Arizona republican., 1914-05-18
Trial of Erastus Wiman

When the announcement was made on February P, 1894, that the emi- nent Erastus Wiman, capitalist of New York, was arrested and locked in the Tombs for forgery. the coun- try was startled from one end to the other. He was connected with so many public enterprises that few men were better known. It was through the influence of Wiman that the project of the commercial union of Canada with the United States assumed public importance in the former country, and was finally adopted in the winter of 1898 as the main clause in the platform of the Canadian Liberals. under it's changed name of Unrestricted Reciprocity
 It was Erastus Wiman who was instrumental in securing, in 1890. the abolition of imprisonment for debt in New York state. In view of that fact the announcement was start ling that the well-known capitalist and railroad magnate was arrested on a bench warrant on February v, on the charges of forgery.
 Two indictments were found against MT. Wiman by the grand
 jury one for forgery and the other for altering checks. The total amount involved was $229,000. The complainant against him was R. G.
 Dun. president of the Mercantile Agency Association. Not being able to give bail at once he was taken to the Tombs.
 Wiman was a Canadian by birth. Later he came to New York and entered the employ of Dun and Com
 pany which connection he had sever
 ed about two years previous to ms arrest. It was charged that Wiman's
 alleged embezzlements had been dis
 covered at leas. a year before his arrest and that they covered d period of five years.
 Immedi9 tely upon being taken into custody Wiman secured the services of General B. F. Tracy, as his counsel The prisoner was held in
 the Tombs for two days before he
 could secure bail, which was fur
 nished by the father-in-law of his eldest son who was d wealthy plough
 manufacturer of Moline. Illinois Mir. Wiman was arraigned on Feb
 ruary 26, 1894, and pleaded mot guilty" but claimed that instead the
 s229, 900 which he was charged with having embedded was in realty money that had been lost by invest ments of the firm.
 The trial for forgery was begun on June F. 1894. The case was opened by Prosecutor Wellman, who stated the first count was writing the name of E. W. Bullinger on a check of R. G. Dun X Co. The second count was for altering the check. Mir. Wiman's counsel Ve- hemently explained that while the world thought that MT Wiman was MT. Dun's partner, the fact was not so and that MT. Wiman himself fully and clearly knew that he was but the manager.
 This distinction was the keynote of the case Publisher Bullnger testified in favor of the accused and the cashier of Du stated that MT Wiman drew most of the checks of | the firm and was practically part ner. On June 13 a letter was pro- duced, written by Wiman to K. G Dun in which he stated he had i'm
 properly and fraudulently signed the
 name of E. W. Bullinger on the name of E. w. Bullinger on the l l,aoIy of hooks
 The trial consumed four days, and on June 15 a verdict of guilty ac- companied by recommendation that the court have mercy on the | defendant, was rendered. It re- | oured the jury one hour and fifty | five minutes to come to this de- cision. On June 19 Wiman was sen tenced to five years and six months
 Imprisonment.
 Mir. Wiman was taken to prison | immediately after his sentence. He | remained there until March b, 1895 | when new trial was ordered or account of claim that Judge ln-