The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-04-03
GUNDELFINGER'S
DER SAD STORY
CCNFESSES IN COURT TO FALST-
FLYING HIS ACCOUNTS-SEN-
TENCE BY JUDGE PARSONS.

HILO, April 2.-Siegfriel Gundelfin-
ger, a young German of a gentle fam
| lily, was on Thursday last sentenced 10
serve five years at hard ,abor for the
crime of embezzlement. lie had been
in the employ OF the Honokaa Sugar
! Company as bookkeeper for some time
and the specific charge, Of which he
was convicted and sentenced, was the
embezzlement of 1895 So on January
! 10, 1907
Gundelfinger's case is a curious enc,
the Hilo Tribune says. He is a young
man of very good education and GER
! tlemanly behavior who was Installed
| in a position of trust which, it seems,
was too much for him.
He was arrested in Honokaa and
| there, in the District Court, he plead
ed guilty to several charges and sign
ed confession, at the same time max
/ ing restitution of some $1400 which ne
| had in hand.
| He was brought to Hilo and here en-
gagged w. S. Wise and Harry Irwin as
| counsel. A plea of mot guilty was
entered then by Gundelfnger but lat
er it appeared that Carl S. Smith was
I to be associated with the prosecution,
which was being conducted by County
Attorney Williams. The defense ask
ed for a recess in which the matter
might be discussed again with the de-
PENDANT.
The time was granted by Judge Par
sons and at o'clock on Thursday the
court resumed to hear a plea of
guilty" entered on the prisoners be-
half.
Deputy Attorney Sutton at once en-
tered a nolle prosequi in the second
charge on which Gundelfinger was in
dicted, one of having embezzled anoth-
err sum of $2156.O5
It is known that there were many
other charges which would have been
brought had the first proceedings fail
ed.
In asking for sentence the Deputy
Attorney General was decidedly sym
pathetic though his duty led him to
point out the enormity of the offense,
committed as it was by man of edu-
cation and understanding. He did not
press for the extreme penalty and ask
ed the Judge to consider the situation
one in which the influence on others
could be borne in mind.
Harry Irwin, of counsel for the de-
] ,Af o,tINr al Il
dress, futile though it proved. He
stated how in many months a young
man had been left in charge of mucn
money, his accounts unchecked and
unaudited and drew attention to the
fact that Gundelfinger had made every
effort to restore the money which had
been stolen. The prisoner had not at
tempted to excuse his crime, said IT.
win. but he was asking for the full
consideration of the court.
When Judge Parsons commanded
Gundelfnger to rise to receive sentence
the prisoner was asked the usual ques-
ton as to whether he had anything TO
say.
Very unfortunately for himself he
had He described with distinctness
the exact way in which during series
of months he had stolen money when
he had spent in absolutely idiotic ways.
This crime seems to me to have
been a very despicable one" said the
Judge. "The defendant, by his own
unasked, admission tells the court that
he was aware of the fact that he was
classifying the accounts he was entrust-
ed to keep correctly. He has not as
serted, nor has it been shown, that he
or any of those near and dear to him
his friends or relatives, were In want
for even any necessary of life. He Is
a young man of take it-superioI
. intelligence and as such his punish
ment must be commensurate. Sieg-
fried Gundelhnger, the sentence OF this
court is that you be imprisoned at hard
labor for the period of five years"
Gundelfinger swayed for a few sec
onds as he heard his sentence and ther
getting command of himself he bowed
= politely to the judge. He was talIer
away by Sheriff Keolanui and was
sent to commence his term by the
p steamer Mauna Kea on Friday.
Fine Job Printing, Star Office,