The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-07-20
MISS KENNEY GETS
SEVEN-YEAR TERM
Admits Theft of Mortified
Town Funds While As
sistant Treasurer
PLEADS GUILTY TO
LARCENY, FORGERY

Gals, for Not Keeping Closer Watch
-Wright's Housekeeper for 10 Years.
GREENFIELD. Mass, July 20
Elizabeth f. Kenney, assistant to War
ren J. Wright, former town treasurer of
Mortified, was taken to the superior
court yesterday afternoon from the jail
to plead guilty to indictments for lar
ceny and forgery returned against her.
She retracted former pleas of not guilty
and pleaded guilty. Miss Kenney made
no statement to the court and showed no
signs of emotion.
Frank J. LAWYER her counsel. said
that she had now not one dollar of the
stolen money and he blamed the North
field town officials for not having made
proper investigation of the towns books,
handled by Miss Kenney. He asked for
a Jail sentence in Greenfield for her
Judge Burns. remarking that the com
munity must be protected, sentenced her
to not less than five years and one day
and not more than eight years on the
charge of larceny and two years on the
charge of forging and uttering.
Miss henney was arrested March 4,
and has since been in Franklin county
jail. unable to obtain bonds of $50. 900.
She was indicted by the grand jury
March 10.
The first indictment, with eight
counts charged her with forging and
uttering checks and notes TO the value
of S2,640. The second Indictment, with
is counts, charged her with larceny of
money totalling l,571 from the town
of Northfield the Greenfield Savings
bank, Warren J. Wright and Phineas
i. Wright.
For 10 years. Miss Kenney had been
housekeeper for the Wright brothers in
Mortified, also acting as an assistant
to Warren, who has since resigned as
town trea Surer. Two of the counts in
taken S15.1T1 of the towns funds, which
is about $4,000 less than the shortage
revealed in the town meeting held in
Northfield.
The Wright brothers. who had ey
pressed such implicit faith in Miss Ken
ney, when the Sensational case first came
to light, are also ont several thousand
dollars rs shown Icy number OF counts
in both indictments The towns de-
felt period began Jan. 1. 1917, continu-
ing to Dec. 81, 1921.
Nothing was shown as to where Miss
Kenney spent the money other than that
sine bad purchased a farIu at one time
for her father. now dead, aided her
brother, and spent money for automobile
hire and pleasure. according to District
Attorney Thomas J. Hammond of North
amptou.
The shortage was first noticed at a
town meeting. on Feb. 6. The treasur-
er'S books were in such shape that the
state auditors We're called. They had
not proceeded far with their work when
they called Wright and Miss kenney for
an explanation. Miss henney admitted
that there might be a shortage. but re
auestcd them not to say anything TO
Wright about it, unSuccesStulIy plead
ing for time to make good the amount.
This interview occurred on Feb. u
and the next day she left for Gardner
On the night of her return with state
detectives after arrest at the home of
Mrs. Mary Macdonald. 30 Manthorn
road, West Roxbury. she told of her
movements.
she said she went from Mortified,
Feb. %, to the home OF her brother,
William Kenney. and in the afternoon
of that day went to a motion picture
theatre with him and his children. Dur
ing the show she went TO store and tel
cphoned to one of the state auditors go
ing over Wright'S books in Mortified.
lie confirmed the discovery Of the short
She said she went to Boston immedi-
ateIy. travelling by taxicab, because no
train was due for some time. she
reached the city at ! o'clock In the morn
ing and walked the streets until ). That
later visited Wilmington, Del. Wash
ington and Baltimore, returning to BoS-
ton on a Wednesday. That night she
spent at the Essex hotel and THURSDAY
went to West Roxbury, where she was
found.
The accused woman became a state
charge 20 years ago, on the death OF her
mother in Ashfield Then a girl of 10,
she was taken into the home of Mrs.
Macdonald who lived in bingham. The
latter moved to Belmont and then to
West Roxbury. In 1910 Elizabeth keu-
ney began her studies rs a nurse at the
Frost hospital in Boston. The following
wear she worked at the Massachusetts
General hospital.
II was about this time that her father
Ransom Kenney. became employed by
Warren ]. Wright on the farm nj
Eorthficld kenney suggested that ms
daughter would make a good house
keeper. after Wrights only sister died.
Thus the girl became established III the
Wright household. and because she re-
somblcd the sister. who had just ded
Mr Wright became greatly attached TO
her.
In to five years ago she was simply
q housekeeper. Then the veteran town
. tFeaSurers ewes began to fail. lie taught
Eliza beth Kenney his system of book
keeping and gradually she assumed all
Of his duties as clerk and treasurer ot
the town, although he held the title. lie
gave her all his fees ard assisted her IN
establishing a small poultry farm. When
a special town committee demanded an
audit Of his books Mr. Wright was
amazed and unbelieying.
TLUNGEs OVER f25-FOGT CLIFF