The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-11
Burton, Bank
LOOter. Gets
Prison Term
Stratford Native, Accused of
Embezzlement in Ansonia,
Is Given Three to Ten
Years Sentence.
Pleads Guilty to Five
Counts, Two Being Omit
ted-Had Recently Been
Employed in Bridgeport.

New Haven, Feb. 11-Frank-
lin G. Burton, former treasurer
of the Savings Bank Of Ansonia,
was sentenced to not less than
three years nor more than 10
years in state prison, by Judge
Joel Reed Of the superior court
today, after pleading guilty to
embezzlement of funds, fOrger-
les of notes and mortgages and
making false entries on the
banks book TO deceive the bank
commissioner and The officers
Of the bank.
Burton took the sentence
without any outward show of
emotion
The imposition of sentence was pre-
ceded by presentation of the states s
case bY States Attorney Haines, of
Middlesex county; a reply by. Mr..
Holden, of Ansonia, attorney for the
defendant, who also made a plea for
clemency, and review of the crime
by Judge Reed, who referring feel
ing1y to the painful position he was
in in being obliged to impose penalty
upon one whom in years past he had
personally known as a friend and a,
est regard.
Burton was arraigned on seven
counts butMr. Haines, explaining that
two covered incidents specifically re-
ferred to in the others, struck them
out with the courts permission One,
the third count, Mr. Haines said, was
greatly involved. The seventh one
others.
The information as read by the
clerk charged as follows: First, that
on Sept. 80, 1911, Burton took $1,000
IN money from the bank; second, that
on May 1, 1914, he used a certificate,
later described as an interest pay
ment on an obligation held by the
bank, sent by the city of New York
for $500; fourth, that on Sept. 16,
1915, he took $4,000 cash; fifth, that
Sept. L. 1915, he took $7.253 in cash;
sixth, that on May 1. 1915, he made
false entries on the books concerning
certain notes, mortgages, etc, to the
amount of $35, 800 with intent to de-
ceive the bank commissioner and the
banks officers.
Burton, called to the bar. pleaded
guilty Mr.. Haines then related the
circumstances, during which he
showed how Burton's acts were re-
vealed. This was under the fourth
count. He had taken $4,000 from the
till The bank commissioner was
making an examination. The count
ing of cash had been done in the
evening. The clerk counting had
found a slip of. paper calling for
| $4,000 cash which was supposed to be
| in a tin box in the vault. The next
day the clerk wanted to see the tin
box. When it was taken out the
$4,000 was not there.
Burton then confessed his short
ages.
Mr.. Haines prefaced his remarks
with an expression of the painfulness
of the duty before him The accused,
he said, had been regarded as an up
right, respected citizen until Sept. 16,
last, when his nisdoings stood re-
vea1ed. He had been upright in all
his acts in the eyes of the law, hon
ored by citizens of his town. had
twice held the highest Office in the
gift of his fellow townsmen, repre-
sented his district in the Senate and
as a, bank officer and church member
had been a model citizen. His bank
connections extended through 25 years.
His pecu1ations began many years
| ago, SO far back that it is impossible
to determine when they began.
Mr. Haines explained each count.
The first theft of $1,000 was made by
taking bonds entrusted to his care,
placing them in the banks assets and
using the equivalent in cash. The
|
| bonds. The $500 taken was an interest
draft. The. $4,3 800 was cash taken to
use in outside transaction and it
was covered by use of a, slip purport-
ing to show the equivalent OF cash in
the vault. The theft of 1888 did not
at first appear, but 'NIr. Haines said
it was found that for many years
there had been an overdraft In the
stealing of $34, 300 shown by false en-
tries, Mr.. Haines said the system of
forgery was as clever as any he had
seen during his twelve years service
as a states attorney. The bank ac-
cepted notes for money loaned with
mortgages as security. Many of these
were copied exactly. the notes and the
town clerks on the cover being accu-
rately made.
/ In course of time the original notes
weres paid and mortgages discharged
but Burton placed the copies he had
made in the banks assets and took
the equivalent cash for his own use.
! Mr. Haines asked what punishment
should be given for these acts. He
said that a sneak thief who steals a
woman's purse on the street corner is
justly condemned One person only
suffers loss, however, and only in les
ser degree is it an offense against So
ciety. A bank treasurer is custodian
of trust funds; he deals with thou
sands; he protects the life savings of
children. The state must deal with
things as they are, without sympathy
and without antipathy.
1 Mr. Holden made a plea for Burton.
saying that Mr.. Haines' statement Of
the case was fair except in regard tn
| forgery of town clerks endorsement
! Continued on Page 81