Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-01-04

ed Admitted That He Was the Thief
Himself-Brief Career of Young Man
in the Role of q Victim of Bandits.
| CINCINNATI, Jan. 4.-Frank H. Sparks
assistant cashier of the postoffice, was ar
rested last night, and shortly aftcrward
confessed that he got away himself with
nearly $500 that he had reported stolen.
He was short 81, and was to settle as
soon as Cashier Tucker returned from
lunch, when he knew he would be caught.
While Tucker was lunching Sparks took
s5S3. rs from the drawer, put s56a in bills
between the leaves of a magazine, and
s2l.6S in coin in an envelope hiding both.
After his confession he told where this
money was, and the S5S3.6S was recovered
Sparks is married and belongs to a good
family. His friends will make up the
shortage of s2s3.3o but Inspector Salmon
says that will not save him from prosec,l-
ton. Sparks will have hearing today.
He Stirred Up Much Excitement.
The above is the true inwardness of an
alleged robbery that created the greatest
excitement all over the city, but especially
in the central part. For Sparks had re-
ported that two men had walked into the
postoffice-with the street outside crowded
with people-gone into the cashiers room
and robbed him of ss67. Shortly after
p. IN. he was found lying on the floor in
an unconscious condition by Janitor John
Wiehe No noise had previously been
heard about the place, but when Wiehe
gave the alarm an enormous crowd soon
surrounded the building When Post
master Zumstein, Inspector Salmon and
Cashier Tucker arrived in the cashiers
office Sparks did not appear to be badly
hurt, although he had big bump on his
forehead. There was no doubt whatever
about the money drawer being short.
Sparks Account of the ..Robbery."
Sparks was left alone at l 80 p. IN. while
Cashier Tucker and Others connected with
the Office went out for lunch. In telling
his story he said that two men entered
the office and asked for small change for
a five dollar bill. While he was unlock
ing the money drawer one of them rushed
through the small screen door, which
happened to be open, and soon both of
them were on him. He said he dealt one
of them hard blow, but was himself
struck by a pair of iron knuckles and
knew nothing that transpired from that
time until he was aroused by Janitor
Wiehe. The watchman, who is constant
ly patroling the corridor, said that he saw
no such men as Sparks described either
enter or leave the cashiers office.
Policemen Smell a Mice.
The story didn't go down entirely with
the police, detectives, and inspectors, and
while they hunted for the robbers they
kept sharp watch on Sparks. Part of his
story was plausible cnugh, but that bump
on his forehead did not look like it was
made by metal knucklcs or n slung shot,
but like lump inflicted by contact with
the vault or something equally hard. On
a center table near the money drawer were
over 5000 in envelopes for the lcttcr-car-
riers. it being their pay day. Although it
was in trays that could have been easily
carried off il was not touched. Sparks
said that was because these cnvclops were
covered by IA newspaper There was n
much larger amount still in the vault,
which was open, and which was not
touched.
Then 1t Was His Settlement Day.
Again it was his day for settlement
After paying off the carriers he should
have had Ss67 il the drawer, but the de-
tcctivcs Were unable to ascertain whether
he had any other considerable amount i'm
the drawer before the robbery. They re-
ferred with suspicion to the door i'm the
screen being left open at "A time when the
assistant cashier was alone with 1867 in
his own cash drawer, another drawer
equally full, 5000 on the table in envel-
opcs and the vault accessible. Putting
all these things together. with, the fact
that it would have been next to Hmpossi-
bic for any one to have got into the Office
unknown to the janitor the police con-
cluded to arrest Sparks, with the result
narrated.