The herald., 1894-12-25
THEY WOULD NOT INTERCEDE''
His Associates Have No Word
to Say for Seeley.
Sentenced to Eight Years. Impris-
Onment.
The Man Who Stole S354,O 900 Says He
Il Glad That the Case
IL Over.
By the Associated Press,

guilty to abstracting funds and altering
the books Of the National Shoe and
L Gather bank, was today sentenced to
eight years in the Kings county peniten-
tiary by Judge Benedict, in the United
States circuit court. The total amount
of the defalcstion was 1854 900.
The moment Judge Benedict pro-
nounced the sentence, Seeley was
escorted from the court room to United
States M arshsl McCarthy's office in the
Federal building by deputies. He was
accompanied by his uncle. Milford
Hallen back. who stood beside him
through the trying ordeal. Seeley
threw himself on sofa when he
reached the marshaPs Office, and when
asked by an Associated Press reporter ii
he had anything to say, replied:
II feel much better than | have for 0
years. am glad it is all over and that
l 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 imprisonment seem
somewhat shorter"
SEELEY'S APPEARANCE.
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 Marshals McAviney
and Lawless had him in charge and
they stood on the platform of horse
car Sseley lighted cigar and chat.ed
with his guards and to reporter, but
refused to say anything in reference to
his csse.
When the party reached the Federal
building, the prisoner was placed in
McCarthy's Office, where he was imme-
diately joined bv his uncle, Wilford
Hallen back. and Lawyer Frank w. An
gell. A few minutes later Chief Clerk
Kennedy announced that Judge Bene.
dict would not pronounce sentence until
2 o'clock in the afternoon. Vice-Presi.
dent George l.. Pease and Director John
L. Beach Of the National Shoe and
Leather bank called about an hour later
for talk with Seeley. The latter said
that even if he should be sentenced to
the full limit of the law he would most
willingly assist the officials of the bank
in strsightening out the accounts.
Lawyer Angel asked the gentlemen to
intercede with Judge Benedict in
Seeley's behalf. but they refused.
''We are not in the least vindictive."
said Mr.. Beach. but the case is now in
the hands of the government and we
are satisfied to let the law take its
course"
At few minutes before O'Clock
Seeley was brought into the United
States circuit court. He was not
placed in the pen with the other prson-
erB, but sat between the deputies near
the counsel tables in front of the court.
His uncle kept up a continuous conver-
sation with him but Seeley eeemed to
take very little interest in his surround.
ings. He was very nervous and twisted
and untwisted a white handkerchief
with both hands.
When Judge Benedict entered the
court all the chairs were filled with
spectators, among whom were President
Crane, Vice President Pease and Direc-
tor Beach of the Shoe q Leather bank.
A couple OF Italians were first called
for sentence. They had pleaded guilty
to election frauds and were sentenced to
three years each.
PLEA FOR MERCY.
When Seeley's name was called he
arose slowly and walked up to the bar,
with his uncle on one side and LAWYER
Angel on the other. Lawyer Angel
made an earnest plea for clsmency, and
said that although the crime charged
was very serious. he thought the ends
OF Justice would be served by the in.
Fiction of minimum penalty of five
years.
He spoke of Seeley's willingness to
plead guilty from the day he was
brought back from Chicago, and stated
that in pleading guilty he had savsn the
government great deal OF expense.
Lawyer Angel then went into the his.
tory of the case and said how Seeley, in
the beginning of 1885 had made an hon-
eat mistake, but that he committed q
fatal error in not reporting the matter to
the officials of the bank at once. He
was weak and easily fell a victim to
Baker. a man OF iron nerve and peculiar
ways.
Lawyer Angel then referred to Seeley's
family and asked that the court would
grant that whatever the term of
imprisonment the court would infiiot.
that Sseley should be allowed to serve it
in the Kings county penitentiary, 90
that his wife could visit him.
When the lawyer had finished there
WAS AOe u bouAu Ah thO CuuEV EOOuiy huu
Judge Benedict looked at the prisoner
for fully minute before he spoke.
In few brief sentences he said he
admired Seeley for pleading guilty,
but the large amount involved and the
position which Sseley held in the bank
necessitated q severe sentence in the
hope that it would deter others from fol-
lowing his course.
1.-THE sentence OF tho court" said
Judge Benedict. ''is that you be impris-
oned in the Kings county penitentiary
for term OF eight years."
Seeley meekly bowed his head to the
Judge and left the court room with the
deputies.
Seeley. by good behavior. can earn
Communication of 80 months, and will re-
duce his term OF imprisonment to five
years and four months.
He will probably be taken to the peni-
tentiary next Saturday, but Marshal
MCCARTHY said he might not be sent
there until some day next week.
To Scan the Heavens.
CHICAGO. Dec. 24.-Louis Gateman,