The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-17
HE BETRAYED A TRUST
j. A. IASIGI, FORMERLY TURKISH
CONSUL AT BOSTON, SENTENCED.
Given a Long Term in the State Peni-
cling Funds of French Estates.

BOSTON, Nov. 16.-Joseph Andrew Iasigi
formerly Turkish consul in this city, who
was arrested in New York last summer
charged with the embezzement of large
sums from trust funds held by him. and
who was recently found guilty in the Suf-
folk county Superior Court was to-day
sentenced to serve term of not more than
eighteen nor less than fourteen years in
states prison, with one day solitary con-
tinement and the rest of the term at hard
labor.
The story of the Iasigis and their man.
agement of the two French estates involved
in the above case is a most interesting one
For forty years the Turkish consulship at
Boston has been in the Iasigi family. The
father held the post until he died, and was
replaced by Joseph's elder brother, who in
turn was replaced by Joseph himself. When
the family lived in France the elder Iasgi
knew the parents of Pierre Charles Derrick
and Charles Antoine Armand de la Villar-
diere These people knew Iasigi had come
to this country an ordinary man, and when
they heard reports that he had grown eror-
mously rich they were eager to increase
their own fortunes in the same way. They
communicated with him and sent him $4,000
for inves, ment. At that time the railroads
of the West were booming, and Iasigi in
vested the money in Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy stock In a few years the $4,000 had
increased to $3.50, 900. The Frenchmen were
so delighted with Iasigis management that
: ey made him absolute trustee of the for
tune.
When the elder Iasigi died the heirs of
the property decided they would leave it in
the hands of his son Oscar. When Oscar
died they turned the trust over to Joseph,
the late consul. When Oscar took charge
or the estate there was no record to snow
the property held for the Frenchmen was
not his fathers own. There was only the
word of the old gentleman for it. Divi-
dends were sent regularly to the French
heirs, however and matters would prob
ably have gone on in this way Indefinitely
had not one of the heirs in France arrived
at his majority nearly two years ago and
asked for an accounting Joseph A. Iasigi
did not give the accounting, and there was
another and more peremptory demand for
it. The OILY effect this had was to stop
all the dividends and interest which had
been promptly paid up to that time.
The heirs in France then engaged General
Peabody as their attorney and instructed
him to secure the property. He called on
Iasigi several times and was assured the
latter would turn over the property, but on
one pretext or another Iasigi excused him
self from doing SO whenever General Pea
body applied to him. AT last 1t was round
some of the stock had been sold, and then
General Peabody entered the suit which
terminated few days ago in the conylction
of the embeZZler.
There are few more versatile men in
America than the man just sentenced. His
father was an American, well yersed IN the
languages, and Joseph was given all the
advantages of a European education. He
was horn in America, but lived so much
abroad as to have all the appearances ana
the accent of a foreigner. He had to learn
the English language all over again Wnen
he returned to his home. He is well known
in the fashionable society of Boston, ana
the charges and subsequent conviction and
sentence have created social sensation.