The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-07
Alleged Louisville Embezzler Spent
Money Lavishly and Bought
Drinks for Strangers.
HIS SALARY WAS 50 A WEEK.
Has Wife and Child and Declares
His Salary Was Not Suf-
ficient to Support
Them.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Boston, Mass, July 6.-Lewis Prochl OF
Louisville, KY. was arrested in Boston a
few days ago and the police have posses
sion Of $3.50 Of the $1,000 he is alleged to
have embezzled from his employers while
employed at salary Of 50 q week. A
diamond ring. . gold watch and three
suits Of clothes purchased with the money
the police say he confessed to taking, have
also been confiscated. He returned to Louis
Vile without requisition papers.
Prochl was a bookkeeper for the Frank
A. Meme Candy Company Of Louisville, and
he had the handling Of $500 In gold and $500
In cash in the course Of business on June
%. He thought he needed the money. and
he said. after he was arrested, that he took
1t. and later boarded a train bound north.
He came through to Boston. arriving
Sunday, but before he had fairly got used
to the lay Of the streets the Louisville po-
lice had furnished the Police Department
with his description, which said he was q
years OF age. 5 feet 10 inches tall. light
complexion, light mustache. and wore a
light suit with a fedora-shaped straw hat.
They also added that he had friend in
Boston, whose name was given, but which
the police do not divulge. other than to cali
him Frank Fisher" which they admit Is
not the right name.
Inspectors Patterson and Rooney were
given the case Monday and they went to
see Frank Fisher" Frank Fisher didn't
know where he was. and didn't want to.
They had suspicion that Fisher" was
best thing they could do would be to keep
him under surveillance, In the belief that he
would soon be in communication with the
Incidentally. they learned that the bar
| tenders at the American House had been
taking In an unusual amount Of gold coin
that 1t all came from stranger who an
swered in part the description of Prochl.
The stranger the bartenders said. had been
and that he Invariably. paid with gold cor.
! That information satisfied the inspectors
that Prockl was in Boston. and probably
They followed Frank Fisher" from his
place Of employment and Swallowed him
through number Of streets until he mixed
w sa st enpe aad
inspectors picked out doorways in which
they could watch him without being seen.
! and waited.
| In few minutes a man who answered
! the description telegraphed from Louisville.
with the exception that he wore dark
clothing and a soft. dark hat. and had no
| with Drank Fisher" The inspectors
guessed that he was the man they wanted,
and they guessed right. Ihey er1ergeu 1EO!n
! their hiding places and going up to the
! stranger. one on each side. they grabbed
| him by the arms and told him he was UNI
| der arrest
| The man appeared to be very indignant
! and began to talk about making trouble
for some one for the indiEnity offered him:
| He said he was Frank Lsskey. a travelling
| man from New York. and that he could
/! prove his identity. However. the inspectors
| took hin, to headquarters. where he was
searched and 1852 in casa; mostly In n
| watch and chain were found in his pockets
! Prochl was told that 1t was all OF with
| him. and that he might as well own up.
Prochl thought so. too, and confessed al al: :,
| He said that ne had been paid salary
! of only - n wsek and that as he had q
| wife ard little daughter he had got dis
! couraged because he owed bills amounting
| IL. Roo. and could see no way of paying
/ them.
| On June %. he said. when he got hold OF
| $500 in gold and $500 in bills. he decided to
| take II and run away On Monday he sent
| HIS wife $50 from Boston.
Z. He said he had left $500 in gold in his
room at the Windsor House, and the m
| spectors found it there, as we'll as tne
| three new suits of clothes and some under'
wear.