Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-08-05
TIE CANAL DEFA Utter.
Hiding In New York and Trying 10
Make Good Ternhs.

Philadelphia Times, yesterday.
James A. l.. Wilson, the defaulting
secretary and treasurer of the Chesapeake
d Delaware Canal Company, who helped
to steal over 5000, 900 from the company
by the fraudulent issue of six per cent
mortgage bonds, is in hiding in New York
City. So is his cousin and predecessor
in office, Henry V. Lesley, who also
robbed the company in the same manner.
They didn't go to Brazil at all, as was re-
ported some time ago; but have, II is
believed, been living most of the time in
New York since their flight from this city
on Tuesday, the 29th of June.
There was meeting of the directors of
the company yesterday afternoon for the
transaction of routine business II was
the regular monthly meeting day and all
| that was done was TO elect Coleman
Nicholson to succeed the fugitive treas
urer. MIR. Nicholson has been acting as
| secretary and treasurer of the company
| for the past two weeks and his election
yesterday was merely a confirmation of
his appointment. The meeting was held
with closed doors and lasted less than an
hour. No action was taken in reference
to the overissue of bonds.
Just after the meeting had adjourned,
and as President Gillingham was about to
leave the Office, at $50 o'clock, he re-
| ceived communication from Wilson
dated New York Offering to surrender
himself and Henry v. Lesley to the
proper authorities here provided all pros
| ecution against him is withdrawn. The
offer did not ask immunity for Lesley and
the inference drawn from the proposition
II la kf. aka kofa
dence against his cousin, Lesley, who be.
| gan the stealing more than ten years ago.
If the board of directors decide to accept
this proposition Wilson requested Presi-
| dent Gillingham TO insert in this morn
ing's New York Herald personal adj
| dressed to SANDY" Wilson knew that
yesterday was the regular meeting day of
| the directors and it was his intention to
| get the communication to this city while
the board was in session, so that imme-
diate action might be taken on the prop
osition, in order that the personal would
appear in the Herald this morning. As
the directors had gone it was impossible
to act upon the message, but special
| meetingswill be called and President Gill
lingham will lay the communication be-
fore the board.
WHICH tlo ubidlCdtlOu was ulfcOfcIou,
on the 30th of June, the day before the
bonds fell due, the prevailing opinion
was that Wilson had gone 10 Canada and
that Lesley had gone with him, but in a
few days the detectives reported that
without doubt the fugitives had sailed
for Brazil. It now appears that they
never thought of sailing for Brazil, but
that they did go to Canada. They went
there direct from this city. Neither had
much money and after spending two
weeks there that seemed like two years,
they came back to New York with very
little cash, and ever since they have been
in hiding in that city. Wilson and Lesley,
! it is said, have quarreled over the desire
of Wilson to give himself up, and it is
believed they are not living together,
although Wilson is believed to know
Lesley's whereabouts. Wilson's wife has
said all along that she believed her hus-
band would return and make full con-
fession.