New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-30
1JEUT J.W. COCHRAN'S FALL
ur IS IN THE TONES ON ChAR"E of
EMBEZZLING $4,000.

HF is IN THE TONES oN
EMBEzZLING $1,000. !
.pprsrrp on HIS RETURN FROM CAMP WITH
vr -ru HrG1MEST-oNE OF THE MOST
HIGHLY ESTEEMED AND BEsTKNowN
MEN IN THE ORGANIZATION.
r..., 1;ortenant John Watson Cochran. one of
Tho most highly esteemed and best-Rnowh VI
Ncers Of the eth Regiment is in the loinoS'
- haen arrested on a charge of emhezzllng
es ooo Or more from the firm of C. e. Gunther
C.rs furriers at Fifth-ave.. near Twrnty-thlrd-st
This is one of the most remarkable cases on
record Of a Young man going wrong, because Llen',
Cochran had every reason to induce MN 10 leau
on honorable life He had young wife. whom
no married only last winter an old mother an"
,wo sisters and the honor Of his position IN 'he
9Th Reoiment 10 maintain His career thus lar
bad been an extremely promising one. and ne
had reached q position in the regiment wn'ch u
N,r above that usually secured by men OF MS
age w.t.,
While the regiment in camp at PeeKS-
bill, last week Lieutenant Cochran was WIN
a and il was while he was absent from III"
office on this duty that his declaration WIS "is-
covered The firm employed an expert account
ant % On aver the books. and it was discovered
az credit clerk for his own benefit. just how much
h.a ho.n t.ken could not he discovered accn-
,ate,v hut when Lieutenant Cochran was ar
r.s,ed he acknowledged that he was short So.oo"
in his accounts.
HOW HE WAS ARRESTED
While doing military durv he could not be
arrested on this charge, so Detective Heidelberg
,ras detailed to wait for his arrival in town ana
then N arrest him The detective was acquainted
with Lieutenant Cochran. so he wilted at inc
Grand Central Station until the regiment ar
rived from camp on Saturday night lie cou'o
M, arrest him at the station, however. hecause
he WAS still doing military duty, so he did not take
him into custody until after the reg
jment had arrived at the armorS anu
had been dismi sed. Lieutenant Cochran had gone u
the armory at the head of his company the cap
,.,r-Willard c. Fisk-having been detailed 10
other duty In fact. Lieutenant cochran hao
,ust come from camp. where he had been dls'ih-
gu,sbed nv being mace acting adiutlnt of the
second battalion by Colonel Daniel Appleton, oe-
cause he was not only an extremely competent
officer but also a fine rider. and the regular
adiutant of that battalion could not ride we'll
At the police court when he was arralgned Oh
Sunday morning it was made to appear tha' Ills
name was John CorcoIan, and 1t was saln 'na'
he had been on a vacation 70 the 'a'sk"s ~
this way his identity not disclosed ana ~
u,as not known that he was member OF the 'th
Regiment.
THE WAY HE TOOK THE MONEY.
Lieutenant Cochran has heen connected with
the Gunthers for seven or eight years H' ni>'
beoau AS a salesman behind the counter, ana the
firm had such confidence in him. and he gave such
general satisfaction. that he rose - be thc cen'
clerk Of the establishment, position when he hd'
occupied for two three years In 'hat pia'"
h. had charge of the collections and il was due
70 this fact that he was able to put money IN MS
nool,et instead of turning it over TO the hrm.
fe would take a bill for goods TO the customer
and IL the amount was paid with check 1t was
turned ovcr to the cashier But IL cash was pli'
Cochran nut il into his pocket just how much
ha has taken the firm is unab., TO say, as an en-
animation of the books is still going on, covering
the period during which Lieutenant Cochran has
held the place of credit clerk. 1t is not thought,
hovrexer that the amount of his defalcations will
exceed the amount which he acknowledged ii'
had taken.
HIS EyyIABLE POSITION IN THE REGIMENT
Ever since Lieutenant Cochran has been in the
9Th REGIMENT he has had the confidence and es-
teen of all the officers which has been shown by
annointments to responsible positions by Colone'
Appleton, and his election 10 Others where an
election was the usual mode OF procedure ne
has been in the organization over eleven years.
having Joined Company as private Oh MAY
90. 1882 Tic interest ana confidence ""cn
General Clark had in Jim before he rctireh from
tbe recin,cnt was displayed by his appointment
~ pr;vo+e Cochran on his staff ordnance ser
eeant When Colonel Appleton was elected 10
succced General Clark he retained Ordnance SER
seant Cochran on his staff. Cochran had taken
4 great interest in rife shooting and was one o'
the best all-around shots in the regiment. by MS
enthusiasm in the place of ordnance sergeant he
did much in the way of coaching at Creedmoof
and in inducing other members OF the regiment
60 practise. so that the big increase IN the
number of maIksmen i'll the organization Is Iar2c-
ly due TO the energy of Lieutenant Cochran. lie
has also held the position OF secretary oil the reS
mental rife club for number oil years. anu heie
again his enthusiasm has been seen in the great
IL increased success of this branch OF thc resi-
uent within the last three or four years
THE SCANDAL IN COMPANY d.
While be was ordnance sergeant the scandal
came out in Company d. in which the hght Ne-
tween Captain Allen and Lieutenant Pattes On
took place The condition Of the company De-
came 70 bad that request was made Tor the
resignation Of both these officers The company
was torn with dissensions between the followers
OF Captaln Anen and his lieutenant. and was
reduced far below the minimum allowed Dy iaw'
which is IA rare thing TO happen i'll the 'th Rcgl-
ment where almost always the companies have
good. sized waiting list of members who are
anxious to take the positions of those who drop
out.
After Captain Allen and Lieutenant Patteson
had resigned the officers Of the regiment began
to look around for some iirst-class officers VINO
would be able 10 unite the dissenting factions
&l.o thn STA
William c. Fisk a well-known lawyer OF Jersey
City, who was the adiutant of the regiment N
that time, was chosen as the captain Of the COM
pany, and Ordnance Sergeant Cochran was chosen
xs the best for the second place. The wisdom
OF the choice was shown by the fact that within