The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-10
FUGITIVE
RETURNS TO
HIS HOME.
F. H. Fitzgerald Gives
Himself Up.
MANY INDICTMENTS
HANG OVER HIM
He Was Clerk to the School
Board of Manchester.
MONEY! MAS GOTTEN
MONEY WAS GOTTEN
ON FORGED WARRANTS
Was Also Employed by the SouthertI
Railway from Which He Was Al
legged to Have Secured Con-
siderable Amount--Gives
No Account Of His
Wanderings.

4
Wan and haggard, and apparently worn
in body and mind, Frank II. Fitzgerald,
the fugitive clerk of the Manchester
School Board, gave himself up to Ser
geant Alexander Wright. of the Manches-
ter police force, about 8 o'clock last
night and, accompanied by his brother,
went to the police station. where he was
made as comfortable as possible for the
night.
When seen by a Times-Dspatch repre-
sentative last night at the station house,
Mr.. Fitzgerald declined to talk about his
case
II have nothing to say he said, "but
I feel that It is due my family that I
return and stand whatever punishment
is coming to me-
Mr.. Fitzgerald Is only about thirty-six
years old, but he looks at least ten years
older. The awful strain under which he
has been compelled to carry himself has
told upon him. and from the huDyancy
Of youth he has beer transformed into
the feebleness almost OF old age
EiAh. Indictments
There are eight indictments for forgery
pending against him In the Corporation
Court all arising from discrepancies dis
covered In the accounts of the School
Board. He was clerk Of that body about
five years, during which time he was
he. in the highest esteem by all OF Man
chester
About January 10th. 1902. Fitzgerald.
disappeared. He left his wife and four
children. Then it was that his reprehen-
sibe transactions were discovered.
He was employed as clerl, in the sta
tionery department of the Southern Rail-
way Company with Office in Richmond.
Here he had succeeded in securing for
his own use something like 5000, In va
rious sums at different times His sud-
den disappearance caused an nvestlga-
ton, and this investigation resulted in
another, that OF his books as clerk Of the
School Board. Here. too, he was found
tc. have appropriated sums to his own
use amounting approximately to $1,000
This latter was secured through false
warrant on the treasurer The names OF
the payees were ,ged and the money
secured from the Mechanics and Mer-
chants, Bank of Manchester. The indict-
ments were drawn at the May term OF
the Corporation Court in 1902. and bench
warrant was issued.
1t is not likely that the case will be
called in the Police Court this morning.
Fitzgerald Will probably be committed to
jail, and It Is not probable that he will
ask for bail.
Call Case Next Week.
The October term Of the Corporation
Court will begin next week, and the
case of Fitzgerald will be called,
It is not considered likely that Com
monwealth's Attorney Page will appear in
the prosecution.
His relations with the Fitzgerald family.
father and sons, have been very close
for years Flo was retained by Mr. A. II.
Fitzgerald, brother of the prisoner, at
the time of l. II. Fitzgeralds flight, ami
acted as his counsel and adviser until
examination of the accounts OF the rail-
way company's office and the School Board
rendered vain any hope OF settlement.
It Is thought very likely therefore that
Ar. Page will decline to prosecute tho
cases, and request the court to designate
some other attorney in his stead,
The School Board embezzlament caused
a great stir in municipal and banking
circles. Tho city sought to recover ths
money from the bank, and suit was tn
stituted, on the grounds that the checks
were forged After some litigation a s1Gl.
promise was effected by the recovery
of about one.third the amount at stake.
From the time OF Fltzgerald's disappar-
ance to yesterday no ono, apparently
knew where he was, and 1t was generally
believed that he would never return,
His family has received general
sympathy. The few citizens who knew
Of the return last night, expressed some-
thing of regret that Fitzgerald had come
back, for they did not wish to see him
nunished for the sake of his family,