Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-12
BURNHAM CONVICTED
Mutual Reserves Counsel Guilty
of Larceny.
JURY OUT FOUR HOURS
Maximum Penalty for 0fense is
Twenty Years.
HE GOES TO THE TOMBS
First Life Insurance Official to Be Con.
victed Since the Scandals Broke
Out-Celebrated Trial.

George Burnham, jr., who was counsel
for the Mutual Reserve Life Insurance
Company, was convicted yesterday in the
supreme court, criminal branch, of the
larceny of $500 from the funds of the
company. He was taken to the Tombs and
locked up. 1t is his first Jail experience,
as he has been out on bail during the trial
On the motion of William Rand, jr., who
defended Burnham, he will not be SEN
fenced until Friday morning. In the mean
time he will have to stay in jail. as GER
tiicate of reasonable doubt cannot be is
sued until judgment is passed. Burnham
was convicted of larceny in the first degree,
the maximum penalty for which is twenty
years. Burnham is the first life insurance
official to be convicted since the insurance
scandals broke.
Burnham heard the verdict calmly, ex-
cept that big beads of perspiration APP
peared on his face. The jury had been out
for four hours, but two hours of that time
was taken up while the jury was at
luncheon. 1t was 4:30 O'Clock and the court
room was darkening when word was
brought to Justice Greenbaum, before whom
the case was tried, that the jury had agreed
on verdict.
Burnham had been in the prison pen with
a deputy sheriff He was brought into the
court ROOM which quickly filled. His
"A.
president of the Mutual Reserve and who
was indicted with him, was not in court.
George D. Eldridge, vice president Of the
company, who is also under Indictment,
hams friends and associates in the insur-
ance business, including his son Fred, who
has been with him all through the trial.
The Verdict.
AS the jury filed in the court room be-
came very quiet. Clerk Brophy asked the
foreman, Henry H. Alger, if the jury had
agreed upon a verdict. Burnham was
standing up. Foreman Alger, who had been
facing Justice Greenbaum, turned around
and looked squarely at Burnham.
Guilty he said, with such positiveness
that every one in the court room remarked
it.
:. Burnham's friends were hard hit by the
verdict They had been hoping for dis
agreement. His son held his head in. his
hands for few minutes and then went
over and shook hands with his father
Good by, Fred said Burnham. as others
came up to solace him. He laughed a
rather forced laugh and shook hands with
his counsel as he started for the Tombs.
Assistant District Attorneys Mott and
Kresel, on whom had fallen the burden of
prosecuting and investigating the charges
against the Burnhams, were congratulated
by everybody in the district attorneys office
from Mr.. Jerome down. The case was re-
Jerome was much interested in the out
come.
Justice Greenbaum's charge to the jury
was considered to be very fair. He re-
ferred to the fact that three supreme court
justices-Dugro, Davis and Blanchard-had
testified to Burnham's good character. He
also said that the jury should not be
swayed by public clamor, but should sift
the wheat from the chaff in the case and
render verdict on the evidence.
Higher Bail Asked.
Both F. A. Burnham and Eldridge have
been out on $12, 500 bail each. Assistant
District Attorney Mott will appear before
Justice Greenbaum this morning and ask
to have their bail jumped to S25,OO0 each.
The evidence brought out at the trial, 1t
was said, had very much strengthened the
case of the prosecution against F. A. Burn
ham.
Soon after Burnham was taken to the
Tombs his friends and family made ar
rangements to make him as comfortable
as possible. A coach loaded with food, bed
linen, changes of clothing for the prisoner
and comfortable chair drove up to the
Tombs. The driver carried out the bed
linen, food and clean clothes. He also
inside Of the Tombs door. Warden Flynn
said he had no objection to the food and
other stuff going to Burnham'S cell, but
the chair wouldn't do. Burnham's friends
pleaded with the warden, but he wouldn't
bulge and the driver reluctantly took the
chair away.
From the preparations made by Burn
ham he evidently expects to stay in the
Tombs for some time. Following the de-
cision in the Hummel case he cannot be
released on bail until certificate of rea-
sonable doubt is granted.