The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-08-02
VALENTINES SENTENCE.
Perth Amboy Bank-Wrecker Gets
Six Years. Imprisonment.
Prisoner's Faithful wife Comforts Him
in the Courtroom-His Pecu1ations
Amount to S2OS,0o0.

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ. (SpeciaD. George
NJ. Valentine, the defaulting cashier OF the
Middlesex County Bank, at Perth, ,Amboy,
was sentenced by Judge Woodbridge
Storm; in the Middlesex County Court, tc
six years in the State prison. There was
90 trial. as Valentine pleaded non vult
The prisoner was taken to Trenton.
! Mrs. Valentine, the wife; Howard valen.
! tine and Mulfcrd Valentine, uncles, and
his brother, Howard Valentine, together
with several other members OF the Valen'
tine and Anness famlli 81, were In the court.
room when sentence was passed.
The amount OF Valentines peculations
reaches S2OS, 900. Perth Amboy deposltors
IRE ANGRY because the prisoner was not
iealt with more severely.
The sterling qualities OF Valentines
faithful wife have impressed even those
who have suffered by the cashiers thefts.
collapsed In the courtroom. As 9 wepi
she comforted him.
Valentine looked like broken down man
during the proceedings. His clothes were
too large for him, and he sat huddled up,
with head bowed.
Mrs. Valentine was dressed in a white
waist and black skirt, with sailor hat.
She put back her veil In court. AS she en-
tered the courtroom she said to her hus-
band. who was choking with sobs:
"Be brave, now, dear, II ever. It will
soon be over. Bear 1t as bravely as you
can"
All through the proceedings, until VAL
entine arose foe sentence, the wife held his
aand.
Prosecutor Voorhees,, In addressing the
Court for the people, said that 1t was un.
necessary for him to go into the details OF
the defalcation, Us the facts in the affair
were already known to the Court. He then
moved for sentence. Mr.. Savage made an
eloquent appeal to the Court for mercy.
He dwelt upon the reputation OF the old
Valentine family, which he said had for
many years in Middlese1 County borne an
excellent name for honesty. He called the
attention OF the Court to the fact that Val.
entine had surrendered himself, and had
saved the county the expense OF trial. BE
had, Mr.. Savage said, done all In his power
to right the wrong.
Judge Strong called upon the prisoner
to stand, after Prosecutor Voorhees, moved
for sentence. Valentine staggered to his
The Judge, very old man OF kindly as.
pect, was almost as much affected as the
prisoner.
Tears stood in his eyes as he imposed
the sentence, and he was obliged to stop
twice to control his emotion.
The sentence propounded was six years
and costs upon each charge, to run con-
currently, however, beginning and ending
at the same time, 80 the sentence practt.
cally amounts to six years, with commuta-
ton for good behavior. The maximum
sentence which could have been imposed
was Imprisonment for seven years or fine
OF $4,000 or both. For both crimes this
would mean fourteen years.
The Judge commented upon the manli.
ness Of the prisoner In giving himself up
for punishment.
Immediately after the hush which fol.
lowed sentence, Mrs. Valentine got her
husbands hat, and, taking his shaking
arm, supported him as he walked out OF
the Court House to the jail. She and her
husbands father remained until evening,
and then returned to Woodbridge to.
gether.