The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-12-25
he Gets Only Eight Years in
Kings County Penitensiary.
THE MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCE
Taken Into Account by the Court.
How the Defautter Received the
sentence-The Weight of Ten Years
of Anxiety Taken or His Mind.
Under the Good Behavior Rules His
Sentence May BE Reduced to Five
Years.

tesine the books Of the National Shoe
and Leather Bank, was to-day SEN
fenced 10 eight years imprisonment in
Ktngs county penitentiary by Judge
Benedict, in the United States court
The total amount OF the defalcation was
1854, 900, but the specific charges against
Seely involved only s5,0S0.
The moment Judge Benedict pro-
nounced the sentence. seely was escort
ed from the court room to United
States Marshal McCarty's Office in the
Federal building by deputies. He was
accompanied by his uncle, Milford Hal
lenbeck, who stood beside him during
his trying ordeal.
seely threw himself on sofa when
he reached the marshal's office, and
when asked by an Associated Press re-
porter II he had anything TO cay he re-
piled: II feel much better than have
felt in ten years past. l am glad It Is
all over and that will be confined in
the Kings county penitentiary, as my
poor wife will be able to visit me, and
this will tend to make my term OF i'm!
| prisonment seem somewhat shorter"
The defaulting bookkeeper looked
much better when he emerged from the
Ludlow street Jail this morning than on
any day since he was brought back
from Chicago. Deputy Marshass Nc
Ayiney and Lawless had him in charge
and they stood on the front platform OF
horse car. Seely lit a cigar and chatted
with his guards and to an Associated
Press reporter, but refused to say any
thing in reference to his case.
When the party reached the federal
building, the prisoner was placed in
Marshal McCarty's Office. where he was
Immediately joined by his uncle. Will
ford Haftenback, and Lawyer Frank
W. Angel.
A tew minutes laterIChief Clerk Ken
nedy announced that Judge Benedict
| would not pronounce sentence until z
o'clock in the afternoon.
Vice President George L. Pease and
Director John N. Beach, OF the National
Shoe and Leather Bank, called about an
hour later and had talk with Seely.
The latter said that even Il he should
| be sentenced to the full term of ten
years, be would most willingly assist
the officials OF the bank in straighten-
ing out accounts. Lawyer Angel asked
the gentlemen to intercede in Seely's be-
half, but they refused.
1--WE are not IN the least vindictive,"
said Mr.. Beach, "but the case 10 now In
the hands of the government aud We
are satisfied to let the law take its
course
At a few minutes before 2 o'clock
seely was brought into the United
| States circuit court. He was not placed
! in the pen with the other prisoners, but
sat between the deputies near the
counsel table in the front Of the court.
His uncle kept up continuous conver.
sation with him but Seeley seemed to
take very little interest in his surround.
ings. He was very nervous and twisted
aud untwisted q white handkerchief
| with both hands.
When Judge Benedict entered the
court, all the chairs were filed with
spectators, among whom were President
Crane, Vice President Pease and Direc.
tor Beach, Of the Shoe and Leather
Bank. A couple Of Italians were first
called for sentence. They had pleaded
guilty to election frauds aud were SEN
fenced to three years each.
When seely's name was called he
| arose slowly from his seat and walked
Up to the bar with his uncle on one
SHE and Lawyer Angel on the other.
Lawyer Angel made an earnest plea
for clemency, and said that, although
the crime charged was very serious
one, he thought the ends OF iu,tice
would be served by the iHfiictioa Of the
minimum penalty OF Eve years.
He spoke Of Seely's willingness TO
plead guilty from the day he was
brought back from Chicago, and said
that so pleading he had saved the gov
ernment great deal OF expense.
Lawyer Angel then went into the his.
tory oil the case and told how seely, in
the beginning OF 1885, had made an
honest mistake, but that he committed
a fatal error in not reporting the matter
TO the officials of the bank at once. He
was weak and easily fell victim to
Baker, a man Of iron nerve and pecu-
liar ways. Lawyer Angel then referred
to Seely's family and asked that the
court would grant favor that whatever
term OF imprisonment the court would
inflict that Seely would be allowed to
serve 1t in the Kings county peniten-
tiary so that his wife could visit him.
When the lawyer had finished there
was not sound in tho court room and
Judge Benedict looked at the prisoner
for fully minute before he spoke.
In few brief sentences he said that
he admired seely for pleading guilty,
but the large amount involved and the
! position which Seely held in the bank
made it necessary for him to intlIct
severe sentence in the hope that 1t
would deter others from following in
his footsteps.
"Ihc sentence of tho court ia," said
Judge Benedict, "that you be i'm.
pris0ned in the King. county penitonti-
ary for the torn OF eight years"
Seely meekly bowed his head to the
Judge and left the court room with the
deputies.
seeIy By good behavior can earn a
com mutation OF thirLy.two months,
which will reduce his term OF imprison-
ment five years and four months.
Hc will probably be taken to the
penitentiary next Saturday, but Mar
shal McCarty said that he might not be
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