The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-26
SECRETARY SHORT
LESTER LITTLE IN JAIL CHARGED
WITH LARCENY AFTER TRUST.
IN MIsAPPRoPRIATING FUNDS
AND FAILING TO KEEP HIS PRO-
MISE TO MAKE GOOD.

Is Said That When Confronted With
Charges Several Months Ago That
He Agreed to Make Good and
signed a Due Bill for Amount of
His shOrtage-It Is Further Stated
That He Had Made NO Apparent
Effort to Settle, but MtsnpprO-
priatcd More Money That Should
Have Been Turned over to His
Successor in Office.
Accused of having appropriated $3.50
that he had collected as Sec
rotary of the Local Aerie of Eagles, c.
Lester Little, a we'll known young man,
was arrested yesterday morning by
Detective Julius Stark and is pris-
oner in the county Jail.
The action of the lodge of
Eagles in instituting proceedings
against Little was decided upon at
meeting of the aerie, when it was
shown that the former secretary was
not able to keep faith with the order
which he had served, having prom
Used to make good discrepancies in his
accounts which he had been faced with
several months before. Further than
this it is alleged that he had received
and appropriated certain moneys paid
in by member after he had been
relieved of the office of secretary, and
which properly should have been turn
ed over to his successor in the office,
Mr.. Ed O'Connell.
Alleged Shortage May Increase.
Though the amount with which Lii,
tie is charged with being short is $3.50,
it is stated that when the investiga-
tions now in progress are completed
the figures will perhaps nearly double
this amount.
The Eagles is an order whose men,
bership is largely among the sporting
element of the city, and is protective
in nature, with social features pro-
vided for in the bylaws. When the
order was installed in Savannah Cad
Bryan was chosen president. George
Schwarz vice president, T. 0. Mcbride
treasurer and C. Lester Little secre-
tary.
II was in the province of Titles Office
to collect and receipt for dues and
travelling cards. This he did with sat-
isfaction until several months ago COM
were out of town, who said they
had sent their dues to the secretary
and had not received receipts for them.
The matter was investigated and Lit
tie explained that it was merely an
oversight on his part.
Some time later a letter was received
from two members, who at that time
were in New York, stating that they
had sent money for their travelling
cards, and that up to that time they
had not received receipts. They. en-
closed a letter which they had received
from Little in which he stated that,
owing to the fact that he was out of
receipts blanks he would send the
receipts later. They stated that after
waiting a reasonable length of time,
that they decided to write to the pres
ident of the order and ascertain what
was the occasion of the delay. The
matter was at once investigated, and
Little was faced with the charges. At
about the same time numerous COM
plants of similar nature were received,
and these also were brought to Titles
attention.
Said to Have Admitted Shortage.
He acknowledged, it is claimed, that
he was short the amounts, but asked
for clemency, and said that he would
make good. Not desiring to push him
it was decided by the aere to accept
his due bill for the amount with the
understanding that he make good at
an early date. 1t was stipulated in the
due bill, which Little signed. that the
amount of the bill was money that the
former secretary had appropriated to
his own use. After waiting several
months, during which time Little made
no apparent effort to settle the matter,
and it being discovered that he was re-
eeiving money as secretary of the lodge,
which should have properly, been turn
ed over to his successor in office, it was
decided to take immediate steps.
Accordingly meeting of the aerie
was called, and the matter was dis
cussed at length. Little was not pres
ent. After hearing all of the charges
1t was unanimously agreed to institute
proceedings at once, and in the alb
sence of President Cad Bryan, vice
president, George Schwarz was in
structed to swear out a warrant for
Little charging him with larceny aft
er trust. The warrant was sworn out
in Justice Nathan's Court and was
served on Little several hours after
wards
1t is also stated that Little ordered
about 500 worth of emblematic buttons
from a firm in Seattle which he sold to
local members of the order at hand
some profit, but that so far he had
made no returns to the firm.
Soon after his arrest Little stated
that at the proper time matters would
be Strengthened out, and that he would
be vindicated. He said that his short
age was due to his careIessness in Civ
ing receipts to friends who failed to
give him money when the receipts were
turned over to them.