The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1879-01-22

WARREN CoUNTY's THIEvEs.-Nine Of the
Seventeen Tried and ConUicted-Sketches Of
tie Men uAo Haze Been Found Guilty
Belvidere, N. j., Jan. 1S.-At late hour last
night the jury in the Teel forgery case came
iuto court and rendered verdict of guilty
against the defendant. This was almost en-
tirely unexpected. and by none more SO than
Teei, who confidently looked for an acquittal.
He felt the blow keenly and was visibly affect
cd. Previous to this conviction, he had plead
ed con ruh conteadre to the charge of conspir-
acy and hoped, by SO doing to escape with
light sentence or perhaps only fine. But
bring now also convicted of forgery-and par
tieaiarly, AS his counsel put it, for so small
SUN as $50, which his previous wealth and
yespectability rendered the more disgraceful
II proved-his prospects for term OF im-
prisonlnent in the State Prison are now almost
certain.
I'D to this date nine of the most prominent
public officials of this county have been con-
victed on Is charges of conspiracy and six OF
forgery. There yet remain eight more defend
an.s to be tried, while the aggregate of re-
naming Indictments against the eutire II
convicted and unconvicted officials is over 30.
Chief Justice Beasley can only give his pres
euce during the coming week, as he must DO
il. the Mercer courts on January ~, but 1t is
thought that Governor Mcclellan will APP
point, next week, u law Judge for the county,
in the place of Judge Vlet, who died last
week, and the trials will be continued before
the new Judge.
II is a noticeable fact that of all the II pub
lie officials now under conviction or indict-
ment only one is man of means, and even
his property will not be large enough to meet
the demands for the return of stolen moneys
which the county will undoubtedly make in
civil SUITS
Simon Cummins, the ex-County Collector,
is the only man who can leave behind him,
when he goes to prison, sufficient means to
support his family, and what may be loft to
them, after the State has collected from his
estate what he and his consprators robbed
The country of, is not likely To be very much.
Cumnins was born In the county, is nearly go
years of age, and his reputation has beieto-
fore been beyond reproach. leading mem
Der of the church at Vienna, where he lives,
ne il also Director in the Hackettstowp
Bank, guardian, executor, and trustee of sew
eral estates. director and shareholder in two
or more large manufacturing companies, and
was worth. a few months ago, fully $4,000.
Uutil the Spring of 1877 Cummins carefully
avUtuen poiitivs, mud uever hold office. But
he saw younger and less influential men OBJ
tanning positions of honor and trust. and he
then determined IS to show the boys" as he
said, that he could also be elected If he so de-
sired. Caleb Swayze, an old neighbour aud
the man who afterward exposed the frauds,
urged him not to go into politics, as it was
known that there was ring of corrupt Off
GERS, aud Mr.. Swayze warned him that they
would certainly entrap him. But Cummins
boosted that he would be too smart for them,
and claimed that his best efforts would be
turned toward discovering and exposing the
plunderers Three months after his election,
Cummins told Swayze that he had already
L. L,.l
with proposals to rob the county, but that he
indignantly refused to do so, and threatened
to expose them. In less than two months at
ter that he was in their tolls. Cummins' fam
lily consists Of his wife, three sons, and a
daughter.
DR.. John V. Mattison, Clerk of the Board,
convicted ON four indictments tor forgery, and
with nine more yet hanging over his head,
was The most accomplished of them all. A
physician in good standing in the western
part Of New York, he first moved to Strouds-
burg, Pa, and then came to Washington, in
Warren cuunty, where he settled about 80
years ago. He married there, had an excel
lent practice, and when the war first broke
out received commission as Assistant Sur
xeon and served for two years, until some I'M
lleasant transaction caused his discharge in
disgrace. He then became substitute brok-
or, and in short time had made 5000 000.-
Col. Baker, OF the Secret Services, arrested
him at one time and kept him prisoner, but
he managed to obtain his release, although he
claimed that il cost him some of his money
After that Mattisou bought several farms in
Washington, and built house which cost
$4,000. lie was in Wall street at the same
time, and claims to have lost 1000 in Lake
Shore at one time. From that time his down
fall was speedy until he had lost all his land,
property, and money. Then he opened
small drug store In Washington. lie was
elected to the Board of Freeholders. as
member, several years ago. and then doubt
less saw the opportunities for thieving.-
Three years ago he secured his election as
Jerk of the Board, a position only legally
worth about $75 a year, but generally increas-
ed by fees and extra salary to from $20O 10
$500. As custodian of the old notes and
vouchers of previous years, Madison was able
To pick out those which suited his purpose Tor
altering, and then obtained repayment OF
them. To what extent he succeeded will new
er be known, but in the three years OF his
cierkship he secured fully $15, 900, and, per-
haps, much more. He il nearly ~ years OF
age, and has wife, one daughter and one
son. An elder son hanged himself few
years ago. When first arrested in New York
his family refused to believe that he had been
companion of low women, and his wife as
sisted im with money in his escape from jail.
But his re- arrest, in company with woman,
tnrnea his family against him, and they now
have nothing to do with him. With the ex-
ception OF a few hundred dollars, his family
are penniless.
Charles 5. Strader, late Director of the
board, was a merchant at Washington, N. j.,
and was once man of some means Lately
he has been the agent of the Delaware, Lack
awanna and Western Express Company, but
was discharged upon his frauds becoming ex-
posed. He is man of little education, aud
for some years did not bear a very good repu-
taiion. His wife refused to believe in his
gnlI until he was convicted and she has since
been 80 i'll that it is feared she win literally
die Of a broken heart.
John N. GivsDs attorney to the boar', is a
lawyer who before these disclosures, had an
excellent practice. He was Captain of vol
nnteefs during part of the war, and was never
supp osed to be in the ring. Two indictments
for conspiracy were found against him and he
IL 10 be sent, need on both. He feels bis dis
grace keenly, and the fact that, If sent to the
State Pr s,n, he must leave his family unpro-
vided for is telling greatly upon him.
Edmund Teel, the ex-County Collector, re-
sides in the finest house in Phillipsbnrg, aud
was once considered one of the wealtliest cit