Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-05-21
ARRESTED FOR rdBRzzLEnENr.

ARRESTED FOR EMBEZzLElGENT. Fire Commissioner Geo. w. Roberts
 in Dls9race-The Grig9s & Smith Co
 Systematically Robbed.
 George w. Roberts, bookkeeper and superintendent of the Smith & Griggs manufacturing company, was placed under arrest last night, charged with embedding $10,0O0 from the company. Attorney GeorgeE. Terry prepared the papers and the arrest prisoner was taken to Attorney Terry's office, where a consultation was held with the officers of the company. Shortly after midnight Roberts was turned over to Lieut. Root and spent the night in a cell at the police station.
 Roberts was brought before Judge Bradstreet this morning. His attorney, John O'Neil, was unable to be present, owing to illness, and by request the case was continued until next Monday. Bonds of $5,OO0 were furnished for his appearance by Fred Trott. The prisoner pleasantly greeted a reporter, but begged to be excused from saying anything about the case. He said the statement in a morning paper that he had acknowledged his guilt was untrue. He made no admissions or denials.
 Edward s. Smith, treasurer of the Smith & Griggs company, was seen to- day by a DEMOCRAT reporter, and said |: "Mr Roberts has been in our employ keeper. He has been my confidential man and am considerably worried over his downfall. 1 do not think it is my place to explain the case to you as it is practically out of our hands. Attorney Terry is looking after our interests. A. s. Chase is president of the company and to him 1 refer you for further information" MT Smiths eyes filled with tears as he spoke, for as he expressed it, "Mr Roberts and l have been friends for years, and the shock day." In conclusion Mir Smith said he hoped the matter would be treated fairly by the newspapers. It was not a case in which sensationalism should figure at all.
 President Augustus s. Chase of the company admitted that there had been an embezzlement and that the amount would exceed $1O,OOO. MT Chase said: ''The books of the company are in the hands of an expert accountant and the exact amount of the dedication is not definitely known yet. Roberts has been manipulating the pay roll SlASo IooA ehAu POSoAoAy OOAoAC ChaC ti1ne."
 The embezzlement was discovered by accident, last week. In balancing the cash book Treasurer Smith could not account for $25 charged upon the pay account, more than the roll called for. He became suspicious and ex- amined the books carefully and found that nearly every week the pay roll was manipulated in like manner. It waa found that in 1881 in a number of weeks $1OO more than the pay roll called for was drawn by Roberts. Since then the com pany has been bled almost weekly, ex- cept for period of about ten months a few years ago when everything was straight. The whole amount embez- zled will, it is believed, exceed S12,00O. Roberts is known to have dabbled in stocks several years ago, when Soutter & Co kept bucket shop at 119 Bank street, and his fate was the same as is that of every small speculator-he lost all he invested. This was about the time the Smith & Griggs company books show the embezzlement began. Regret and surprise are expressed at the downfall of Roberts. He was great favorite in social circles and politically was regarded as a coming man. He is at present member of the board of fire commissioners and has been identified with other departments of the city gov ernment. He has pleasant home at 52 Abbott avenue,