New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-22
Fight for Liberty Aban'
doned, He Starts on
S1a Months Term.
PLANS NEW BUSINESS
CAREER WHEN FREED
Merchant Who Failed for ST..
100000 Sups on Mush and
Milk, Sleeps in a x 9 Cell.
rFrom stan Correspondent Of Tie Triourel

tFrom a stan Correspondent ~ Tie IIlouHeJ
Rochester, June 21.-Henry Siegel,
who on December 29, 1913, failed for
$500, 900, owing one-third of that
amount 20 $1,000 depositors in his pri-
vate bank, this afternoon began serv-
ing his ten months sentence, imposed
last November in the Monroe County
penitentiary, the model Jail Of the
state. For good behavior he will get
six weeks eommutation, which means
he will be freed on March s.
In the meantime as prisoner No. l, A,
he will be employed in the jail office,
his physique not qualifying him for
the heavier work on the farm.
Siegel formally abandoned his fight
for liberty at 10 o'clock this morn
ing when he was called to the bar OF
the Supreme Court in GeneseO.
Have you anything TO say why your
stay of sentence should not be va
cated?" asked Justice Clark.
"No, your honor" said the little mer-
chant.
I move that the stay Of sentence
be vacated" said Arthur c. Train, As
sistan. District Attorney, the nemesis
who has followed Siegel since the crash
of his enterprises.
Why Siegel Decided.
Granting the motion, Justice Clarke
gave a hint of the real reason why
Sieceps composition offer Of Sl5O,OOO
was withdrawn. Reminding Siegel that
sentence had been stayed 20 let him
try TO make substantial restitution, the
court said it understood he had mace
diligent effort to do so and had failed.
"There was no intention at that
time" Justice Clarke said, "to per-
manently suspend sentence. 1t was
never but a temporary stay TO enable
you TO endeavor to make that suostan-
tial restitution. The stay is vacated.
The Sheriff will take custody OF the
defendant"
It was knowledge Of this intention OF
the court to compel the serving of the
sentence, no matter what money was
paid over. that led Siegel to decide 70
take his medicine. From the day the
trial ended last November, up TO this
morning, the court has been much crlti-
cised. 1t has also been bombarded with
letters from one faction of the deposl-
tors demanding that Siegel be put in
Jail unless he paid over 100000 as
partial restitution.
Obviously the court could not be a
party to any such bargaining, however
much it might sympathize with the de-
positors, particularly after the New
York Grand Jury had inquired into the
charge that bribery had been used to
obtain the approval of a majority OF
them. Therefore Justice Clark let 1T
be known to Senator Charles ID. New
ton, Siegel's local counsel, that he
would have to serve his sentence.
Segel's friends thereupon withdrew
the Sl5O,OO0 they had pooled to keep
him out of Jail, and in consequence the
offer of settlement was not presented
to Justice Clark.
81 could not have stayed free If !
had had 100000 to give" said Siegel
on his way to court TO a depositor, who
had learned of his intention of making
no further effort to evade going to jail.
$50 what was the use?"
One Woman Blamed.
When Siegel came down TO breakfast
at the Big Tree Inn, in Geneseo, this
morning he found William Henkel, jr,
John King, Edward A. Doyle and Irving
Coon, representing the majority of the
creditors who had assented to perma-
nent stay of his sentence, waiting for
Continued on page IL, column