The Unintended Thief of Front Street

John Galbey appeared before Justice Neater yesterday afternoon on the charge of embezzlement. Upon the prosecution attorney’s motion, the matter was dismissed, being refiled under a more formally prepared complaint. The defendant was asked if he was guilty, but he waived that plea. The case was assigned for a hearing on the 5th of February. Messrs. Parsons & Down, the prosecutors, declared they asked for the delay as they were not fully satisfied yet as to the amount of the embezzlements and wanted to be prepared before the hearing.

Galbey, from his appearance in the justice court, is very much broken up over the turns affairs have taken. He had no counsel, and it was assumed that, being an attorney, he would perhaps represent himself. He made no attempt to ward off the results but seemed disposed to allow things to take their course. He makes no defense whatever, but before the case came to a hearing, told Messrs. Parsons & Down that he had taken and used their money but had no intention of stealing.

'If you had not taken me up as you did, I would have gotten some money and paid it all back,' he said. 'If I had wanted to steal your money, I would have taken five or six thousand dollars on many an occasion and made away with it.' Galbey is a man of not less than 50 years of age, and clearly bald. When asked if he could secure bail, he replied that there was just a slight possibility, and the bond was set at $500.