The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-20

the ProsecutiOn--Vario Cases of
Minor Importance Disposed Of
The case of ex-TaX Collector T. f.
Boland, of Dunmore, charged by Jere-
miah McPeek with the embezzlement
of S1,5O0 Of the county's funds, was
called for trial before Judge Edwards,
in court room No. yesterday morning.
John f. Scragg assists the common
wealth in the prosecution of the case.
Hon. John p. Kelly and Hon. NJ. +.
Mcdonald appear for the defense.
The allegation against Mr. Boland
is that he collected and converted to
his own use taxes which were turned
in by him on his eXoneration list.
A number of witnesses were called
who produced receipts showing that
they had paid taxes to Mr.. Boland for
the year 1895, and then County Com
mssoners' Clerk c. f. Wagner showed
from his records that they had been
eXonerated. The amount alleged to
have been collected in this way figures
up to about $l5.
The opening for the defense was made
by Mr.. Kelly just before adjournment
He said they proposed to prove that
Mr.. Boland did not embezzle even the
SIS, to which amount the "s1, 500 or
upwards" of the indictment has dwin-
died. He then went on to explain that
in the spring of 1896, when Mr.. Bo-
land went to the commissioners Of
flee to make a settlement of his dupli-
cate, there was some objection offered
to the size of the eXoneratiOn list and
the commissioners refused to approve
it until he had made further effort to
reduce it, The eXoneraton list was
left in the commissioners custody, and
he proceeded to lessen it's amount as
per directions of the commissioners.
Ali during the summer while collecting
the 1896 duplicate. he worked on the
1895 eXoneration list, and here and
there succeeded in collecting a tax
that he had for one cause or another
recommended for exoneration.
DUPLICATE OVERLOOKED.
In the following December or in Jan
uary, 1897, he made a settlement with
the commissioners and had his eX-
oneration list approved. He had neg
lected to take his duplicate along, and
being anxious for settlement so that
his bondsmen might be released, he
attempted, with the aid of his memory
only to check off such items on the ex-
oneration list as he had succeeded in
collecting during the summer.
He discovered afterwards, upon con-
sulting his books, that he had neg
lected to check off some few of the
eXonerated names, but thinking it of
little consequence and hardly worth
while reopening the settled account
of 1895, he turned in these moneys at
the time of his next settlement His
only offense, Mr. Kelly contended, was
his mistake in not making a separate
settlement for the 1895 account
Twenty-Five or more character wit
nesses will be put on the stand this
| morning to show that MIR. Boland is
not the kind of a man who would
stOop to the embszzlement of a few
paltry dollars.
Valentine Ankavitcb, a Priceburg sa-
| loonkeeper was tried before Judge Nc
Clure on a charge of larceny and re-
ceiving, preferred by William II
Smith, another saloonkeeper of the
place. Smith, it appears, was engaged
to marry Ankavitchs daughter, and
among the presents he bought her was
a wedding dress. She refused to marry
| him, and he demanded the return OF
| the dress or its equivalent She re-
fused to listen to him, and he had hel
| father arrested for larceny and receiv-
| ing. Judge Mcclure directed the jury
to return a verdict of not guilty. An
kavitch and his son, Charles, were tried
| later on the charge of assault and bat,
terry, preferred by Joseph Pawkleek
| and were acquitted. Pawlleeh fel
| asleep in the eAnkavitchs saloon one night
and was locked in unknowingly by the
| proprietor. During the night, when HI
| made some noise that awoke the peo.
| pie in the house, he was mistaken fol
a burglar and larruped in lively shape
| by the two Ankavitches.