New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-03
BANKERWALKER'S
PAROLE CAUSES
PUBLIC PROTEST
Still Shields ConfederateS
in 100000 Thefts, Says
States Attorney.
MAY BE ARRAIGNED
ON OTHER CHARGES
Prisoner Freed Despite Objec-
ton of prosecutor-Mystery
In Vote of State Board.

'Trcsr & star Correspondent, Q. The Tribunsl
Hartford, Conn, Dec. 2.-Paroled by
the State Board yesterday, William
F. Walker, the aged bank embezzler of
New Britain. tonight faces the prob
ability of being forced TO plead 70
ether indictments growing out Of his
thsfts of more than 100000. There are
two Of these and Hugh NJ. Alcorn,
States Attorney, over whose protest
Walkers freedom was voted, said to-
night that he was considering the ad-
visibility of arraigning Walker to an
swer them.
81 cannot now say what | will do
said Mr.. Aleorn tonight. at is bit
too early. But / will say that the ae-
ton OF the board has outraged public
opinion. 1t took me forty-hve minutes
to &c. TO my Office to-day. so many
persons stopped me to denounce the
action Of the board.
"others called ms on the telephone
and As one man they protested against
thi. abuse Of power. The protests
were from all sorts Of people, among
them the heads Of two big banks and
ons big insurance company.
an pardoning this man, who has
never expressed contrition for his
crimes OF given the state the slightest
assistance IN tracing his thefts. the
Parole Board has given the parole sys-
tenn the worst Jolt II has received in
the fourteen years 4 has been on the
statute book"
Walker has not yet left the prison,
and there is come doubt when he will
do so. Ward A. Garner, warden at
Wethersheld, said tonight he expected
the man would be discharged to-mor-
low IL his relatives came for him, al
though he might remain in the prison
until Saturday. Judge John II. Coats
Walkers brother-in-lsw, and Mrs. Colt,
his sister. called on MIN at the PRISON
to-day, but what arrangements they
made with him are secret for neither
they nor the prisoner would talk.
Mystery in Parole Vote.
lust how Walkers parole came to
he voted is mystery. Members OF
The Parole Board say that the vote
was unanimous and that IL was based
on the condition Of the prisoners
health. States Attorney Alcorn was
informed by one member of the board
to-day. that he had not voted Tor me
parole, and another member OF the
board is confined to his house by SICK
ness. How he could have voted Tor
parole is one thing Mr. Alcorn does
not understand.
that no is in poor health. There was
nothing to-day to indicate that ne was
not in better health than when he was
committed, seven years ago, TO serve
twenty-year sentence. His color was
good and his step firm.
In the prison he has had an easy
time on account Of his age; he is now
nearly seventy. He received berth
in the Office and on Sundays assisted Ia
the chapel exercises, as in the days
when he was shining light IN the
Connecticut Baptist Convention, from
whose funds, intrusted TO him as treas
urer. he embeZzled more than soO,OoO'
II is to the efforts of leading Bap-
lists of the state more than anything
else that his parole is now ascrioed.
When his crimes were discovered the
state organization was bankrupt. But
so wide was the advertising given his
peculating that funds poured in, unit!
now IL has a surplus Of s250,000 For
this reason leading members OF the
church have termed Walkers thefts
blessing in disguise.
Walkers friends have been working
20 obtain his release almost from the
day he was sentenced. They urged THAI
ne was a weak old man who had gone
20 New York and there fallen into the
hands of Gondorf and his gang o.
wireless wiretappers and had been
feeceI out Of the funds OF the bsnh
and the Baptists.
The news of the parole caused gen
ersl resentment, especially when the
letter of the States Attorney priest
inr against Walker being freed was
made public.
States Attorneys Letter.
In this letter Mr.. Alcorn lays;
"Walker began a career Of crime "a
early as 1888 and followed it consist
emily until the exposure came IN 1907
He embezzled money from individual
who conhded in him. from he Baptist
Convention, Of which he was trusted
oficer. and from the Savings -anl: Of
New Britain, of which for years he Lad
been treasurer. He not only continued
20 steal money during this long period
Of time, but he managed 70 cover his
peeulations by the commission OF other
crimes-prineipally BY making false re
turns TO the bank commissioners end
by various forms OF forgery.
"His emoezzlement from these insti-