Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-21
Is Sentence Imposed on
big Bill" Ke|iher.
Convicted Of Aiding Coleman
Wreck Cambridge Bank.
kelIiher Gut Pending Decision on
q Writ Of Error.

Boston, Dec 20.-Despite the plea Of
lis attorney for q light sentence, Will
liam j. keliher. better known as Big,
Bill was sentenced to * years in the
state prison at Charlcstown by Judge
Clarence Hale in the United States cir
cult court today. kelher having pre-
viously been convicted of aiding ana
abetting George w Coleman in wreck
ing the National City Bank of Cam
tencc without emotion. calinl,- chew
Ing; gum as the clerk Of tn" court read
TIE mandate of the judge.
A stay Of execution Of sentence was
lnoyed by Harvey H. Pratt Of kct-
hers counsel, and the prisoner was re-
leased in bail Of $4,000 to await the
action of the United States circuit
| court cf appeals. before which tri-
bunal the case will come UP IN jan
uarv on q writ of error The main
! Question to be determined by the court
Of appeals viii be whether the acts Of
| :<eliher constituted "aiding and ahrt-
| ting within the meaning of the fed
| sral statute. Another question to be
| decided viii y" the acnissiblity Of the
| testimony of George ". Coleman. for
NOR bookheCp@r Of the bank, " no AZ
| pearcd as witness against ;\eliher
while himself under sentence by the
| court.
United states District Attorney Asa
| Z. French. Who prosecuted both Cole
man and ktlih"r, moved for Scntrnc,
as soon as court opened today. In his
address to the court the district attor-
ney said:
| con May * last. George W. Cole
man, then in his 25th year pleaded
guilty to an Indictment charging him
with misapplcation of the credits a
the National City Bank Of Cambridge
in which be had been bcokkee:,er and
| he was sentenced to Imprisonment for
Is years in the Jail at Greenfield. On
| the same day. William j. kcliher
| charged in the same Indictment witt
aiding and ahettng Coleman in the
commission Of his crime, was put upo,
trial. he was defended with marked
ability-and some irritabiity. The tria
hch consumed four weeks and result
ed in verdict Of guilty on all counts
| revealed a story which is unexamplcG
in the criminal history of this coun-
try. IT was the story of the dcllberat
| temptation and cod-bloodcd ruin b.
| the defendant OF a Young man o
! weak character and without mora
| principle. who occupied a position Of
trust. with the intent to induce him tC
| bntray that trust and to obtain con
troll, for the benefit of a gang Of swim
dlers and gamblers, of whom the de-
PENDANT. keliher. was one, of the funds
of the institution in which Coleman
was employed. The plan WAS success
| ful and $500, 600 at least Of the assets
Of the bank went into the pockets OF
| this defendant and his associates
| through the inStrumentaitV of a fake
| faro gam" operated in New York.
The evidence showed, briefly, thai
| I<eiher and his associates had studieC
and knew Coemans character, were
aware of his opportunities and dcliber-
| ately marked him out for ruin and, will
| him, the bank in which he was employed
! Substantially all of the money went into
| the hands of this defendant and his as
sociates, of whom Coleman was mere
| tool That he was willing tool cannot
be denied, and that there was little ii
any palliation for his offence in the mind
| of the court is indicated by the fact that
| be has been condemned to serve the bet
| ter part Of lis life in jail as an eXpiation
| for his crime and 9 warning and example
to others. 1t is. however, perfectly clear
that kelhcr was by far the more culpa-
bic of the two and by far the greater
menace to the community. lie is, it is
true. charged with aiding and abetting
Coleman. but the courts have recognized
the fact that one who aids and abets
under this statute may be far guilter
than the bank officer who is indicted with
him as principal. This case illustrates
the truth of that proposition more clear
~ than any which has ever been brought
to my attention. and | ask Your Honor
to bear it in mind in imposing the iudg-
ment for which | now move against kel-
iher."
In pleading for u lighter sentence than
that imposed upon Coleman Daniel w.
Coakley. KelherS senior counsel said
that Colemaen. in his own testimony be
fore the court, declared that he had play
ed faro with Il Jack Leonard before
he had ever met Kelihcr II submit to
Your Honor" said Mr.. Coakey that
there is a vast difference between rob
bling bank of 100000 and aiding and
abetting in that crime"
In imposing sentence. Judge Hale said
that keliher was fully as guilty as cole
man and ought to receive an even greater
sentence. as it was keliher and those as
sociated with him, in the courts opinion.
who had benefited by the funds and
credits of the bank.
Clerk Darling then read the sentence.
Justice SwayZee announced that the
court would proceed on Jan. 3 with a pre-
liminary inquiry into the issue of insan,
ity.
IF this inquiry shoys the man is sane"
said the judge, I'VE will proceed with the