New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-01
BIG BILL C0NFESSES ALL
Tells EX-G0V. Bates How He
Helped to Loot Bank.
DISCLOSURES KEPT SECRET
Coleman, Who Stole S350,000,
and lf-Accused Accomplish
Both Serving Prison Terms.

Boston. Jan 3l--Ex-Governor John l..
Rates. receiver for tho National city
Bank Of Cambridge. issued a formal
statement to-day that William j. Kelihcr.
the conGd nee man involved in the wreck
ing OF the institution. had made to him
complete statement Of all the facts in
the case so far as he had knowledge Il
them.
The banl. was robbed by George W.
Coleman. q s12-s-weck bookkecT or. who
ha fallen into the clutches Of big Bill"
as Kelihcr is known. Coleman vas con-
victcd Of stealing $4,000. and is now scrv-
inc sentence Of not less than five nor
more than eight years at Greenfield.
After his conviction he appeared as a
witness against KeIihcr. who was charged
with aiding in the looting of tho bank.
, The young man told how he had been in
Use of rich rewards from a fixed" faro
game, only TO find himself later the per-
scr defrauded.
Ii is understood that the receiver never
has been tisfed in the three years sin e
the bank was forced into insolvency that
all the stolen funds were dissipated. and
| has hoped through information that ne
thought Keliher might give 10 recover q
portion OF the stolen money. To what eX-
tent kelihers statement would aid him. if
at all. the receiver refused TO say.
Nh. Bates also declined to confirm or
deny that Keliher's revelation were -
published here to-day. In the published
story the confidence man is quoted as
going into the details of his operations
much as they were revealed in court.
Kelher is serving a sentence OF from flf-
teen 10 eighteen years in the Charlestown
state prison.
Published versions Of the Keliher state
ment set forth that the prisoner has
ramed men prominent in law. business
and society in New York and Boston as
among those who were victimized. II is
stated that Keliher claimed that when he
returned 10 Boston after Coleman's arrest
he had with him most Of the stolen
money and was prepared 10 turn IL over
10 the receiver, but was induced to do
otherwise. He represented that he sup
posed that by the liberal use of this
money his prosecution could and would
Ut SlOpptu. w men ne WAS CONNlclcu ana
sent TO prison he realized that he had
been "doube-crossed.
According to the published accounts.
Keliher has told the receiver where some
, Of the banks money went. and Mr.. Bates
is preparing to institute civil proceedings
against certain persons. The story con-
tinues:
At this point in his testimony Keliher
tells Martin J. Walshs scheme for hid
/ ing the money. Thousands are believed
/ TO be hidden In a safe deposit vault in a
I city some distance from Boston. The
name OF the custodian is withheld until
| the suit against him is filed.
The story then quotes the confidence
man as describing how he swindlod other
Boston men. as he did Coleman, by in
,ducing them 10 go 70 New York, where
they became victims in faro game
which they had been led TO believe had
been fixed" to their advantage. These
men included a prominent politician. VINO
dropped $1,000: a banker. who lost s120 900:
a business man. bankers brother and a
Judge. the three latter men each con-
tributlng 5000 in a futile effort to rob an
ina ginary millionaire.
Walsh, who. with Kelihcr, got most Of
Colemans money. was never apprehcnded
and is thought 10 have died