The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-12
DELAwARE'S SENSATION.
THE INDICTMENT AGAINsT U. q.
SENATOR KENHEH.
story or Gambling, IHoThe Racing and spscu-
Iatisn ToId by this Teller or the Plundered
Hlnnk-PelItIcaI Power or the N1ch Accused
AZ Enn.nILnIaE IN nain. L.. ~ E.L..n

OF Richard II, Rennoy, United States Senator,
for aiding and abetting William n. Boggs. late
~ teller Of the First National Bank of Dover.
to embezzlo the banks funds, has caused a
shock In this state. The men who have been
indicted are well known in politics and bust.
ness. They practically ran politics in Kent
county 80 far az tho Democratic party 10 con-
cornod. Ezekiel r. Cooper. who went to Tren-
ton penitentiary on May II, was convicted Of
the offence now charged against Senator Ken
ney and seven others. Senator Kenney and
Mr.. Cooper wore for years closely identified In
military affairs In tho State and both OF them
are lawyers, having offices in the same build
ing. Their offices were the resort Of Demo-
cratic politicians who went to tho State capital,
and no game Of politics was ever played with.
out tho two taking part.
According to the story no told at tho trial of
Cooper, Boggs began to take the banks money
five years ago. When he was on tho witness
stand and cro~ss.examined by counsel for
Cooper, the %followin was brought out to show
the beginning Of tho trouble that has led to the
indictment Of eight Delaware men and one man
from Philadelphia, and also to indicate where
some of the money went:
Q.-What circumstances first led to tho do
falcationl Any first breach Of fidelity as an
officer Of tho First National Bank OF Dover be-
gan in carrying small checks for Thomas s.
SidIk lUu bo pun on tTIdi ntNJ WbehI. ln8
next and really my first large stop resulting in
a loss to the bank was the result of transac.
lions made with men introduced TO me by
Thomas S. Clark. They were Harry l.. Ford,
Jefferson L. Ford, William L. Cotter, and lillian
+. Cotter, Jr. Those were the first gentlemen
with whom l had race track experiences.
Q.-Were these transactions relating to horse
race tracksH A.-Not exclusively. They ex-
tended in different directions. First horse
races, then poker. and 1 had a still different
transaction with Cotter in relation TO some real
estate speculations.
Q.-Explnin your race track connections. A.
i never cared for horses. cared nothing for
the sport Of running races. l only went into it
on account of the good things held out to me by
gentlemen who claimed TO know them. They
knew that l had lost some money and was car
rying money.
$50 far in this transaction all OF your de.
~faulting was not for the love of gain for your.
self. but through acts of friendship. A.-That
is fairly correct.
Q.-Didsyou ever in any of the transactions
covering this $lO7. 900 have any idea of max.
ing money for yourself by using tho funds of
the banki A.-No, except to cover up previous
sums taken-to get out of the hole.
Q.,,You:havc. said that one means employed
in cardsl Al had ir mind horse racing when
you spoke. ! must confess that cards had a
| u ho hIICI u lllC L was I'll iii
portsnt factor in all Of the games.,
zvS o.. ! want va you to gsate n how v. much = money you
Q.-Have you not said that you won $40, oooi
Al may have given out that l was a winner
quently by those who played with me. It was
given cut cut that | could not be beaten.
what they said. but I lost.
9.I,Yon had a bank to draw FRONT Ayes,
Q.-You say that outside of your desire to get
back money you had q love for the game. A.
Rn3"}Ys gBS ecker until after I was away in the hole
,Q.|Iwould this game go on every Saturday
that Saturday night was such a good time.
Q.-What vast A...Sunday.
the morning. Then I would 60 home for ain
ner. return. and sometimes go.to supper and re-
Q.-That was pretty much your life In Dover
in ls96l A.-Not continuously. There were
Q.-Now, at the time that you were playing
cards were you going on with betting on: horse
racingi A.-ies. / never failed to put up
money when a man came along with a good
Q.-Whsre did YOU playI A.-Aftor Glouces-
the loss Of thousands of dollars.
want 9;t to IND m oTt wh man ali Xpo Of mi tRis ' money we Me
A.--Probably $4,000. / have not the mem.
oIanda at hand. l did not expect that I would
Q.-WhAt was the highest amount of money
you ever tooki Al have carried as high as
$1,000, probably $4,000. l went prepared for
Q.mz,How did you get off from the bank to Fol
A.-The bank closed at 3 o'clock. There was a
train a short time after 3.
Odd you come back the same night A.
Yes.
,Q.-You took the money from the bank each
when / first went. This lasted but a week.
We won during the week, but on the last night
we lost all that we won.
The lawyer. Bird, started TO ask another
question when Boggs turned toward him angrIly
There is gentleman in this room who gave
you that information. He ought to know, for
he went with me one night and l gave him
money TO play"
When Boggs gave this testimony Senator
Kepney was present and all eyes were turned
Q.I;,Where did you stand on fnrol Al
should say that / lost about II. 900. l would
not be absolutely sure, l never played, unit,
1900. was interested in a game In this city,
.Q.-Tou mean that the First National Bank
Of Dover was the backerl A.-Oh, that wa:
understood all around. They all knew that.
state Gas stock, stocks in general, faro. poker
horse racing and alleged real estate deals tool
examination BosgS told Of a pool that had beer
The understanding I had at tho time, HI
Cooper. 800; John p. Hawkins. 500. and Mr.
hNitiO ht' wv iNtNb "''- ~ hfhi' oiibN y
90 into the pool. and each Of them was to pu
up 300. They were DIR. b. l.. Lewis and Hezc
klah Harrington"
Q.-Did they put in their money! A few
days later Mr.. KennOy handed me the check
OF DIR. Lewis and Mr.. Harrington.
Q.-Was tho BOO OF Col. Cooper paidi A.
No. sir.
q Was that OF John d. Hawkins paidl A
No. sir. Only 5000 was paid, and that cam
from the checks given me by Gen. ,KennGy.
Q.-Then yours, Col. Cooper's and MIR. Haw
kins's were not paidi A.-Yes. sir. That is cor
rect.
The, game OF exchanging checks and utter
ing checks against accounts that did not OK
tst, poker, faro, bay State Gas stock deals, AM
al sorts Of forms OF spoculations. including
fast and furious game OF politics, went on tC
gether at Dover. Senator Kenncy. two day
! after the election OF 1896, played an active par
I when the Democratic Election Board threN
0 out enough returns to unseat seven Represen
=. tatives and one Senator who had been electc
t by the Kent county Republicans to the Genera
Assembly. At that board meeting Senate
kenpey threatened physical injury 70 som
Assembly Endorsed the action OF the Board q
Election, and eight Democrats sat for two seE
4 sinns In seats That shomld haye baen nlled b