New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-25
DANIEL J. O'R[|L[Y IS
FOUND GUILTY By JURY
Lawyer May Get Six Months IN
Penitentiary or Five Years
in State Prison.
CALLED A THIEF BROKER
The People" Says the Prose
outor Finally, Want Not
That Kind of Lawyer
at Their Bar

Daniel :. O'Reillv. formerly an As
sis+ant District Attorney and subse-
ouentlv prominent as criminal lawyer
was convicted in the Criminal Branch OF
the Supreme Court Yesterday n crimi-
na1v receiving Ss5 600 % the $4,000 in
securities stolen on March 2. 1911. from
the brokerage firm Of George Bancroft
&. Co and Withholding them until the
firm had paid 5000 for their return
The iurv which had been hearing evil
ience for eight days deliberated only
one hour and ten minutes before report
ing is verdict.
O'ReilIv. with flushed face and down.
cast ewes. replied 70 the usual questions
regarding his pedigree.
Clerk Brophy. evidently trying 10 ease
the sting Of the disgrace Of the man
who as prosecuting attorney had tried
many cases in that very courtroom,
moved close 10 the prisoner so that his
answers we're inaudible 70 the specta-
tors. In substance they were that he
was rortv-one wears old. married, lived
AT No. ~ W eSI lD'lu -Alr'i anu i+@N
never been convicted before.
Justice Davis then remanded the prs
oner until May 26 for sentence, and he
vas taken 70 a cell in the Tombs by
Deputy sherins spellman and Condor.
Ahra ham Levy. the friend and coun-
sci for OReilly. who had been associ-
ated with him in the trial Of Nan Pat
terson. strove valisntly in his last stand
in the fight for O'Reillys liberty with
a summing NJ that crowded every min
ute Of two hours with dramatic inten-
sitv. but. as it proved. it vas all in
vain. AS he closed with a plea for the
Jurors consideration for the defendants
family and future. O'Reilly sobbed and
locked pleadinglv az the twelve men who
held his fate in their hands
ANY hope which his friends in the
courtroom entertained for his acquittal
faded away rapidly before the presenta-
tion of the prosecutions evidence by As
sstant District Attorney Buckner. who
called Of the names Of the peoples six
witnesses whom O'Reilly had contra
dicted, and then said
In substance. O'Reilly SAYS that these
siy men are liars His testimony Is all
trat has been offered 70 contradict
theirs The thirteen character witnesses
shed no light on the issue
You have seen here. gentlemen, an
instance ~ an intellect prostituted. and
YOU have heard q story Of vallowing in
the cutter with guttersnipes. What can
be Of more danger 70 a community than
an attorney at law consorting with
thieves fattening on them. becoming a
thief broker. taking their loot Of no
worth in their own hands, and. by i'm
pressing upon il his genius. changing L
irto 5000?
The people Of the county ~ New
York have presented the case 10 you
and shown that they do not want that
kind Of lawyer ar their bar. You are
the last thing left for them 10 rely upon.
Two million persons spoke through this
clerk when you were sworn. You have
promised 10 a true verdict render ac-
cording 10 the evidence. so help you
God
O'Renly held that he was acting "a
counsel for william NJ. Sullivan when
he and Frank ]. Plass. his co-defendant.
who turned states evidence. took
texicab ride with the counsel for the
Bancrofts. during which the $685.
worth Of securities were returned and
Plass received 5000
The evidence Of the prosecution Wit
nesses including sullivan Plass, Police
INSPECTOR Russell and Second Deputy
police Commissioner Dougherty. showed.
however. that O'Reilly had first tried 10
dispose OF the securities. and had then
concocted the plan 70 get the 5000 for
,beir return. of which he personally re
ceiveI SS33. the balance being divided
among the thieves and Plass
The statute provides that O'Reillv
may he sent 70 either the penitentiarv
~ 10 state prison. and fixes a maximum
renaltv Of six months IN the former in
stance and i've years IN the latter. the
selection 81 the institution being given
to the sentencing Judge
O'Renlv has been connected as coun-
eel with not a few important criminal
trials IN this county including those of
,-an Patterson and Harry r ThaV
Ant-dliudan WhisS-y - rnedicinallv pure
It's rich nlellowness appeals "a discririnat-