New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-17
ASSEMBLYMAN AND FORGER
A NYACK DEMOCRAT IN THE TOLLS.
FRANK p. DEMAREST, ONE OF GOVERNOR HILLS
Personal FRIENDS DETECTED IN HIS
RAscALITY AND ARRESTED.

HostS are demOrallzed.
Assembyman Frank p. Demarest was arrested
at his home Mont Moor at 1 80 yesterday morn
lng charged with forgery. The warrant was is
sued by Justice w. II. Bannister. of Nyack,
political friend Of Demarest. on the affidavit OF
John I. Gurdner, school tax collector of Upper
NyaclI, charging Dcmarest with forging Gurdincrs
name on checks given for payment of taxes by the
Union Steamboat Company of Buffalo, and on re-
celpts for the same.
Demarest has been for several years counsel for
the Union Steamboat Company. who have their
principal office at Upper Nyack He has been in
tie habit Of securing the companys tax bills from
TIE collector and receiving the checks therefor.
Ii is now charged and he does not deny it, that
in three instances at least, he raised the amount
Of the bills, received tie money from the com
pany. forged Gurdincr's name on the receipt, and
cncckS and pockccd the difference between the
amount Of the true and false bills.
The case specified by Mr.. Gurdner in his af-
daNlt on which the warrant was issued. is that
of tie school taN Of 1890. The true bill
$500 a. Dcmarcst raised it to 1,l4j 80. The
company gave him q check TO Gurdiners order for
the last amount. Dcmarc,t rccciptcd in Gurdners
name and then forged Gurdncrs name the
back Of the check. lie then cashcd the check
at a Ncw-iork bank. but did not pay any money
to Gardiner Tie unusual delay caused an invcstiga-
tlon into the apparent negligence of the company
10 pay their taxes
Not only was an exposure Of Dcmarcst's
du1lciiy the result, hut two prior similar cases
were brought TO lght 1t was shown that in
like manner he raised the school tax bill Of $50
from 5000 to Ss33 -, and the Upper Nyacl in
corporation tax bill Of 1890 from SSss so to
$l,@33 20. I'm these two cases he paid 10 Upper
NyacS the euc amount of taxes and pockctcd the
difference. Ills method Of procedure was 10 raise
the assessment as it appeared on the tax receipt
about % pr cent on a valuation Of 100000. The
total amount Of his dcfalcation is : ,s16 %.
ON Thursday John Tumbull. private secretary
Of President King Of the Eric Railroad, came TO
Nyack and engaged cN-Disrrict-Attorncy Snyder
10 guard the company, interests. After their
consultation the warrant was secured and placed
at about midnight in the hands of Constable
Lubhc, who failed to find Dcmarcst in Nyack
He thcn went TO Mont Moor and arrested him
at hi, home. The Little Giant, as his follow
crN fondlg term him. was brought to Nyack at an
early hour yesterday morning. The prisoner at
once made ovcrturcs for payment Of the money en-
h,zzlcd from tic company. Mr. Turnbull refused
10 accept anything but a certified check and
Officer I.uhbc and Nr. D,marcst reused John VI
Gc>ucr. cashier Of the Nyack National Bank, and
secured tie ccr,lcation of check, which Mr
Turnbull accepted
Meantime the Asscmblyman evidently through
Democratic courtesy. is running around loose on
his o~n rccognz1ncc. He disappeared from Nyack
caIly in the day. and attcmptc To- secure an inter
view with him were fruitlcSs. No definite announce
ucn rs vet rnndc as futurc actions hy the MON
Steamboat Company or Collector Gurdincr. but
r"crI 'u" comedies that DcmarcstN political
leadership - ~ on end lie has been a prom
incnt n.urc ia Roc6land County politics for
twelve yclr, lie J., tiiuy-c-ht year, of az
aud is u lawyer lie bc.an IN, political career
rs messenger To thr Assembly Committee on
Privilege, and Elections IN l-''. lie has been
for ci-At Nc"ro supervisor 81 ihr town ol '|irNS-
to"n, Gcics.t. to 'ac p'mocrAtc Stat" Con-
ycni!on> of l>-r, 80. - and 20, and Is now
serving his third term 70, member of Tire Vs.
,"uhly from Eordlnd County. lie WAS elected
last fan Boy plurality of -69.
Drmar.st has also been ior S,N Years president
of IL" Eorsa4d County Industrial Association,
and has had siron- political "pill' with the
farmers II is said tIaf his trcncth in Clark,
fn,,r L,. L..o I,,.cl, Ilr to l,i. irnunnrip, ;Lo
rrio, >,.'rI'., C,u,.,. f. c,,,hri.h ,rcir
a.
once DO mat township ~ th' comparatively
large aSsc ,siucnt and tx Of the company made
,hr hu,,l,, G,bt.r far tIo farmer. D.r,,r.t
'-' "'' -'"'"' J" ''''' '''" "''" MN pup
ul'r and his political sa-aciN Is acknowledged
hy even his cncu,ir, flc i, "A firm pcr,opal friend
e... nm t tt. -, - :.,
' ""'''h'' III" "H' ''N ''''"' 'PP'lH'N'h''
on Important Assembly committees Indicate his
siluliua If fine C,nit,l
,ri. 9. ,It -.
''I' 'P''"' j" "''H 10 "''''Nr the P"IIl'"
aspects Of kochl'nd county. as Dcinas">t was
the ackuoW lcdrrl leader of the Democratic forces
and c.r,.i,l,. ,,,,,IJ b..o .,or,.I ,,.,,hi, ,b
,o,, '''''' ,,r o,',o ca,..; "''''I'' ''''
evcrvvLc,, di.,,,ssi,,o ,l,c si,n5,ior Inn, f,,,
facts aIc publicly known tonight. Dcm1rc>ts