Evening journal., 1921-03-22
TEARSBEFORE
COLEIS JAILED
lcontInued from page onel

He had been preceded by his coun-
sci, Philip l.. Garrett
Disposition OF the case was made
in short time. Mr. Garrett an
nounced that he wished to withdraw
the demurrer filed to the Indictment
against his client and that ne wished
to change the plea from not guilty to
guilty. The young man, arising, con-
firmed this Attorney General Town
send. visibly moved by having to
prosecute the former recorder. told
the court briefly that the defalca-
tions OF the recorders Office were ap-
proximately $4,000; that Mr.. Cole
had made'restitution of about $4,000,
and that he had lent what aid he
could in the investigation Of the ac-
counts Of the office.
To this statement Mr.. Garret add
ed that Mr.. Cole had also made out to
the county many salary checks that
were due him as recorder.
After few minutes consider
alton, Chief Justice Pennewin di-
rected Mr.Cole to stand up. Re-
marking that ne had acted wisely
in taking the advice OF his attorney
anu lAttAAAhk hnAlANn AlAf Iuuht AAAtN
imposed sentence. Shortly after
ward Mr.. Cole was removed from the
room and taken to the workhouse
in an automobile. In the corridor to
the prisoners elevator Attorney Cen
eral Townsend, with one arm about
Mr.. Cole. could not restrain his
emotion and tears coursed down his
cheeks.
Trial OF the case OF Furman's
father. William G.. Cole. who was
deputy recorder. and Harry Fenni-
more and Walter Babcock, who
were clerks in the office, has been
set for April s. They are charged
with conspiracy to defraud. Mr.
Cole is represented by Mr.. Garrett
and the other two defendants are
represented by J. Frank Ball They
have pleaded not guilty to the charge
for their clients.
+. G. Cole would make no state
ment other than to express sympa-
! thy for his wife and family and
his hope that the shadow of his
misstep might fall lightly upon
/ them.
The case has excited much public
interest since January II. when Fur
man G.. Cole. his father, William G..
Cole. deputy recorder, and Walter
yBabcock and Harry Fennimore were
arrested on charges of cmbezzle-
ment OF fees coming into the record
er's office, and held under $4,000 bail
each.
subsequently the charges against
the father and the two clerks were
changed to conspiracy to defraud"
in connection with the embezziement
charged against Furman G.. Cole.
As a result Of the arrests. Harry II.
Bilany. recently appointed to the
Office OF Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General. was assigned by the At
torney- G Generars office as a special
deputy, to audit the accounts Of the
recorders office.
Following the audit, the grand
jury returned an indictment against
Furman q. Cole, containing 80
counts. and aggregating over 500
900. True bills were also found
against William G. Cole. Walter Bah
cock and Harry Fennimore. the in
dictments charging them with con-
spiracy.
Darlington Finn. OF near Mar
shallton. was appointed recorder OF
! deeds by Governor Denney last week
after Mr. Cole had resigned.
Furman G.. Cole is married and
2 lives at 29O2 West street with his
father. lie WIS elected Recorder OF
Deeds on the Republican ticket in
November. 1918. Previous to his
election he was employed for -four
, years as a clerk i'm the City Board
, Of Assessment, and prior to that he
y was employed in the Street and
a Sewer Department.
= ''Furney," as he is famiiariy
o. known, has a reputation as an attn
lete and boxing trainer. and as
o square" sportsman OF remarkabl!
e clean habits. The charge agains
s him came as a shock to all his ac
81 Quaintances.
Mr.. Cole Sr. is a former saloon
keeper Of this city.
Babcock has been a clerk in th'
Recorders Office under various Re
/ corders for period Of approx
mately twenty years.
The misappropriation OF funds g.
said TO have extended over a perio,
Of about IS months. Pending th'
}. trial of the three c0-defendants il
10 the case. the Attorney Generals Of
fee has refused to disclose just how
the alleged misappropriation Of fec
was discovered, and how It was &C
Do complished.