Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-29
Pugh Sentence II
Years State Prison
Banker Pleads Guilty;
Begins Time Friday

Seventeen years at hard labor in
the state prison at Waupun, one day
of each year to be spent in solitary
confinement"
Such was the sentence melted to
John Harold Pugh by Judge Sherman
E. Smalley in open court at 8 o'clock
last Friday morning, following plea
of guilty to information as charged.
Defendant plead guilty" waving
the reading of information in open
court. The information charged en-
bezzlement of $4,000 and the forgery
Of five notes.
Prior to pronouncing sentence the
court asked Mr.. Pugh if he had any
thing to say. Without hesitancy but
in a low voice the defendant recited
that he pleaded guilty to the informa-
ton although he had had no time to
check up the total sum charged as
embeZzlement. He thought the sum
was in excess OF the amount taken.
1T is a larger, much larger sum than
| had imagined"
Defendant then recited illness in
his family as causing his mind to be
distracted. He said that curing thai
long period of illness at home his
mind had been more on his family
troubles than on the bank. He said
further that he had never wilfully in
tended to defraud or take the deposit
tors money. He said he came back
voluntarily and had done all he could
to assist in Strengthening out the
banks affairs. Then he mentioned
his aged parents, wife and little chill
dren in pleading mitigation, asking
also that he be given credit for the
time he had spent in Jail prior to go
ing to trial.
The court in response stated that
defendant had pleaded guilty to en-
bezzlement of 100000 and the forgery
of five specific notes. This offense
is one of the gravest of criminal
charges" Judge Smalley went on. 1T
is next only to taking human life.
You embezzled money left in your
hands in trust.
ga fragrant violation of the law
such as this demands that severe
penalty be imposed. In your favor be
it said that you plead guilty and save
the county the expense Of trial and
the burden of proving to twelve
jurors that you are guilty" The
court then affixed sentence as stated
in the foregoing.
Without mitigating his offense be it
said that Pugh took his sentence with
out whining or attempt to blame any
one else. He took the bitter dose
standing up and walked from the
court room quietly and erect after
sentence was pronounced. Instead OF
blanching his face turned brick-red
but there was no other evidence of in
Nd oit ic sold haf pI1Uh
fully expected a much lighter SEN
tence, perhaps from one to three
years If he was stunned he failed to
show it except by change in color.
The maximum of punishment on all
counts would have come to SO years,
according to Dist Atty. Geo. B. Glenn
entson However, we understand that
25 years is the maximum imposed.
Seventeen years in Waupun, with
good behavior, is whitfield down to 9
years and months. The statute al
lows one month the first year, two
months the second year, three months
the third, four months the fourth, five
months the fifth and six months the
sixth and each year thereafter. This
figures out on a 17year sentence to
be 8 years and 9 months.
Street comment Immediately fol-
lowing the sentence varied Some
thought the sentence to be severe,
saying that to 10 years would have
been ample. Others thought the SEN
tence fair and not too much consider
ing the gravity of the crime.
John Harold Pugh, "the mystery
man." preserved his unruffled de-
meanor through the trial. If he felt
emotion behind his mask he covered
it. Without weakness or tears he told
his story and without weakness or
tears he took his sentence and march
ed away in the sheriff's custody to be
conducted to Waupun by auto at
noon that day. The true story of the
gradual looting of the Peoples State
Bank, how and why the money was
taken and where it all went remains
mystery. Perhaps Mr.. Pugh could I'M
ravel this but he has never done so
and probably never will.
The information as charged, to
which Defendant waived, covers the
fraudulent enlightenment of 100000
of the banks funds. The document
outlined that the said embezzlements
occurred between Jan. l, 1919, and
June 1, 1923.
The five notes forged are covered
as follows
One for $109083 on James E. Bailie,
dated April II, 1922.
One for $4,000 on W. G. Suttle,
dated April IS, 1922.
One for $4,000 on Mrs. A. Krohn,
Mrs Antonio Krohn, dated April 20,
1922.
One for $1,433.OO on c. w Froth-
ingham, dated April 20, 1922.
One for $174.00 on G. ]. Kaiser,
dated Dec s, 1922.
Signatures on all these notes were
denied by the purported signers.
Undersheriff Bert Morse, ]. Harold
Pugh, the elder Mr.. Pugh and Clar-
ence Rich, driver, pulled out for Wau-
pun in motor car Friday noon. The
quiet grief and steadfast loyalty OF
Harold Pugh's father was one Of the
sad features of this expose. The old
gentleman remained here through the
trial and went with him as far as
NTod;coy ubara no hid him pOOdhV.