The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-11-23
POLICE TAKE KE0UGH.
Former Tax Collector Charged With
Embezzlement Of $115,OOO.
Did Not Secure Bail, So Spent
Night In a Cell.
Has Been Free 10 Come and Go While Books
We're Being Examined.

Holyoke, Mass, Nov. 22.-The sensa-
tional charges against James c. Keough,
former tax collector of this city, reached
their climax last night in his arrest on
the charge of embezzement. The sum
named is $4,000 Keough was arrested
while eating supper and was taken to the
police station and locked in cell, where
he now is. Efforts to secure bail have
been fruitless so far.
The warrants were sworn out by City
Marshal Edward German. under direc-
ton of City Solicitor c. T. Callahan and
Clerk Tierney of the police court, there
being three separate charges-embezzle
ment of $4,000 of moneys collected by
Keough for the city in 1896, and the en-
bezzlement of $780, 900 each for the years
1896 and 1897
AS soon as Marshal German received
the warrant at 4:30 o'clock, he sent De-
tective Lynch to this city. to watch the
| trains leaving for New York. He him
self visited the places of business in
which Keough was interested, and, not
finding him at either of them, decided to
| go to the house. Meantime, as ii was
later learned Lynch and Keough had
| passed each other on the road to the
city.
Keough was eating supper when the
! marshal arrived, and was allowed to fin
ish his meal before going to the city
hall He walked down from the High
lands, and after buying a cigar arrived
at the police station at 1880 o'clock.
Keough would talk but little and would
not admit any guilt.
When Captain Peters led him to the
detention room he showed traces of emo
ton, the first observed since he has been
| under suspicion. Friends called on him
during the evening and night and a
| careful watch was kept over him to see
that he did no violence to himself. 1t is
not thought that he will be able to Sc
cure bonds, although an effort was made
to get them last night.
T. j. Flanagan of the bondsmen visited
Keough at the police station after his
arrest and held a brief interview with
HIM. Mr.. Flanagan, who is one of the
bondsmen, stated that the bondsmer
would hold a meeting and probably take
some action on the matter, though what
form it would take he was unable to state
He felt sorry for Keough and his fam
lily, but the feeling that Keough had mis-
represented matters to himself and the
other bondsmen made difference. Their,
would be no effort on the part of the
bondsmen or other men interested, sc
far as he knew, to bail Keough OUT in
fact until preliminary hearing hac
been held, and the bail fixed, he under.
stood that 1t would be impossible to dc
anything.
In the first report of f. NJ. Estes, the
first expert engaged in the case he re
ported that there were treasures" to tht
extent of $11S,0OO on the books. These
were erasures of money that had APP
parently been received.
Meanwhile for two months, Keougl
has been going and coming from the city
at his own WILL continually saying, It's
all right to those who asked him abou
1t.
About three weeks ago the bondsmel
of keough, and Keough as principal
We're attached for SIZE, 600 by three writs
and yesterday the final notices wer,
served on them by the deputy sheriff
The writs We're returnabe the first Mon
day in December, and the city will thei
begin its suit against James c. Keougl
as principal ana the bondsmen as sure
ties
The criminal action has been deferre,
until the city solicitor could secure wha
he considered satisfactory evidence o
fraud, and, though there has been com
plant on the part of those who wished I,
have Keoueh Immediately apprehended
the aldermanic committee has sustaine,
, the city solicitor in this matter.
The arrest of Keough was discussed a
the meeting Of the aldermanic committee
in the city hall yesterday. The city so
licitor maintained that since the matte
was in the hands of the law department
the reports of the experts must be mad
to him alone He also stated that moth
} ing could be done until the experts ha,
reported more fully. This they seemed
} to have done, and the arrest followed a.
matter of course.