New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-24
VoL.XLIIL..No. 1858
A. B. JOHNSON A DEFAULTER.
: PROBABLE REASON FOR HIS SUICIDE. =.
THE ESTATE OF HIS SISTER, MRS. JAMES MDoN-
NELL, IMPAIRED TO THE EXTENT OF $3ooooV'
To THE TRIBUNEl


NELL IMPAIRED TO THE EXTENT OF $3VoVoV'
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIsUNE.l
RocuEsTER Nov. 23-The win OF James NC
Donnell, of this city, who died in the uca lnsaA
Asylum ON April 16, 1881, was admitted 10 plo1"e0
Inv Surrogate Shuart, of Monroe County, "uay -psss
According to the terms of the instrument que 80
of the estate which is valued at three amao1
n million dollars, goes to Mrs. James s.":,,,to5
and the remaining two-thirds WIZ DO at,,.
share and share alike among five .aS"n5er
NJ James .1 Mary L., Florence M sns ,s 90 ,,ndor
t,yon.,,-one wears of age. The will was presen'eu
NV Nicbolas II. Herman, of the law hrm Oh W. N'
~ Kornon of Utica. representing Mrs James NC
D.nau n NJ Dennison, ex-Canal APPRAISER
ond ex-D -Deputy Attorney Charles .. EVeIc'' VIZ.
,os,as IN the will were present TO attes1 Vno 's.
.o % tto tastator. Dr. John p Gray, Superln
tondsnt Of the Insane Asylum at Utica, was also
nrescnt Accompanying the will was his aiidavlC
stating the condition of Mcdonnell during MS stay @
in the ASYLUM from June y 1877, to his deatn' Inc
will. which bears date December ., 1870 rcaoS 10
follows: .-., 90 srcn
give Geynis wons % bV the laws Of the State New
So entitled TO 1t If died intestate aPRpiI P d ny direct
;hat no bonds shall be required OF her or ron Ia "a xac
eeutTx hereby sG of time as She shall deem
6oSt for my estate the business now carfeu 3 ya,no
an
Connection with Gallagher or said Gallagher anu Juno"
After the death of the testator OF the estate 'e
estate was under the management Oh AZ .u "
Johnson of Utica. until he committed suioluo ""
November 8. He was half brother oi hi'' JAM ~,
Mcdonnell and possessed her entlre cohnuo"o 49,
not only placed him in complete control Oh 'ho
es+ate but gave him q power of attorney TO manage
u and sail retain or exchange its securities as he
might elect. -..,->
A DEFALCATIoN on THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS.
Termination of the affairs Of Mr.. Johnson since
his death reveals the startling fact that ne dleu
defauter TO the Mcdonnell estate to the extent Oh
S3OOOOO. His books were found to be IN perIec'
shane with correct entries of debts and credt; puV
some 1920 900 of United States Government oohus
entered as ON hand aud in his keeping, are nownero
4o he found The same is true OfNew-Io ork Gentral
Railroad and Delaware Lackawanna and Western
stock amounting to about $75,0OO or @oe,ooo.a f 20
more thol ough search of Mr.. Johnsohs Sals anu VI
denosit conpanies vaults wherein he had Deen III
Ibp habit of nacing his securities fails to bring to
ght any trace of these missing securities altnougn
ali his other bonds stocks and moftgages Tsro niS
readily found These latter include American DIS
frict Telegraph stock of the face value or
about $2OO0O6, quoted at 16 or II; This was was the @
stock ON which ex-GOvernOr Cornell got up
his Celebrated "blind pool" Mr.. johnson being
one of the Governors victims. Severei shares A ~
the Multicharge Gun Company, and other wiz
cat" securities were also found'
THE MONEY SUNK IN wALL-sT.
A. B. johnson was heavy speculator in Wall-st
and that is the maelstsom which has swallowed up
his and his sisters money, as it has in times past
remorselessly swallowed up other millions belong
ing TO trust estates in all parts of the land rob6ng
the widow of her dowry and orphans OF their
patr1mony. On the day of his suicide stock tele-
gam lay upon his table, telling him of disaster III
hls stock-gambling ventures. His own VIII was
admitted to probate only the other day, but those
who know best believe he has left his family PENN
ess since his estate will not pay even respeGtaDle
nercentaQe of the sum due Mrs Mcdonnell. ewas
also trustee of three four other esates-those OF
relatives Including Judge Ward Hunt, his father-
in-law-but it is believed these are intact having
been closely watched and guarded by the persons
interested ,,I T rob
who was killed by f.. Newton Rowell of Batavia,
on October 80. He was at times heaVy
dTinker and had been under the influence
of LIQUOR for some weeks before he destroyed ms
own life Indeed he was not sufficiently sober 10
attend his nephew's funeral. II was stated at the
time that the cause of his suicide was grief at ms
nephew's fate but recent events tend to show thaS
remorse for his conduct in sQuandeTing nearly half
his sisters fortune drove him to the act OF sefde-
strnetion Fortunately Mrs. McDonnelPs real es-
tate some $40O, 900, Is In no wise impaired.