The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-20
LETS MARCEL GO
Gov. Hoch PardOns Celebrated
Highland Bank Wrecker.
Gets Off With the Minimum
Time in Prison.
LESS THAN 4 YEARS.
His Forgeries Said to Have Ag-
gregated 100000,
Maximum Sentence in Prison
Was % Years.
LESS THAN 4 YEARS.

Governor Hoch on Thursday after
noon issued to ]. E. MARCEL, the
Highland, Kan, bank breaker, full
pardon to take effect February rs
1908.
MARCEL wrecked the State bank OF
Highland, Doniphan county, in 1904
and was sent to the state prison or
May 27 of that year, to serve a SEN
tence of from 5 to rs years He would
have been eligible to parole next July
but by counting in the time that he
spent in the county jail before going
TO the penitentiary, he would be elig-
ible to parole on Feb. %. Governor
Hoch chose to count the time that
MARCEL had spent in the county Jail,
and granted him a full pardon instead
OF a parole. MARCEL will serve only
three years and nine months for his
frauds.
The pardon was secured through
the influence of Fred L. Vandegrift.
the literary agent of the Santa Fe
railway.
D. c. Newcomb of Atchison. one of
the heaviest losers, also urged that
MARCEL be freed.
MARCEL was born in Doniphan
county. He entered a bank at High
land, which failed. Then he organized
the Bank of Highland, and became it's
cashier. He married the president
daughter.
MARCEL was s5 years old when he
got into trouble. His forgeries fooled
the keenest bankers in the country,
and are said to have brought him
something like 100000 in cash.
His method was simple. He loaned
lots of money to grain and cattle buy
ers.- They would give him good ne
gotiable paper. and outside banks
took it from the Bank of Highland as
collateral for loans of at least two
thirds of its face value. MARCEL first
borrowed on the genuine notes, and
then was charged with forging dupli-
Gates.
An Atchison bank held three &c.
900 notes and sent an inspector to
look after the paper. The inspector
declared that two notes were for
geries. MARCEL declared that a mis-
take had been made of some kind,
and with 100000 in cash from the
bank safe took up the notes. The
transaction was noised about and the
run on the bank followed. MARCEL
was charged with having lived rather
high in the time just before his de-
lection.
MARCEL caused a surprise by step
ping up and pleading guilty on five
counts. He was sentenced to serve
from one to five years on each count
MARCEL has a wife and two chill
dren. They have continued to make
their home in Highland, and have
pleaded at various times for clemency
from the governor. Since MARCEL has
been in the penitentiary his record has
been exemplary. Chaplain McBrian
of the penitentiary wrote a letter to
Governor Hoch urging him to COM
mute his sentence. He stated that fer
two years MARCEL was his assistant IL
the prison library, and that since that
time he has been at the head of the
prison school. For nearly two years
IT has been Marcells duty to instruct
the prisoners. He has taught many of
them how to read and write. and to
those who were further advanced he
has taught the higher branches.
Chaplain McBrian states that the
institution will lose a valuable man
when MARCEL leaves it next February