Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-17
An Old Newspaper

= SOON as Spargo unfolded the
,soer he saw what he wanted want 10, on
middle page, headed IN two iines s
Wy 9ah,o capitals. lie iigh'eu eis"i anu
o.. oc..,tlsd down to READ.
ses.,.. Milcaster Quarter Sessions
NARY, HssT,rial Of John Maitland
. ouarter Sessions for the
Ine osMarket Milcaster were held
borough nasday last, October 3. 1891,
on Wetn ,n,rm hall, before the recorder,
IN Tue Iobn Campernowne, ESQ.,, *.
Henry vas accompanied ON the bench
c., WIZ "Worshipful the Mayor of
By .I0 Milcaster alderman Petit
Ma,Ss' tbe Vicar Of Market Milcaster
foro''psy' p. B. Clabberton, M. A.,
tne ~. Alderman Danks, J. i. ;
r. p1 Peters, j. p; Sir. Gervais
Aldei Alm r. p; Colonel Fludgate,. j.
RaclSSn, lSa,ntsin Murrill. J. p, and other
r. states t and gentlemen. There. was
aaSyowded attendance Of the public in
ci.y,mmstion of the trial of John Matt
anticipna cipnr.manager of the Market Mil
lant' tsr hank, and the reserved portions
cssts, ~ court we're filled with the elite
o. .he the town and neighborhood. includ-
ol p considerable number OF ladies
lls manifested the greatest interest
N the proceedings.
.,,-be recorder, in charging the grand
so;d he regretted that the very
lass, la11ss,,.pt o and gratifying experience
ps;oh had been his upon the occasion
wns w"h;s last two official visits to Market
Hnna,ter-he referred to the fact that
hofb those occasions his friend, the
eNT.psbipful " Mayor, had been able to
,..sent him with pair of white
gpIoyss--was not to be repeated on the
s.,ssnt occasion. 1t would be their
ipaJ and regrettable lot to have before
%on, saS n fellowtownsman whose family
taJ .av car generations occupied foremost
noS noSition in the life Of the borough.
TTbnt fellowtownsman was charged
ritb in, one of the most serious ofenses
Lnown to a commercial nation like
.nrs. the offense of embezzling the
moneys of the bank of which he had
for many years been the trusted man.
orar. and with which he had been con-.
nsctsd all his life since his school days.
He understood that the prisoner who
would shortly be put before the court
an his trial was about to plead guilty.
and there would accordingly be no need
for him to direct the gentlemen of the
Grand jury on this matter-what he
had to say respecting the gravity and
even enormity Of the offcnse he would
reserve. The recorder then addressed
himself to the grand jury on the merits
of two minor cases, which came before
the court at later period of the morn
ing. after which they retired, and hav-
ing formally returned true bill against
the prisoner, and petty jury. chosen
from we'll known burgesses of the town
havino been duly sworn,
John Maitland, aged forty two,
hank manager, of the Bank House.
High street, Market Milcaster, was for
mally charged with embezzling, on April
92S. 1891, the sum of f4S75 los 3d., the
moneys of his employers, the Market
llilcaster Banking Company Ltd, and
the same to his own use. The
prisoner, who appeared to feel his po-
sition most acutely, and who Aooked
very pale and much worn. was repre-
spnted by Mr.. Charles Doolittle, the
well known barrister Of. Kingshaven !;
Mr.. Stephens, X. c., appeared on be-
half Of the prosecution.
Maitland, upon being charged,
pleaded guilty.
"Mr. Stephens. X. G., addressing the
Recorder, said that without any desire
10 unduly press upon the prisoner, who,
he ventured to think. had taken very
wise course in pleading guilty to that
particular count in the indictment with
which he stood charged. he felt bound,
in the interests of justice, to set forth
10 the court some particulars of the
defalcations which had arisen through
the prisoners much lamented dishon-
csty, He proposed to offer a clear and
succinct account of the matter. The
prisoner, John Maitland, was the last
Of an old Market Milcaster family-he
vas, In fact, he believed, with the ex-
Nption of his own infant son, the very
last Of the race. His father had been
manager of the bank before him. Matt
land himself mad entered the service of
the bank at the age of eighteen, when
he left the local grammar school; he
succeeded his father as manager at the
age OF thirty two; he had therefore
occupied this highest position Of trust
ior ten years. His directors had the
fullest confidence in him; they relied
On his honesty and his honor; they gave
him discretionary powers such ns no
bank manager, probably, ever enjoyed
or held before. In fact, he was so trust
ed that he was. to all intents and pur
poses, the Market Milcaster Banking
Company: in other words he was al
lowed full control over everything, and
given full license to do what he liked.
Whether the directors were wise ia ex
tending such liberty to even the most
trusted servant. it was not for him (Mr.
stephens) to say; it was some consol-