Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-08
lASlGI INDICTED.
Fifty Counts and More Against
Turkish Consul General.
Alleged that He Misused Funds to Ex-
tent Of at Least 100000.
No Hurry to Take Accused to Boston-Attornty
Stevens Talks.


on more than so counts. All the counts
charge him with enlightenment, and the
sum total of the entertainments alleged
is more than 100000
This information was made PUBIC
Saturday morning by District Attorney
Stevens at the close of this months ses-
sion of the grand jury. 1t was an eX-
ceedingly busy session, and the lasigi
case occupied portion of every day.
1t was called up on the very first day
of the session-last Monday-and was
considered in parts daily. the last sec
ton being presented to the grand jury
lust before the members went into court
Saturday morning to make their report
The district attorney VAS seen ny
press representative just as the jury was
fling into. the courtroom. ano asheu II
he could make public any statement re-
eardng the Iasisi matter.
at is q rule of the office not to make
public indictments where the person in
,hcted is not arrested in this county,
he said "hut as Mr.. Iasigi is under ar
rest in New York. can see no harm in
saving that an Indictment has been
found against him."
"pow many counts are there in the in
dictment ?!
We'll. we don't care to so into parti2u--
lars
Were there more than 2o?
Yes. more than SO.
Fifty actual counts?'
"No. In some cases there are tWo'
three or four counts covering one trans
action. For instance. if the transaction
related to the disposition OF some shares
of Norwich and Worcester stock, we
would have one count cover the empeZ-
element of the stock itself and another
GOV erinc the embezZlement OF the pro-
cceds.''
can you give the sum total of these
alleged embezzlemnts?
Not exactly: more than 100000 at
any rate
II suppose steps will he Immediately
taken to have ,Ir. Iasigi brought BACK
from New York;"
"Oh. there will be TO hurry about it.
The New York courts have yet TO pass
unon the question of whether the case rs
one for the jurisdiction Of the federal
courts. because Of the fact that he is the
consul, general of Turkey. That Will
probably not he decided until some time
next week. lli
TT is not probable that the governor
of Now York would surrender him to us
in the meantime even IL we were to ask
him to do so. We will wait until these
proceedings are closed"
rs there any doubt in your mind as TO
the right of the state court to proceed in
the natter?
.:Well." replied the district attorney,
with a laugh. the best answer to that
is the finding Of the indictment II we
had not felt sure of our ground we
would not have gone ahead. The New
York Judge is very carefully consider
ing that matter, and until he reports we
will take no further steps. understand
he is going over the ground very care
fully. and his opinion will he interest
ing
1.-The statute of limitation precludes
the finding of counts on cases of alleged
cmbezzemcnt prior to six years ago,
does it not
Eyes, but we have indicted Mr.. Iasigi
on all the cases we had regardless of
this point. Some of these may not hold,
but guess there are enough that WILL"
Mr. Stevens sec 'ed to be perfectly sat
isfied with the proceedings in the case,
and the requisition on the governor of
New York will be obtained as soon as
the question of Mr. Iasigis rights under
his consular position are determined.
Lawyers in general believe that this
position does not exempt him from ar
rest, since he is the representative of
the Turkish government in q. CONNER
cial capacity only.
On the other hand. the claim that the
arrest was an illegal one, because Mr.
Iasigi was a consul. was made by Mr..
Frederic r. Coudert, his counsel. who
is recognized as one of the ablest au-
thorites on international affairs in this
country.
In this matter, however. the local
lawyers think Mr.. Coudert was looking
at the subject from the point of view of
a lawyer defending a client instead of
an international authority having no
reason to take a partisan view of the
matter.
Even if this point should be decided in
favor of Mr.. Isaigi 1t can give him but
temporary respite. Francis Peabody. Jr,
who represents the interests of the per-
sons for whom Mr. Isaigi acted as trus-
tee. has been in consultation with United
States District Attorney Sherman Hoar
and the federal government would take
cognizance of the case at once if the New
York judge decided that it only had
jurisdiction.
1T is understood that Mr. Iasigi will
make the claim that he is not fugitive
from justice, and is therefore Illegally
detained. In support of this claim his
friends allege that he went to New
York for the purpose of raising some
money from some friends, and not for
the purpose of leaving the country. as
Mr.. Peabody feared
If this point is proven, Mr.. Iasigi can
not be held, according to decisions on
similar cases in the New York courts.
but if he was discharged on this ground
he would he Immediately rearrested. SO
that little would be gained.
YALE WILL ENTER A TEAM.
New Haven. March Yale has ac-
CepteQ the invitation of Corto;,, u, r.