The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-17
TO PAY FOR A HOME
RUDOLPH COLKLINE, CASHIER OF
A CHICAGO FIRM. ROBBED
HIS EMPLOYERS.
WAS ARRESTED IN ST. PAUL.
ADMITS THAT HE TOOK $1,000,
BUT PLEADS EXTENUATING
CIRCUMSTANCES.
WAS ARRESTED IN ST. PAUL.
HE HAD ALWAYS BEEN HONEST
and Face the Charges Against
Him.

| Rudolf Colkline, formerly cashier and
bookkeeper for the wholesale hardware
| firm of Phelps, Dodge & Palmer, of
! Chicago, ILL.,, was arrested in this city
yesterday morning upon the charge of
embezzling $4,000. He was apprehend-
| ed by operators of the Pinkerton
Detective agency and is locked up at
the central police station awaiting Off
GERS from Chicago Colkline does not
deny that he used his employers funds,
but claims his shortage is little over
| $1,000, and has consented to return to
the Windy City without requisition pa
pers. He absconded Wednesday of last
week, and has been in ST. Paul since
Saturday.
Though admitting his guilt, Colkline
appears to believe himself guilty of no
moral wrong, and lays his downfall to
circumstances which he could not con-
troll. According to his story, he had
been in the employ of Phelps, Dodge &
Palmer for twenty-five years, having
entered the services Of the firm as bill
clerk at SO week and progressed to
the position of bookkeeper and cashier.
Believing his prospects good, Colkline
purchased a lot and built a home for
his family, having a wife and three
children. The cashier whose position
he was promoted to, Colkline says, re-
ceived salary of over $4,000 a year,
but when he took the position he only
got $1,000. By degrees, he says, he
sank $1,000 in payment for his home
and then found himself unable to meet
the payments. Anxious to save his
nome, the prisoner says, he tried every
means of raising funds, but finally in
despair, turned to taking small amounts
from his employers. 1t was wrong,
doubtless, Colkline says but he was
smarting under the injustice he be-
lieved his employers were subjecting
him to in the matter of salary after
so many years of faithful service. The
amount of his shortage soon became
more than he could hope to refund,
according to the accused, and when
the firm recently began checking up
his books, Colkline says he realized his
only course to avoid the consequences
OF his actions lay in flight Wednes-
day ne took what ready money he could
secure and left Chicago. When arrest
ed yesterday 1920 were found in his
first misstep, and though he does not
urge 1t as excusing his actions, he
blames his employers largely for his
downfall. He says he is a church
member and has well to do relatives
in Chicago. Even while a fugitive he
says he attended church service twice
| Sunday and enjoyed the sermons.
i did not intend to steal" said the
prisoner to reporter for the G O b e.,
but l could not support my family on
the salary 1 received and committed
the first criminal action of my life. I
mad worked for the firm so long that
their seeming unappreciative attitude
toward me simply goaded me into TAX
| ing the money. My home and the well
fare of my family were at stake. and
L did it to save them. had no idea
OF where l was going when 1 left Chi
cago, my only desire being to flee from
my employers, as 1 knew it would go
hard with me when the shortage was
discovered. 1 shall go back to Chicago
to face the charges against me, and
after all l am glad this thing is over.
knew 1 must be arrested sooner or
later, and to tell the truth I did not
take much precautfon to conceal myself
in st. Paul. Perhaps my reputation for
twenty-five years may help me in this
matter, and I may come out not to bad
ly in the end"