The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-12-29
After F. G. Rowland Had
Pleaded Guilt = -Four
Other GIFTS
WAS THEr S LACED IN
CHARC 0F SHERIFF
Sentence Postponed Short
Time to Let Him Attend
to Some Matters

Without friend or attorney accom-
panying him, Frank g. Rowland, presi-
dent of the Barre Savings Bank and
Trust company, walked into city court
yesterday afternoon, where Judge 4. l.,
Scott and States Attorney f. R. Davis
awaited him, entered plea of guilty
to the charges of embezzlement OF the
banks funds, and received sentence
of four years at hard labor in states
prison at Windsor. Mr.. Rowland was
turned over to the custody of Sheriff
Frank Tracy and in few days will be.
taken to Windsor to begin serving his
sentence.
The hearing yesterday was a contiR-
uation of the action of Dec. Is, when
Mr. Rowland was arrested, charged
with the embezzlement of S25,9S0 from
the Barre Savings Bank and Trust COM
pany. On that date Mr.. Rowland APP
peared in city court and askedAfor time
to consider before making plea He
was then put under bail Of $1,000 for
appearance on Dec ZS.
When Mr. Howland presented him
self in court yesterday, only the judge
and states attorney were there, and
after a few preliminary questions and
answers Mr. Howland entered a plea OF
guilty to all the counts in the com
plant with the exception Of the fourth,
which alleged the embezzlement of
$l0,500 on Nov. p, 1920. This count
the states attorney later mol pressed.
Mr. Rowland, by his plea, admitted the
embezzlement of Sl5,4S0.
The court asked the states attorney
if there was anything to be said and
Mr.. Davis stated briefly the nature of
the items set up in the complaint that
the 81 900 embezzled Oct. %, 1920, was
city funds on deposit in the bank; that
the $3.50 taken on Sept. 3. 1920, was
the proceeds of 10 shares of telephone
stock sold and the funds not turned
into the account of the estate from
which the stock was taken, and that
the $4,000 taken July %, 1918, and the
81 500 taken April IL. 1915, were the
proceeds of two notes paid, the notes
not being surrendered to, the mskerss-
| but continued as assets of the bank.
| Mr.. Davis spoke of the high position
Mr.. Rowland held in the community
and the good work he had done and re-
gretted the lapse from integrity in the
matters in which Mr. Howland had ad-
mitted guilt.
Mr.. Rowland, when asked by the
court if he had anything to say, stated
that he alone was to blame for the
wrong done. but that it had not been
done for personal benefit to himself, but
| to cover losses incurred by the bank in
making loans to firms and individuals
making up the industrial life of Barre;
that the losses incurred had been made,
he believed, for the benefit of industry
in Barre
States Attorney Davis recommended
| to the court a sentence the mlnimup of
which should be not less than two
| wears. Mr.. Howland stated that while
the sentence could be either $1,000 or
/ 10 years in prison at the most, he
wished it might be fine, which, if not
too large. he thought he could arrange
to pay. He felt that he could be of
more assistance in Strengthening out
Z the afiairS OF tnc DdHh IL ne NtAt hVlV
in Barre than he could in Windsor.
Judge Scott, before pronouncing sem
| tence. called attention to the nature OF
| the oiTense, that it was one that affect
ed the integrity of trusts and trust
funds, and the confidence of the public
! in trust institutions, and could not be
lightly dealt with. While he PERSONAL
w felt a ne-day sentence might be SUI
ficient punishment for Mr.. Rowland,
Justice to all would not permit it and
that he should and did impose a SEN
tence of four years minimum, with 2
maximum of seven at hard labor at
Windsor.
While court was in progress, Sheriff
Tracy had entered and Mr.. Rowland
was given into his charge. At the lat
ters request, he was given several days
to straighten out some personal mat
ters and as soon y these are attended
10 he will be taken to Windsor. While
in Barre, he is in the custody of Merl
b. Clark