The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-01
VALENTINES I
: CRIME.
He Stole Every Cent that
Perth Amboy Possessed. !

Seldom has community been so
hard hit as was the little city Of
Perth Amboy, N. J., by the thievery
OF George M. Valentine, the cashier
who wrecked the Middlesex County
Bank. Six hundred hard working
citizens lost an average of $3.50 each.
The municipality lost SIPS, 900.
Work on a school house has been
abandoned. Street paving is
stopped. Sewer and water pipes
remain unlaid. The town is prac.
tically bankrupt.
The people of Perth Amboy have
done with the excitement OF the af-
fair and have settled down to grim
determination to find out. not only
where the money went and how it
went, but whether there are others
guilty, either by collision or by the
criminality of neglect.
Several moves in this direction
were made yesterday. A committee
of the wrecked banks deposits
ors appeared before Vice Chancellor
Pitney in Newark to ask the APP
polntment OF a permanent receiver
in the place of temporary receiver,
James Mcguire, of Elizabeth, who
announced that he would no longer
serve. Several prominent depos;-
tors wanted Mayor J. L. Compton.
of Perth Amboy, an insurance and
real estate man.
The interests represented by the
bank creditors succeeded in secur-
ing the appointment of Edward S.
Campbell, vice-president of the
National Newark Banking Com
pany, who Immediately made bopd
for $50, 1000 and took charge of the
banks affairs. I,
This was not done until strenuous
objection had been made by Captain
Jas. Parker, of Perth Amboy., The
question "What did he do with it,"
still remains practically unanswer-
ed, although Valentine is quoted as
having in his confession said that
he lost $l25, 900 in a Portland, Ore,
dredging scheme, $4,000 in gas
stock speculations, and a good por-
ton 81 the remainder in gambling
at faro.
The fact that Valentine is now
taking his punishment, and that he
was sent to prison within six days
after his surrender, without having
explained more than $50, Of his
shortages, still causes criticism to
rage around the head of Public
Prosecutor Voorhees,, of Middlesex
county.
Temporary Receiver Mcguire
said yesterday:
81 think it was a shame and an
outrage. He should have been kept
on the rack until he told everything.
Now his friends and relatives have
no incentive to pay his shortages.
The bank s creditors surely suffered
by this quick act of justice.
las to whether there were GRIM
inal acts Of others in connection
with the defalcat,on shall not say,
but certainly the loaning OF $4,000
to the cashier on his unindorsed
note calls for an investigation as to
criminal negligence.
Prosecutor Voorhees, said
Il should act again just as l did.
could not have got him into prison
within two years without his con.
fession and plea Of guilty. When
his term is oven he can be prosecu-
ted for all the thefts to which he has
not confessed.
. II am prepared tie aid the depos-
itors with all the machinery of my
office If others are guilty l stand
ready to prosecute.
One of the largest OF the deposit.
ors, who will not allow the use Of
his name, said yesterday:
"The depositors are certainly 60
ing ahead with the notion oil making
other arrests if our Investigations
warrant them.
President Watson, of the defunct
bank, when asked if he had heard
of movement to prosecute other
officers of the bank. said: II have
peen instructed by my counsel to
.,,, ,D{H;,Dr ~