New-York tribune., 1912-12-03
Wright Denies Spy Story.

Wright Denies Spy Story.
"Win Commissioner Wright be in
vestigated?" he was asked.
Il must refer you TO MIR. Justice
Goff." Mr.. Whitman replied.
Commissioner Wright denied yester-
day that he had ever said he put spies
on Robin in the Tombs.
Il did not say either that ! was
granting Hyde privileges because l be-
lieved him innocent" he said. "As
Commissioner Of Corrections | have
right to treat prisoners as | please.
Hyde was placed in the hospital ward
on the recommendation Of DR.. Mcclure,
the Tombs physician. But do believe
Mr. Hyde innocent"
In an interview last Sunday Robin
intimated he was preparing to asso-
ciate George G. Van Tuyl, jr., State
Superintendent OF Banks with the
"Cummins crowd" that wrecked the
Carnegie Trust. The bank superin-
tendent, in reply to Robin, gave out
letter which he sent to District At
torney Whitman last week. II was
based on a newspaper report that
Robin would probably get a suspended
sentence for his work in building up
the cases against Cummins and Hyde.
II consider it my duty, as liquidator
of the banking institutions which have
so severely suffered from the unlawful
practices Of Mr.. Robin" Mr.. Van Tuyl
wrote, Ito advise yoY that unles such
reckless conduct on the part OF bank
ing officials is adequately punished, the
proper administra ion Of my duties as
superintendent of banks will be seri-
ously hampered and the efforts of the
department for the safeguarding of de-
positors will be made Intellectual"
No Leniency to Robin.
Here is District Attorney Whitman's
reply:
IL have no intention Of recommend
ing the suspension of sentence in the
case of Joseph G.. Robin, and no one
has ever been authorized by me to con-
vey any suggestion of any such
promise to Robin. | sincerely thank
YOU for your communication and the
information it contains. / will see to
it that it is presented to NJ. Justice
Seabury as you request"
The text of the Van Tuyl letter
follows:
l am informed that the indictment to
which Mr.. Robin pleaded guilty was
founded on violations of law based upon
Robins misappropration Of $4,000, the
property of the Washington Savings
Bank, of which he was president; also
that in addition to the indictment to
which Robin has pleaded guilty the Grand
Jury of New York County has returned
seven other indictments against him
which are still pending, said indictments
charging a total grand larceny from the
Washington Savings Bank on the part Of
Robin OF s2JLWO
| am advised that when a defendant
who has served as a witness for the state
I'm the prosecution OF an important case
against some principal offender is brought
before the bar for sentence the District
Attorney sometimes, in consideration OF
all the circumstances, recommends mercy
or a suspended sentence, and that the
court frequently accepts and acts upon
such recommendation of the District At
torney.
In view of this practice. ] deem it my
duty as Superintendent of Banks OF the
state of New York TO bring the follow
ing facts officially TO your attention so
that YOU may be definitely advised of the
attitude OF the Banking Department OF
This state toward any recommendation
which YOU may make from which the
court may infer that the ends Of justice
would be subserved by anything other
than n prison sentence for Robin.
In connection with the liquidation of
the Northern Bank this department finds
that MIR. Robin. through misuse of his
nosition as chairman of its executive
Committee and by the control which he
eyerclsed over it's board of directors, took
from the assets of the latter institution,
throneh various subterfuges, an amount
In EXCESS of 81 10000. which was the di-
rect cause of the insolvency OF this in
stitution: that this malfeasance of Robin
hos depleted the assets available for dis
tribufion among depositors and creditors
~ This institution by approximately that
sum. -
An examination of these various trans
actions OF Mr.. Robin, which resulted in
Continued on second page. seventh column.