New-York tribune., 1903-01-21
BANKERS PLEAD GUILTY
Indicted .Seuenh National Officials
Ask for Cemency.

There was a sudden and unexpected turn yes
,ar5a,- .t ,hs trial of William ii. Kimbal, eX-
n,esident of the Seventh National Bank, ana
Gsp7sliel W Rose the paying teller of the bank
who were plaeed on trial on Monday before
Judge Thomas in the Criminal Branch OF the
T-uited States Circuit Court, on an 1nalcpheht
charging them with violating the Natlehai
Ranking law by the overcertifeaten of checks
ef Marduand & Co. in June, 1901. 1hrougn
their attorneys, Edward Lautereaeh, FOR MI
Kimban, and Lorenzo Semple, for Mr. fese'
the defendants pleaded guilty to the lnaietfheht
and threw themselves on the mercy OF the court
They were raroled in the custody OF ther coun-
sci fer sentence on next Tuesday.
When court opened yesterday Assistant chiteo
States District Attorney Baldwin was ready 10
continue the examination of George w ADAMS
cashier ef the Seventh National Bank, who was
a witness on Monday.
Judge Thomas did not enter the courtroom at
10: 80 O'clock and few minutes later II was
announced that he was in conference win '"e
attorneys When he took his place on the Peholl
a, II o,cloek Mr. Lauterbach, Mr.. SenlPie anu
sx-Judee William NJ. K. 0lcott, VINO is eouhSei
for Frank b Poor, one of the members OF 'he
Narouand firm, and who was lnaletea With
Mr. KimbaiI on a charge OF conspiracy, "eie
holding a conference in the half outside the
courtroom.
They entered the courtroom and held another
,.,oras conference At its end MIR. Lauter-
,acb was heard to say. We'll. then, Mr. KIM
bau will use my own judgment In TINS mat
ter Mr.. Kin1hall nodded a reply ana MI
I.auterbach addressed the court
He made an impassioned speech apou' 'l'e III
tegrity ef Mr Kimball the metheds OF palih
ing. the integrity of Mr. Poor ana young MI
,torouana and gave ne inkng of the purpose
of this cdtires7 until the end when ne saiu 'ia'
he and his client and the other attorneys III 'lie
case were satisfied that there had been teen
,,;oo1 violation of the banking law, as charged
in The Indictment, and that MI hiEapali ue'
+o nlead guilty to the indictment
- .ta+ the method of certifying checks
:, tho ,,orning and having them made geoa py
senosi+e later in the day, while it was teen
,;aa1I,- IRREGULAR according to the law, was
.,,,,,,,,oo nraetfce here and was done Whefe she
financial integrity of the parties coileeiie1
was of the highest. He deeidrea 'n"'
ouand & Co. had the highest hnahciai s'ahe.,e'
and that the Irregularities eomnaitteo ny MI
KimbaI and Mr.. Rose were done because
the standing of Marquand & Co. through thell
desire to retain the business OF the concern i
closed with an appeal for clemeneY-
Mr. Semple followed with plea OF gulllS loi
MIR. Rose. He emphasized the point mace ny
Az Tou+arbacb that Mr. Rose in certifying the
checks had simply acted in a clerical eapacIls
and had done so at the instigatien OF MI MIN
ball. -, ;-oroe
The lawyers asked that sentence pe lItlI5Le MIR
diatelv imposed or their clients 10 thls Juuse
Thomas replied: 49,, ,a
These men are before me now in the SANE
nosition as if they had been found guilty py @ tne
iury and they viii be renamed LOT SENTENCE
for | must consider their case ,...,,+
MIR Baldwin said that the other lndlctment
against Mr. KimhaI for resorting 10 device
and receiving fictitious obligations to eVade pro,
visions of the federal law governing national
banking institutions" and the Indictment chais-
ing Mr. Poor and Mr.. Kinlball with conspiracy
,.-euId not he pressed. Assistant United States
District ATTORNEY Ball said that the maximum
sentence that could be imposed on Messrs. kim
ball and Rose, according to the statues was
& anG Fines or five years in prison, both.
There was no minimum.