The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-10-28
With
Embezzlenent


Thomas ]. Chase, charging the embez-
element of s14,500 from the Meigs
county treasury on September 8,
when, he said, the treasury was looted
In daylight by two masked robbers
who locked him in a vault. Chase's
bond was fixed at $4,000. He was
unable to furnish bail and was sent to
Jail.
The arrest OF Chase caused no sur
prise in Meigs county, but there is
much excitement over the indictments
that are expected to-day against other
persons. The name of one of these
other persons is on the lips of all, as
this person has been suspected as
much as Chase himself for a month.
Chase was found locked up on Sep
tember 8 by his daughter, who rushed
to a bank and thence to the fair
grounds for some one who could open
the vault. II was shown to the grand
jury that at least half dozen men
were sitting In front of the court
house all forenoon on September 8,
and that none of these men saw the
robbers.
Roy Packard, treasurer of Olive
township, in his testimony before the
grand jury fixed the time of the clos
ing of the treasurer's Office on Sep
tember to within two minutes
Packard came to Pomeroy that morn
ing to draw $500 of school funds for
Olive township. After sitting in an
adjoining office. that OF the county
auditor. he went to a telephone, see-
ing and speaking to Chase as he pass
ed. At that time Janitor Minich was
sitting by the door.
Packard says he returned to the
treasurer's Office within two minutes
after seeing Chase standing by the
was exasperated, as he thought II
meant another 15-mile drive to cash
his warrant, so he shook the door and
finally kicked 1t. Getting no response
he asked Ianitor Minich, who still sal
at the door, where Chase had gone
Janitor Minich said he thought Chase
had gone to the county fair. Packard
then cashed his warrant at bank.
Fred Radford, assistant cashier OF
the Middleport bank, and A. P. Miller
editor of the Pomeroy Tribune Tele-
graph, both of whom had been ap.
pointed by the probate court to make
the semi-annual examination of the
books, testified that they were pro.
ceeding with this examination wher
the alleged robbery occurred. On the
day before the alleged robbery Chase
repeatedly asked the examiners
whether they were going to the fair
They replied that they would go the
next day.
The investigation indicated thai
Editor Miller was the last man in the
treasurer's Office before 1t closed or
the morning Of the alleged robbery
When he entered, Chase said: q
thought you were going to the fair to
day." Miller answered that he frs
wanted to get a warrant cashed
Chase cashed it, then went out of the
inner Office, closed the gate and walk
ed toward the outer door. Miller i:
of the opinion that this was done tC
prevent him going behind the desl
and looking into the safe. This caus
ed the examiners to believe that the
money was removed the previous af
ternoon after the departure Of the ex
aminers.
As soon as the indictment agains
Chase was reported the grand jury re
sumed it's investigation on the theor,
that, IL Chase was guilty. there wa!
one or two confederates, one to turr
the combination on the vault door OF
the outside and possibly another keep
ing watch outside of the building.
II Chase is convicted, the United
States Fidelity and Guaranty Co, o
Baltimore, will refuse, it is said. t
pay the county $4,000 Insurance.
against daylight robbery, as the in
dictment is for embeZzlement. TIL,
burden then would fall on Chase's q
| individual bondsmen who were &C
| cepted by the county commissioner
for $500. 900. AS about half of then
are said to be insolvent the other
will have about $1,000 each to pay.
| Chase is so years old. has a wife
two sons and one daughter. the young
est son, Guy, being deputy treasurer
Chase is a member of the Methods
church and was never before suspect
ed Of wrong doing.