Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-03-09
TRUE BILLS FOUND
AGAINST FOUR IN
RECORDERS OFFICE
r. G. Cole. the Chief: w. G. Cole.
Deputy; Babcock and Fen
nmore Indicted.
MAY FILE A DEMURRER

Arraignment ~ Recorder Of Deeds
Furman G. cole. on an indictment
charging embezzlement by bailee. was
postponed this morning, in the Court
OF General Sessions. by Judges Royce
and Conrad at the request of Philip l..
Garrett. representing the accused The
postponement was requested in order
that the indictment can he studied
SO as TO arrive at decision regarding
the plea TO be made. Mr.. Garrett In
dicated that he may file a demurrer To
the Indictment.
Pleas Of not guilty 10 indictments
charging conspiracy were entered by
William c. Cole. father OF the recorder
Harry Fennimore and Walter Babcock.
former clerks IN the recorders office.
None appeared in person. Cole being
represented by Mr. Garrett and tho
others by former Judge J. Frank Ball.
Furman c. Cole is now nj liberty on
bond in the sum Of $4,000. The others
are under $1,000 bond.
Indictments against the quartet We're
returned late yesterday afternoon after
the grand jury had heard six witnesses
and aelfberated for two and and one
half hours. Thirty counts are set forth
in the indictment against Furman Cole
and u against the others. Sums rang
ing from fifty cents TO $4,000 are men
toned in the various counts, although
il il asserted that the full amount may
reach total exceeding $4,000.
Cole. together with his father. William
G. Cole who served as his deputy. and
Two clerks are now out on bail. They
were placed under arrest on February
il and an investigation was started into
alleged Irregularities in connection with
the recording of deeds and disposal OF
fees.
In the conspiracy charge. IL Is as
serted that Walter Rabcock. William G.
Cole and Harry Fennimore did unlaw-
fully cons spire. combine. confederate and
agree together to commit the offense
charged" 1t is alleged that the con-
spiracy consisted of falling to make
proper entries in the fee book OF papers
received in the office for record and
the recording fees received for this
work
The grand jury took up the consider
alton Of the case AT the afternoon ses-
sion. starting at $50 O'Clock and the
true bills were reported to Judge Boyce
at o'clock
During the inquisition. Walter Fan
ming and Charles Donnelly OF the re-
corder of deeds office, were heard They
were followed by p Fl Leech. a clerk
in the county treasurer's Office and
II. H BiHany. special deputy recorder
Of deeds Other testimony was pre-
sented by A V. l. George and William
Lyons. Jr., special investigators. whC
have been at work on the audit of tbs
accounts of the recorders office sine,
ne took charge.
The alleged embezzlements cover {
period OF slightly more than six months
from June Y. 1920, 10 January Il. 1921
The indictments were drawn by At
torney- General Townsend and Deputy
Attorney General Finger
Recorder cole was elected TO office fl
1918 and entered upon his duties in tn,
early part Of the following year. serv
ing approximately two years
Complaints from persons who failed
10 receive proper duplicate bills Is sal,
10 have led to the discovery of IN,
alleged irregularities.