Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-10
GILMAN, THE FORGER,


New York Sun, Dec. 4.
William G. Gilman, the Pine street insur
anoe broker, who was sentenced to States
prison for five years for forgery, in October,
1877, was pardoned yesterday by Gov. Rob-
inson. Last night he started from Auburn
prison for this city. The funeral of his
wife, who died in Norwich, Conn.,, on Mon
day, has been postponed to await his arrival
in that city. Mr.. Gilman was member of a
wealthy and very respectable New England
family. The Rev. Edward w. Gilman, seo-
rotary of the American Bible society, in New
York, is his brother. Another brother is
Daniel Colt Gilman, once president of the
California university, and now president of
the Johns Hopkins university, in Baltimore.
Gilman, himself, was, at the time of his fall,
vestryman Of DR.. Houghton's "Little
Church Round the Oorner.'' BE was influ-
entail in church matters, was warm friend
of his pastor, and had been an officer of the
Sunday school of that society. He never
played at cards or drank spirituous LIQUOR.
or associated with disreputable women.
At his Office, in Pine and William streets,
Mr.. Gilman specalated in insurance stocks
and scrip to greater extent than any man
in New York. His honor in business was
unquestioned; yet III October, 1877, Wall
street was startled by the news that he had
"raised" insurance and bank stocks from
few hundreds of dollars to amounts aggre-
eating hundreds of thousands. His foreeries
were clumsy, yet his method was such as to
escape discovery long time. When the dis
covery was made early in October, 1877,
Gilman could not be found, and his friends
believed he had committed suicide. After q
weeks absence he wrote to Recorder Hackett
promising to surrender himself on OCT. -. He
expressed poignant remorse. He was not
arrested, but at the appointed time he ap-
peared in the court of general sessions, be-
fore Recorder Hackett. He pleaded guilty
to the charge of forgery, and his lawyer read
confession addressed to his pastor, wife
and friends.
The substance of this confession was that,
being trusted with large sums of money, he
began to feel as if they were his own, and
losing speculations at last led him to crime.
At first he chad thought of adding sin to sin
by suicide, but at last resolved to meet the
crisis meekly and frankly"
Recorder Hackett passed sentence, and in
few days he was sent to Sing Sing prison.
He was subseq uently transferred to Auburn
prison. He said at that time that he would
never ask for pardon, but would serve out
the full sentence.
The remains of Mrs. Gilman are to be
buried from Trinity Episcopal church in
Norwich. Mr.. Gilman was q native of
Norwich, and for many years resided in q
palatial mansion on Washington street in
the most fashionable quarter. MIR. Gilman
owned large manufactures at the time.
After Mr.. Gillman's populations, and his
conviction and sentence, his wife was COM
pletely broken down. Her reason became
deraDged, and she spent several months in
the Hartford, Conn.,, Retreat for the Insane.
She partially regained her faculties and came
to Norwich to live. Despite the efforts of
her friends she continued to brood over
her sorrow and her husbands disgrace. Two
young boys, and her daughter, Bessie
Colt, were her companions. About three
weeks ago Bessie, who was an ex-
ceedingly bright and vivacious girl of IA,
was taken strangely i'll, and died after a
short illness. This second blow was fatal to
Mrs. Gilman. For many days her reason
was despaired of. Soon after the burial of
Bessie the mother insisted on visit to her
husband in Auburn State prison, although
mentally and bodily unfit for the undertak-
ing. In this city she met friend who ac-
companied her to Auburn. On her way
home, Mrs. Gilman stopped at Albany,
and pleaded with Gov. Robinson
for her husbands pardon. The
governor was obdhrate in deny
in her request. Mrs. Gilman reached her
home completely Frustrated. She had not
closed her eyes in sleep for over week. It
is said that she repeated her visit to Gov.
Robinson few daye later, and met with
second disappointment. On last Saturday
night she broke down. She fell into stu
por and renamed in comatose state until
Monday. Her friends endeavored to arouse
her on Monday morning in vain. In the after
noon Miss Sarah Young called and ap-
preached her bedside. The dying woman
opened her eyes, smiled, and greeted her
visitor. The young lady approached nearer.
Then the sick woman closed her eyes with q
weary smile and died without murmur.
Yesterday Miss Maria Gilman, the dead
woman's sister in-law, went to Albany in
company with the husband of William @.
Gilman's wife's sister, and pleaded with Gov.
Robinson for the forger's pardon. The Gov