Evening star., 1925-05-12
GARRETT IS GUILTY;
. GETS L YEARS AS
He ASKS LEN|ENCY
Rockville Prosecutor, Con-
Tossing, Sentenced for EN-
bezzIement and Forgery.
PLEADS IN FIVE CASES;
49 OTHERS ARE HELD UP
Says He Made $50, 500 Restitution,
and Will Pay All Other
Obligations.
BY a STAFF Correspondent,

ing before the same judges who had
since 1923 been sentencing law vio-
lators whom he prosecuted, John A.
Garrett, until today States attorney
of Montgomery County. pleaded guilty
to four indictments charging en-
bezzlement and one charging forgery
today and was sentenced to II years
In the Maryland Penitentiary.
Two tensely dramatic situations
presented themselves during the pro
ceedings this morning. The crowd
of 400 spectators which jammed the
courtroom was given a shock when
Garrett quietly pleaded guilty after
the first indictment had been read.
Later, before a hushed courtroom,
the former States attorney delivered
a short and eloquent plea for elem
ency during his open confession in
court of wrong doing. The second
tense period came when Judge j.
Hammond Urner announced the SEN
tence.
Faces "a Indictments.
All told 54 indictments had been re-
turned against Garrett. OF these, 30
alleged forgery, 10 charge: embeZzle-
ment growing out of the same tran
sactions as the forgeries. and other
indictments alleged embeZzlement in
collection of judgments and fines.
After five indictments had been read
by the clerk of the court, Garrett
pleading guilty to each. it was an
nounced that the other 40 indictments
would be docked on the "spet" files in
the clerks office, which is a practical
abandonment of prosecution on these
counts, although they could be called
up If urgent necessity arose.
Special Prosecutor l.. NJ. Bouic
summarized the cases outlined in the
five indictments at the request of the
court.
First Case Involved $1,000.
The first case was the embezzlement
of $4,000 from Lucien T. Walters, who
was second cousin of Garrett. Mr.
Bouic said that the evidence showed
that Walters gave Garrett a S. 900
check, understanding that 1t was to
be loaned on realty owned by Kenyon
Wormsley, but that Garrett took the
money obtained on Walters check
and used it to pay a deed of trust on
the home in which Garrett now re-
sides.
The second case was somewhat sim
liar. Garrett was charged with ap-
propriating to his own use $1,5OO
which Mrs. Ida ]. Rabbit had given
him to invest. He was supposed to
have loaned it to a Stanley Hall Bur
dine, on the latter's property. Mr.
Bouic said that search of the land
records of the county showed no such
name as Burdine, and no property
assessed to him.
Another indictment alleged the
forging of an $500 attorneys bond,
III y,
in administering the estate of Eliza
beth Scott. The other two indict-
ments charge embezzlement from
Josephus Terry of S8333 and en-
bezzlement from Charles H. Rabbit
involving $4,000.
Total Is $4,000.
After summarizing these cases, Mr.
Bouic said that in the 54 indictments,
total of 2,200 was involved, of
which 81 900 was money alleged to
have been embezZeled from clients in
connection with the collection of
judgments. Mr.. Bouic said that he
understood Garrett had returned ST.
200 of this amount
Garrett was asked If he wished to
make a statement. He stood up. With
one hand in his right hip pocket, the
other with thumb in lower vest pocket,
he spoke in low, quit voice, in part,
as follows:
"If your honors please. 1t is al
most impossible for me to talk. /
did not come here to attempt to evade
the law or to abuse any one. I know
that the duty which is imposed upon
your honors is just as painful to you
as my position is to me.
"I know 1 have broken the faith i'm
posed in me, but / want to tell you
that at least $30,500 of my securities
has been put up to take care of these
things. After all my estate is disposed
of, / expect there will be a deficiency
of $4,000 or $4,000.
Pledges to Repay All.
II pledge you that 1 will pay all
this back. I have given my pledge to
my friends and relatives that not one
penny will remain unpaid.
Il have been unhappy in number
of different ways since these things
came up, not only since they became
public, but ever since their very be-
ginning 1 am broken, not in health,
but in the position that l have held
mot one of these creditors of mine
wants to prosecute me, wants my
blood There is not one who has not
come to see me and offered to help me.
But fate has decreed otherwise I
CONTINUED on Page 2, Column g.