The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1905-03-09
IN TESTIMONIAL
1s M. v: B: Cray by His
Attorneys,

We. as attorneys of W. ,. Gray,
who, on last September, was charged
with the crime OF embezzlement by a.
A. Clark, Secretary Of what is called
"The Ermine Soap Company" feel
that it is our duty in relation to our
client, to make a plain statement re-
garding this case, that the public and
especially the good people of Logan
may have clear conception and un-
derstanding of the facts surrounding
the case.
Mr.. Gray, as Treasurer and Man.
ager Of the said Ermine Soap Com
pany, received and charged himself
with the sum of s1.910.Ou, this being
the total amount received by him dur
ing his employment as such Treas
urer and Manager Of said company.
An investigation of his checks and 9TH
er expenditures show that he paid on,
as such Treasurer and Manager the
sum Of 50, ,276.00, so it is plain to be
seen, by little subtraction, that in,
stead of MIR. Gray having embezzled
the funds of this company, the com
paay is indebted to him in the sum ot
over $4,000.
His arrest for said crime of embez.
element was made in the month of Sep.
tember, 1904, and was lncarcerated in
the Jail of this county for the period Of
about four weeks, at which time he pro,
cured the necessary bond and was re.
leased from custody. The grand jury
which was to investigate his case, and
which did investigate the same, con.
vened In January Of this year and
from their investigation no bill of in.
dictment was found against him fol
said crime. In other words he was
exonersted Of the charge of embezzle
ment.
We have made a careful inspection
of the books of the Ermine Soap Com.
panY and of the stock issued by thu
said company, and are clearly Of the
opinion that Mr.. Gray in no way could
have been guilty Of any crime in con
nection with his service with this com
pany.
Upon the other hand we sincerely
believe, from the knowledge that W,
have been able to obtain relative to BIZ
work in connection with this company
that every act Of his. pertaining tc hi
said employment as Treasurer an,
Manager of said company, indicate
clearly, that he had at all times tn
purest motives and at no time an inten
tion to do his fellow man a wrong. Fo
some reason unknown to us, the sail
A. A. Clark, who fled the affidavit
against Mr.. Gray. before D. H. Lap
pen, Justice of the Peace of this town
ship, charging him with the SAID cnm
of embezzlement, failed to appear he
fore the grand Jury Of this county a
this January term. as witness agains
Mr.. Gray. We think this fact alon
is sufficiently significant to convinc
the ordinary person that Mr.. Gray, il
1.-THE first instance, was not guilty o
any crime or offense, for surely if b
had been, this man Clark, who claim
to have been robbed by him woul
have prosecuted him in the severes
manner known to the law. 1t was hi
plain duty to do this as 1t would be tn
duty Of every good citizen, and as VI
said before, when the time came 70
him to do so he was nowhere to- b
found. Now we have no motive o
interest in this matter other than W
would have for any other good citlze
who might, unfortunately, have beeI
charged with similar otfense.
Since Mr.. Gray has decided to re
main resident Of Logan, and sine
he has the care and maintenance o
an almost invalid companion, we feel
in justice to him, that the people o
the town ought to know exactly wha
there was in the crime charged agains
him and what, in fact, became of it
We believe him to be an honest, up
right and sober man, sincerely devote,
to the care of his companion.
Very Truly Yours,
EDWIN D. RICKETTS,
7 III. E. SPARNoN.