The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-04
OTHERS IN CARD CO. THEFT?
MRS. JOHNSTON A "CATSPAW,' y
HER LAWYER SAYS.

He Makes Vague Promises Of Interesting
Deveiopnents-She's Held In 0lO. 900
hail, Which She Fails to Furnish
Charge That She Raised Checks.
Mrs. Marie Layton Johnston, who was
arrested on Friday night charged with
stealing 5000 from tho United States
Playing Card Company. which has it's branch
here at os5 Broadway, was held yesterday
In $4,000 bail for examination on Tuesday
by Magistrate Pool in the jefferson Market
police court. Bail was not Forthcoming
and the woman was locked up.
After the case had been disposed of Mrs
Johnston was unwilling to talk about the
charge. Her lawyer, Leo j. Kersburg,
limited, however, that some one else might
be mixed up in the irregularities. MY
client was only catspaw, he said I'VE
may have something very interesting to
show at the examination"
Although the amount named in the COM
plant was only 5000. it was said In court
that an investigation Of Mrs. Johnston's
books show that her deficit would amount
to nearly $4,000. 1t was said also that
other charges will be brought
Mrs. Johnston gave her age as 20 and
said she was born in Topeka. She lives in
Larchmont with her husband and his
mother. DR.. Johnston and his wife's mother.
Mrs. Layton, were in court yesterday.
Mrs. Johnston was first employed BY the
card company about six years ago. She
acted as private secretary to mana ger
r. II. McCutcheon, had charge Of the books
and managed all the financial affairs of the
New York Office She got S3S a week and
was considered good business woman.
When she was married, about two years
she didn't want to give up all her indie
pendence, and she kept her job. She dressed
well, and, according to employees in the
building, she sometimes went from the
Office to her home in a carriage.
According to Detective Sergeant Carey,
who made the arrest, her husband had a
small Office in Harlem when they were
married, but soon afterward moved to
Fifth avenue and put on more style. The
| doctor, he said, developed a good prac-
tice and made considerable money. After
her marriage Mrs. Johnston was still known
| in the Office as Miss Layton, "for business
reasons, It was explained.
The firm ran two accounts In the Han
over National Bank, one to the credit Of
the main Office in Cincinnati and the other
for the New York branch. According to
the police 1t was discovered in February
last that Mrs. Johnston was SO 900 short
in her accounts. When asked for an ex-
PLANTATION she declared that she bad taken
the money and was discharged, but the
company made no effort to prosecute on
her promise that her husband would make
good the losses.
The officials kept track OF her while their
auditor, Frank B. Jameson, came here
and examined her books and then. 1t is
said, further deficit was discovered. The
promise to make good the original $40 900
had not been kept, so the woman was ar
rested
According to the explanation the police
got from the officers Ct the company the
defaIcations cover period Of six years.
One transact ion was told of by Mr.. McCltch-
con as an example Of Mrs. Johnst ons
methods. On Nov. 10 she should have
deposited to the Cincinnati account Sc, 600.
Instead she put in only $1,000, but entered
the amount in her ledger as IS, 900.
1t was explained that to make her &C.
counts balance she increased on her books
the value OF the next REMIT ance OF goods
from the main Office. II is also CHARGED
that she raised checks.
According to the detectives who arrested
Mrs. Johnston. she was not extravagant
and they had fund no evidence that she
had lost tho money by Specializing. Trey
said that the Johnstcns had lived for the
summer in a plain house in Larchmont
and that they had taken boarders, from
whom they received enough almost to
got tho money, the detectives said, they
could not explain where 1t had gone.
A number Of the directors Of the card
company were in consultation in the Broad
way offices yesterday afternoon, but were
unwilling to say any hing for publication.