New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-27
COLEMAN TELLS STORY
Declares keIiher Offered Him
100000 to Keep Silent.
LARGE CROWD IN COURT
Witness Shows How to Embezzie
Without knowledge of
Bank Examiner.


deposits Of national bank to faro bank
without the knowledge Of bank examiner
was described to-day by George ". Cole
man. the convicted thieving bookkeeper of
the National City Bank of Cambridge. a.
panion. William J. Keliher. A large crowd
was present
Il told Keliher after had taken $3.50, goo
that the jig was up and that the bank ex-
aminer was coming round. but when that
official passed my books without comment
I continued to take the money and TO give
Il to Keliher to bet at faro was one Of
the statements made by Coleman to-day.
The young bank clerk, who lived at q
$500. 900 rate for six months last year, held
tile entire session to-day, and his cross
examination had just begun when the trial
was adjourned Coleman. according to his
own story. was a persistent gambler from
the very beginning of his business career
Borrowing $500 from the bank at the age
of eighteen, when he was receiving only
81 week as a messenger he began specli-
lating in the stock market The president
of the bank lent him 1000 more, and in L
year he said he had cleaned up $4,000. In
1906 he decided that the stock market was
too slow. SO he tried his luck with Frank
Draper, a New York gambler. who helped
him lose at faro all except a few hundreds
OF his stock market winnings.
Advised to Go 10 Jail.
Coleman then detailed his later removal
of bank funds and heavy losses at faro in
New York in company with Keliher, Jack
Leonard and one or two other friends
After the urecking~ the bank, when Cole
civ p sol hT
said that Keliher tried repeatedly to make
a settlement, and even offered 100000 for
his silence. Then he was advised to so TO
Jail, with the promise that funds would DC
waiting him when ne came out
Coleman said that he was introduced TO
.keliher in May, 1909. by man known to
the witness as Jack" Leonard, who was
the dealer in a faro gambling house in New
York. Leonard told Coleman that keliher
was man of means. who would let him
have money to use in playing faro Leon
ard also said that Keliher had promised
that out of the first winnings keliher made
Leonard was to have $4,000 to repay Cole
man for all he had previously lost.
Coleman further testified that some
months previous to meeting Kelther he had
told Leonard that he was taking more from
the bank but he never told keliher Of II.
Soon after his meeting with keliher the
witness said that Keliher telephoned him
and made arrangements for trip to New
York They went over to New York at
night and met Leonard. All three went to
a gambling club in list street Coleman
this time had none of the hanks money,
but had $50 of his own. keliher lent him
between $4,000 and $500, which was lost AZ
faro. together with some money which kel-
iher had put up for himself. On every oo-
casion. Coleman explained. Leonard was
the dealer, and instructed them what cards
to play.
Money Lost Every Time.
A few DAYS later Coleman said he and
Keliher made a trip to New York. Cole
man taking about $500 of the banks
money. which he lost at faro Numerous
trips of a similar nature followed, the
money being lost every time.
The gambling club moved to Niagara
Falls for the summer, and Coleman said he
made several trips TO Buffalo with keliher
When he remained at a hotel in Buffalo
Coleman said, Keliher took his money to
the club and lost it all at faro. This money
had been taken from the bank.
Several times, Coleman testified. Leon
ard sent him messages through Keliher to
get more money and come over" This
was after Coleman had told Jack that
he was taking money from the bank.
Witness added that he told Keliher last
January that he could get no more money
and that the Zig was up as the bank
examiner was coming round. Coleman tes-
tilted that when the bank examiner found
nothing wrong In the bank he resumed his
steaIings and more money was transferred
from the national bank to the faro bank
without comment.
Then followed tales of high life at a
house in West 4fst street. New York, where
Coleman said he met Miss Mamie High
tower and Miss Atwood, who was friend
of Kelihers.
About the middle of February Coleman
told Keliher that another bank examiner
was about TO make a careful examination
OF the books, and that he Coleman must
go away Keliher. he said, gave him $40
in cash and paid the bill at the Boston
hotel where Coleman and Miss HightoWel
we're staying, and on February Is the book
keeper and Miss Hightower fed.
The exposure of the robbery and the clos
ing of the bank on February q occurred
while Coleman was in Kansas City, ano
five days later, the 18th. he returned
and gave himself up. Miss Hightower was
| in court during the days session.
COMETS HEAD NORMAL AGAIN