The daily gazette., 1880-01-09
A Fdithtess Treasurer.

L. j. RIGNEY FLEECEs THE SHIELDS
LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, OF WHICH
HE WAS TREASUR RER.
The Shields Library Association, a
well-known Catholic benevolent aud
literary institution OF this city, which
meets at the 5. X. corner of Fifth and
Market streets, has recently suffered a
severe financial loss through the faith
lessness of It's treasurer, Lawrence j.
Rigney. The case is one of the mean
est Instances of embezzlement and
breach Of trust that ever occurred in
this city.
The Treasurer's dishonesty was dis
covered only during the past two weeks.
The Society ordered check 10 be
drawn In favor Of Bishop Becker for
| $50, for the benefit of the Ophans'
Fair now going on at Institute Hall,
and the Treasurer, on presenting the
check to the Bishop, asked him to hold
it few days, before putting it in bank.
This strange request coming TO the no
tire of some of the members, caused a
feeling of surprise, as II was generally
supposed the Society had balance of
from $500 to 500, and an investigation
was at once ordered. 1t showed that
the Shields Library Association had not
cent in the Wilmington IL Brandy
wine Bank, where its account was kept,
and proved the Treasurer To be de-
faulter to q serious extent, though 1t
looked like a Tweed affair Of "what are
You going to do about it," so far as get
til he money back was concerned.
i he exact amount OF the defalcAtiOn
could not be ascertaincd but il is known
that about the first of last September
the Treasurer received over $600-the
proceeds of an excursion to Cape May
and about $500 since, making a total OF
over $500, which never found its way in
bank TO the credit Of the Association.
Efforts were made to force him to dis
gorge, but without avail, and as civil
suit would have been useless on account
of the bankrupt condition of his bust
ness, the association through Its Presi
dent, Edward II. Kane, entered crimi-
nal SUIT against hiD before Esquire Wat
son, for the embeZzlement OF 5000. The
suit was brought under an act of the
Legislature passed during the session oi
1915, for the punishment of breaches OF
the trust, which makes such offenses A.
this OF Riguev's punishable ny twenty
lashes, an imprisonment of from SIX
months TO three years, and the wearing
of a convicts jacket. Rigney's prelimi'
pary heariuk came off this morning at
o'clock.
The Association was represented by
Levi q. Bird, E>q., and Harry Sharpley
ESQ, represented the accused. Edward
r, Kane, President of the Association.
testi fied as TO the duties of the Treasurer
aud showed by the receipts and expenses
of the Association, that there should
have been balance In bank January 1st
OF about $500. NJ. j. Mealey, Financial
Secretary, showed by his books that
about $500 had been received and re-
ceipted for by Rigney since last August
Counsellor Sharpley argued for the ac-
cused, claiming that the act under which
the suit was brought applied only to
common carriers which Riguey was not.
Counsellor Bird argued that the law ex
pressly covered just such cases As this.
He said, however, that If Rigrey would
remunerate the Society the case would be
withdrawn.
The Squire held the accused to bail in
the sum Of 81 900 for his appearance at
the February term Of Court.
Members of the Association are feel
ing very Indignant against their disLon
est Treasurer, not solely on account OF
his defalcati On, but from the fact that he
also borrowed numerous sums of money
from his fellow members, which were
freely loaned for the purpose of assisting
him in his business. Rigney was en-
gagged in keeping tea and coffee store at
No. 2l8 West Second street.