Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-02-25

Cashiers Mech, ROath and webb
Arraigned Before the United States
District Court - The Grand Jury
Still Out Considering Their Cases
other Cases Disposed OF.
The United States District court met in
this city yesterday with Judge Shipman on
the bench The new district attorney, Lewis
E. Stanton of Hartford, assumed the duties
of his position in the court for the first time.
The court room was filled with spectators at
tracted by the arrsignment of James III.
Mech, cashier, and Charles Webb, assistant
cashier of the Merchants bank of Norwich,
and Charles Roath, cashier of the Shetucket
bank of Norwich. They are charged with
viol ating the national bank laws and embez-
zls ,ment. The specific counts against Mech
re three in number The first charges him
with embezzling $4,000; the second with
making false entries in cash assets of $685.
126. So; the third with Understanding GER
tifcates of deposits by $4,000 in his report
to the Comptroller of the Currency.
The like counts are made against Webb.
There are four counts against Rosth. The
first is embezzlement of $4,000; second,
false entry in books by bills discounted S.
900; third, false entry in report to comp
troller of loans and discount S149, 672
charged to be So, 900 in excess; fourth perjury
in swearing to correctness of figures in third
count.
Their cases were submitted to the grand
jury, who were empanneled and sworn in as
follows
Alfred Birch, Woodbury. A. H Beardsley and
John Fl, Brewster. birmingham; Edward CARING
Elliott North Haven; A. H. Embler, New Haven;
Charles W. Filler, Versailles; Myron F. Gordy, Som
by, Bridgeport: Andrew Northrrp, Brooifield;
Charles Olmstead, Norwalk; Jeffrey Q. Phelps,
eeiy Bydgepor Gfes A Mson Canton B. e.
spencer, Say brook; N. D. Sperry, New Haven; Mi
of Hamden
In addition to those cases, that of Frank
Prescott, of this city, was submitted to the
grand jury. He is charged with fraudulently
taking a pension check from Henry 7. Brad
ley, of Bethany, and one from Mrs. Emma
T. Porter, of North Haven.
Judge Shipman charged the grand jury
upon all the cases, and they remained out all
day on them. About 4:30 O'Clock in the
afternoon the court was adjourned until 10
o'clock this morning, when the jury will re-
port if agreed upon the cases.
Ex-Governor Thomas M. Waller has been
engaged as counsel for Roath
All three of the Norwich bank defaulters
were in court. Mech is quite nervous and
is accompanied by his wife and little boy
and several acquaintance. He has not Sc
cured bonds and was taken back to Jail last
night. Roath is forty one years old, but looks
younger. He has a careworn appearance
Webb is a robust, good looking man with
gray hair cropped short and an iron-eray
moustache. He is about fifty years old, and
appears to feel the least annoyed in his
troubles. 1t is said he will plead guilty and
stand the sentence. The penalty under
which he is liable is not less than five years
nor more than ten years in the State prison
All three of the gentlemen were well dressed
and bore a genteel appearance, Webb being
the most dressy of the three. He has no coun-
sci and seems reconciled to abide by the conse-
quences.
The petit jury empaneled were:
James E. Atwater, Hamden; John NJ. Beardsley.
New Haven; Albert T. Blakeslee, William Brad
Alexander B. Brush, New Fairfield; Jay H. Camp
Southbury; Robert B. Chalker, Old saybrook; 4
Worth; Thomas Gayer NorWak; s Nelson h' Ha
Portland; Charles a. Holley, Stamford; j. E. Hub
Matthews, Prospect; Thomas Morrissey, Orange;
Daniel A. Nichols, Huntington; John F. Peck, Win
chester; Andrew A. Stone, Southbury; George
Winton, Newtown.
AS there was no business ready for the
jury they were excused until to-day at 10
O'Clock.
The case of George G. Watts, of this city,
charged with rifing mail bags in the New
Haven postofiee is also under consideration
by the grand jury.
Captain Jay L.. Clark pleaded guilty to vi
olatlng the pilot laws and was fined $50 and
costs.
The case of John May against the steamer
Beatrice, which piled about the Thimble ISL
ands last summer, was brought up. Nav,
it appears, was engineer of the craft and
lbels the vessel to secure $50. He was hired
by Charles Palmer, the former owner and
former lessee of the New Haven Onera
House. The Beatrice was attached bv DIR.
Paul g. Skiff, the owner of the opera house.
to secure debt. The testimony was heard
and the case submitted without briefs.