The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1908-12-02
CONFESSION Of
GUILT BY BOOZE
Former Kentucky Official
Says He Robbed State.
REGULATIONS COVER 7 YEARS
Words of Warning TO Those
Whose Impulse is to
Do Wrong.

Frankfort, KY, Nov. 2S.-No de-
Tense will be made by C. +. Booze, tle
defaulting Claim Clerk under State
Auditor James and former Assist
ant Auditor under Judge S. w. Ha-
ger, when his case is called for trial.
No explanation for his populations
will be attempted in Court
In an interview with a reporter he
made his first statement since his
arrest, giving a confession of his
wr1ngdoings from first to last.
90 He declared nn-hjs -word as g. man
that no other person was connected
with him in robbing the State, and
says he is ready and willing to take
Ids punishment. He says he thinks
all guilty men should be punished,
and all Re will ask is the mercy bf
the Court.
Bore has requested his attorneys
to file a petition requesting Circuit
Judge r. j.. Stout to call a special
term of Court, as he does net want
to 90 to Jail, feeling sure he must go
to the penitentiary.
81 committed my first theft in the
summer Of 1902 under Gus G. Coul-
ter's administration as State Audi
tor" said Judge Booze. 1--WE clerks
we're sitting around in the Auditors
office, talking about w. H. Couton,
former clerk, being olhrged With TAX
ing claims from one batch of vouch-
ers and putting them in another and
writing llmself a check for the
claims thus transferred.
Like a flash the evil thought enter
ed my mini that why should he have
done that 1t would have been just
as easy to lave padded the warrants,
and an irresistible something, l do
mot know what to call it, forced me
TO make the attempt.
"The amount was small; l do net
recall it now. | did not intend to
experiment, and l suppose it was sim
ply because wanted more money
than l had. Having once successful
ly defrauded the State, l could not
step. l am not insane, and there is
larger
The thi1ught ttht would be
caught never entered my mind. l
knew when / was taking the mcney
that it was wrong, but | could not
sctp. am net insane, and there is
no insanity in my family. l acted
like a blind man with my eyes wide
open.
81 am not going to run away, nor
commit suicide. l tried 10 get prus-
sic acid the day l was caught, but
failed, and the arsenic was taken
from me. Now l have determined
to accept my punishment and desire
to free my 'bondsmen as soon as |
can. know they fear that | will
run away, but | will not, for l
never knew a man who ran away but
what he was finally caught.
"All want is an early trial, and
to begin my sentence as socn as l
can. do not believe that my short
age will run over $4,000, although l
cannot say Just what it will be.
"My closing words and advice are
that those who have desire to do
wrong should not submit to that de-
sire. If had stolen all the money
in Kentucky it would have been no
compensation for the suffering l have
endured since ] have been caught.
81 have made YOU a plain state
ment have turned over to attor-
neys for tile State about $4,000 worth
of securities-every penny l have. l
have mo objection TO this statement
being made public, but do not say
untruths, for the whole thing is bad
enough as it is"