The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-01-17
LED ON TO RUIN.
Captain Allen Specialized With
Other Peoples Money.

In Pttiable Right.
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, Mass, Jan.
I4.-Captain John Allen, the erstwhile
leading citizen of this town, whose alleged
enlightenment of the thousands of dollars
placed in his trust has startled the public
generally as we'll as here, Is in an abso-
lutely broken down condition. owing to the
terrible strain that has been upon him for
weeks He denies that his alleged embeZ-
elements are as great as has been stated,
and says he is being done an injustice.
Three homes have been desolated by the
shock following tine expose of the doings
Of Captain Allen, and from present indi-
cations it would appear that one of the
first steps contemplated by certain of the
parties involved is the arrest of Captain
Allen upon charge of embezzlement.
From $40 900, the sum of money which
he is alleged to have misused, it has
mounted up to the enormous figure of
over 100000. The figures are absolutely
startling to the people of this place and
the former friends of Captain Allen who
find it impossible to realize where their
townsman was able to obtain SO much
capital.
The most interesting disclosure is the
III WHICH, CupUhlu Allel COhleSSSS
to his relatives to have deliberately used
the money which was placed in his trust
by his aunt, Mrs. Hannah Allen of Bos-
ton, upon the death of George G. Leach,
the former trustee, some five or six years
ago
Mrs. Hannah Allen is at the present
time living in Boston. She is the widow
of Captain Benjamin l.. Allen, former
resident If IN
fortune as a mariner and shipowner.
About Aliens Money.
Benjamin L.. Allen died number of
years ago and at the time of his death his
fortune amounted to about $4,000 He
left this money to his wife Hannah, and
1t was placed in the care of President
George G. Leach of the Peoples National
bank of Roxbury, who was appointed
trustee with the full power to act for Mrs
Allen.
Under the careful and skillful manage
ment Of the president of the Peoples Ma
tional bank the money almost trebled it.
SELF and at the time of his death, in $780,
is said to have amounted to almost 800, 600 |
just previous to the death of Mr.. Leach, |
Captain Allen had been entrusted,with the |
trusteeship of the Roberts estates. Mat !
tiers seemed to be coming his way just at |
that time, for in addition to the Roberts
estates he was chosen trustee of Mrs. AL
denis property, as successor to Mr.. Leach.
1t is learned that as soon as Captain
Allen became possessed of his aunt's |
money he hired a safe deposit vault upon
MILK street in Boston, in which he i'm
mediately placed his new trust. He made
frequent visits to the vault from that
time, and at each visit the sum of money
In stocks and other securities grew beau
tifully less.
1t was proven beyond possibility of
doubt that of the immense amount of
money given in his care for his aunt in
lisp but H. few thousand remained.
When confronted with the evidence of
his misdong, and asked to explain mat
tiers, Captain Allen admitted that he had
expended $50 600 of his aunt's money in
unlucky speculation.
This adds $4,000 to the $4,000 more al
legged to have been taken from estates of
the Roberts children, and it is now fur
Their stated that he lost SOL 900 more from
the estate of the Widow Roberts, which
was also placed in his keeping. This part
of the story is not absolutely verified.
Bondsmen's Bad Plight.
But little less pitiable than the plight of
Captain John Allen is that in which the
two men who went his bond. When he
became trustee for the Roberts estate he
was required to Sign IL bond for $4,000.
MIR. Allen was the trustee for two of
the children, and Henry G. Batchelder,
cashier of the Mercantile bank of Salem,
was trustee for the other two, one boy and
q girl.
Nehemiah G. Marshall, retired furni-
ture dealer, and man who is generally
loved in this community; Samuel
another prominent and well-to-
do citizen, together with the Widow Rob-
erts, who was then living, went on Cap
tain Aliens bond.
1t is said that Marshall and knights
signed the bond to the amount of S5O,OO0
each, and the widow Roberts for $4,000.
This is disputed by the Marshalls, who say
that each of the three signed the bond for
an equal amount
Mrs. Roberts is dead, and her estate was
willed To the children, and formed a part
of that which was held in trust by Messrs.
Allen and Batchelder. Mr. Marshall is
placed in a terrible position. The earnings
of lifetime will be swept away by this
terrible blow, and the gray hairs of the
old gentleman may have no roof to
shelter them which he can call his own. .
He has a wife and a family of several
grown-up children.
Mr.. Knights is placed in position al
most as bad. He has been IA thrifty bust
ness man, and one of the leading spirits
Of the town for many years. II he is COM ,
PEELED to redeem his bond to the full ex- I
tent, he will be almost impoverished.
Captain Allen hired an office in the i
Fiske building, Boston, about IL year ago. | !
He met his worst reverses in the panic of i
q couple of weeks ago, and at that time /
gave his office up. He has large family :
and is about 90 years of age.
The Indiana In Trim.
NEWPORT r. l., Jan. 1.-THE torpedo ,
outfit OF the batuleship Indiana was com
pleted yesterday, and the ship made ready