Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-12-10
MR. EENNEYS TRIAL
Ex-Teller SOggs Gives Damaging
Evidence Against the Senator.
TIE SENATOR ADVISED FLIGHT.

At the Time # His Election to the
3 senate Mr.. K,nney's Accounts Were
All I'm Good shape and His Financial
Condition Excellent.
Wilmington, Del, Dec. 7.-When the
court opened f5r the trial of Senator
Kenney yesterday Mr.. Kenney's coun-
sci informed thu Judge that they de-
sired to take exception 10 the request
made by the government Monday to re-
quire Senator Kenney and the officials
of the First National bank OF Dover to
produce oil checks. drafts and notes
drawn to the order of Senator Ken
ney on the Dover bank between April.
1896. and January. 1897.
Judge Bradford said that il seemed
TO him that IL would be an act of gross
Improperly to permit the Introduction
Of all checks drawn TO the order OF Sen
ator Kenney between April, 1896. and
January, 1897.
IF you have information" said Judge
Bradford, addressing the United states
district attorney. "of any specific check
or checks that win aid you in the prose-
cution. and IL you name them, they will
| be admitted as evidence"
William n. BoggS, former teller OF
| the First National bank, who is await
| ing sentence for embezzling the funds
1 of the bank, was called to the stand.
| He gave his testimony in a firm, de-
| liberate manner. He said he first began
to use the funds of the bank in 1898,
when he began to issue checks to Sena-
tor Kenney when the senator had no
| funds in the bank. One OF these checks,
for 5000, was drawn by Senator Ken
ney to Thomas Clark. He called the
4 II inc
| trouble, but the latter. said that he
| could not help II. as he had no money.
| This state of affairs continued until the
| exposure came. Senator Kenney always
| promised to make good his shortage by
a cash deposit. but he never kept his
| promise.
Boggs described a number of in
stances in which he had "doctored" the
accounts in order TO hide the manner OF
| cashing Kenney's checks. This he die
by changing the depositors' slips. TAX
ing from some accounts enough (
make up an account for Mr.. Kenney
Witness related his Introduction tC
a gang Of gamblers and race track fol
lowers by some of Clark's friends. anC
the subsequent embezzlement OF mor'
money from the bank. The shortag'
was constantly growing, and he wa,
ed how he had been summoned befor'
the board Of directors, had confessed t
gambling and had been forgiven. Sub
sequently Senator Kenney told hin
(Boggs) that he was in financial diff
, fculties by reason of his heavy specu
lation in gas stocks. Senator Kenne,
, knew all the time that BogEs wa.
/ carrying f. T. Cooper. Clark and other
: in the game illegal manner.
= Boggs stated that on one occasion II
July, 1885, he had withheld a $100
check OF Kenney's from Saturday &
Monday when Cashier Bateman saw /
lying on the witnesses desk and spok
t to him about the matter. The witnes
told the cashier he thought Kenne.
: would be all right. Boggs said he toll,
? | Kenney CT the danger OF discovery an
urged him to deposit sufficient TO pro
tect this overdraft. To aid him in thi
Boggs said he borrowed from Clerk o
I the Peace Dickson a check drawn [
Kenney's order and gave him som
money also. Boggs said all the none,
Kenney got from the bank was subse
= quently made good, and the only los
in funds to the bank was for the tim
4 in which Kenney had the use Of tn
, banks money. When exposure could b
e no longer averted Senator Kenney ad
vised Boggs to fee TO Cuba
, Senator Kenney is charged with cid
! ing and abetting Boggs IN looting tn
I First National bank OF Dover. Bogg
S fled when exposure was imminent, bu
: subsequently returned and surrendered
confessed his defalcation OF S1o7, o0C
4 was convicted and is now awaitin
sentence Since BoEgs return Il. I
Cooper. a leading politician, was con
Z victed Of completely with Boggs, an
is now serving a sentence in the Tren
? ton state prison. When Boggs alb
seconded II. a. Richardson. presiden
4 of the bank. made good the defalcatio
and saved the bank from failure. Ill
Richardson testified on Monday TO tn
events leading up to the exposure.