Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-10-19
Town Treasurer Lombard
Of birmingham Arrested.
Two Arrests in Boston in
Connection With the Case.
Banks Holding Alleged Forged
Notes Believe Town Is Liable.

Framineham, Mass, oct. 1S.-JOll T..
Lombard, town treasurer, was tonight
placed under arrest charged with fOrg-
ing two notes aggregating $50 900, in
the name of the town, and will tomor-
row be taken from sick ted and ar
raiGned on the charge in The first dis
trict court. In connection with the
same case, G. S. Cummings, a note
broker of A. Milk street. Boston, treas
,lrer of the American Banking Co. and
Edward A. Mead. an agent fer the
same company, were arrested in Bos-
ton during the day charged with the
| larceny of SIS 900 from the town of
Framinsham and $4,000 from the
Franklin Savings Bank of Boston, on
Nov. 80, 1908
The formal arrest of Treasurer Lon-
bard, who has been seriously i'll at his
home for some weeks. followed a visit
tonight from State Detective G. \.
Byrnes of tSomerville and Deputy
Sheriff w. II Walsh who is also town
sclectman. conference of over az,
hour was held at the Lombard home
at 81 Clinton street, Attorney sydney
A. Phillips being present as counsel
for Mr.. Lombard.
Following the conference it was
stated by the visitors that Mr.. LON
ba"ds physical condition seemed i'm
proved, rather than otherwise by the
conference and that the town treas
urcr would be able to go to court in
the morning to hear the charge against
him.
state Detective Byrnes also author-
| lied tie statement that two additional
! notes of questionable value would be
found outstanding, one for $4,000 and
| one for 10000. 1t Is understood that
| Mr.. Lombard went over the entire sit
uatioE today with the members of his
| family and counsel, in which many
points were alleged to have been clear
| ed un.
| 1t is claimed that the notes for $4,000.
which have resulted in the three arrests
| today will be found to cover smaller
notes extending over a period of 10 years,
but that the town treasurer has not ben
Gifted financially by any of the trans
actions.
According to the state officers. Messrs.
| Cummings and Mead have been surren-
dered to the officers of Suffolk county by
the officials of Middlesex county, as it is
believed the transactions upon which the
charges are brought took place for the
most part in Suffolk county
A statement was issued by the treas
urer of the Franklin Savings Bank of
| Boston this noon as follows:
while the town officials of Framing
ham are rightly conservative as to wheth-
er the town~is responsible for the note of
$25 900 held by this bank, we are confident
here that the town is liable for the full
amount, although it is possible that THE
courts may have to adjudicate the matter.
I'VE purchased the note in the regular
course of business from brokers who have
sold similar notes which paid at maturity.
We never knew the American Banking
Co. in the transaction. The check in pay
ment for this note was made to the town
of birmingham and was returned proper
/ ly endorsed"
The Commonwealth Trust Co. also Is
! sued a statement to the effect that it
held the other $25 900 note for collection
| for customer.
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