The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-25
SEELY GIVEN EIGHT YEARS.
Ten Years the Maximum and Five the
Minimum in His Case.

He Agrees TO AID the Bank in Every
Way Possible in Strengthening Out
Bakers Missing Checks - he Is to
Serve His Time in the Kings County
Penitentiary, and Good Behavior VIII
Reduce His Sentence to Five Years
and Four Months.
New York, Dec. 24-Samuel c. Seelv.
the defrauding bookkeeper of the National
Shoe and Leather Bank, who was ar
rested in Chicago on Dec. II, and last
week pleaded guilty to an indictment
against him for defrauding the bank by
making false entries, and converting the
banks money to his own use, was ar
ragned before Judge Benedict in the
United States circuit court to-day for
sentence.
The specific sum mentioned in the in
dictment as misappropriated by Seely is
only $3.50. although his peculations from
the bank or the benefit of Frederick Baker,
which has been going on for several years,
aggregated 1854, 200. Out of this fabulous
sum Baker only gave Seely $500 to go away
with after his crime had been discov-
cred.
Seely was brought from Ludlow street
Jail to the federal building at Il O'Clock
a. m. by Deputy Marshal John E. Nc
Aviney. and taken to the Office of United
States Marshal McCarty
Two directors of the Shoe and Leather
Bank had a long private interview with
seey in the marshaPs Office this noon.
seely told them he would give them all
the information in his power to help them
to trace Bakers missing checks-from
1885 to 1894, and aid them as we'll as he
was able to straighten out the tangled
accounts for that period, even if he should
be sentenced to ten years.
Lawyer Angel made an earnest appeal
to the two directors to intercede with
Judge Benedict in seely's behalf, but they
positively declined to do so, and simply
said that they would not speak word
to the judge one way or the other
President Crane did not see Seely this
morning.
II was 2;23 o'clock when Seely was called
TO the bar. The court room was crowded
with curious spectators attracted by the
notoriety which the prisoners crime has
gained. Seely responded quickly to the
call of his name and walked to the bar
with a firm step, but he looked pale, de-
Jected and cresuallen, in fact almost
dazed He was in charge of United States
Marshal McCarty and a deputy marshal
His wife's uncle, Milford +. Hallenback
stood with him in court.
Lawyer Frank w. Angel interceded for
his client and said that he thought the
ends nj i'm ha I,rf 20 ,f,,f
mum punishment. He said Seely had told
him openly that he was guilty and de-
served punishment. He said Seely had
over 600 accounts under his care. His first
mistake was an error. He should have
gone to the president of the bank about
it, but instead he went to Baker, a man
Of will power and decision, who easily in
huenced Seely. He had not placed the
government to any expense or trouble of
trial. He also asked that the sentence
should be executed in the Kings county
penitentiary.
Judge Benedict then sentenced Seely to
eight years in the Kings county peniten-
tiary.
Seely was at once removed from the
court room and taken back to the Ludlow
street Jail.
The maximum punishment for his crime
under the statute is ten years imprison-
ment, and the minimum five years. With
the allowance for good conduct the ac-
tual time Seely will have to serve will be
about five years and four months.
In passing sentence Judge Benedict said:
The law must protect the banks, and is
intended to deter others from committing
similar crimes"
Just before Seely was called to the bar
President Crane of the Shoe and Leather
bank, Vice President Ease and Director
Beach entered the court room and took
seats in the rear of the gallery.
Mr. Pease and Mr.. Beach are the two di-
1ectors who had an interview with Seely
in the marshaPs office this morning, and
refused to intercede with the judge in
his behalf after Seely had told them all
about the banks accounts and how to
trace Bakers missing checks.
After Seely was taken from the court
room back to the marshaIs Office to get
the commitment papers he said to the
deputy marshal who had him in charge:
Il am glad it is over / would rather serve
twenty years in state prison than suffer
as l have done during the past ten years.
The past ten years have been terrible to
me, and the anguish indescribable."