised" certificate not quite Two years
W NO N ans N n .sin .
cost me!
have suffered more all these months thinking or
my basencss In abusing tho confidence Of my friends
IN No 80 Pine street, III the two insurance companies
and in tho bank, every Of whom has always treated
me with the greatest kindness. than at tue absolute
wIckcdncss oil these crimes.
Bindy hoping that tho next step would extricate me
plunged 10 deeper ana deeper hope make " plain
that my cndeavor was to cover the Deficiencies Of a
term oi years
II mposs,blc mo to state without reference 10
memoranda, which have not by me. what amounts |
arc afoa but confident there is nothing but
what VIII be found al the American Exchange Bank,
Union insurance Company. Commercial Insurance
Company, Horny Tnmadge 4 Co.'s, and my friends |
fraudulent securities, but borrowed on Them
II IS proper Tor mo TO say nat am alono RESPONSE
bic for every wrong act No human being would nave
had suspicion OF u, and alone TO blame for the
false pride which has maoo incur expenses al homo
and IN my business which could not be lawfully mot
MY wo novor persuaded me to any extrnvag gance and
she would have accepted any restraint might havo
put upon her.
In addiion 10 these fraudulent transactions other
persons tnan those named suffer TO ! cons dera-
bic degrce-chicny my brothers and sisicrs-proDsoiy
10 The cxient OF $4,000, and several otuer persons
who have had accounts with lor years. / cannot /
now state amounts OF those latter approx.
imateiy.
10 sum up briefly, would say that declining busi-
ness bad investments, heavy expcns ses both
anu domestic, and personal exlravaganco have be- |
trayed me- No, must DO just with M SELF aLd con-
fess that nave deliberately walked in the cicnrost
light anu knowledge IN The taco OF tho best ,nsruc.
ton, into this pit some may Gull IL madness; call
IL SIN. Those who knew me Ia business rciativns /
alone may not DO aware OF 1t, but every ono who
knows personally will boar witness that my init
mate friends aud associates all with somo oil the
hest and purcst who ever lived. They know that |
loved better 10 give away money than 10 spend II Tor
myself; they Know that my thoughts ana my interests
we're nOfo with tho various charitable works |
WITH winch II was my happiness 10 % con
pcctod than on money getting, by right means
wrong They VIII mourn with mo that 4 1
shoula have valued The good oplnion OF good
men more than a good conscience and my own self.
retpcci. They Will wonder how II was possible for
nsu 70 20 lar deceive himself as " believe thai ho