The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-01-12
HIS CACHE.
Roberts Gives Up Large Amount Of
Missing Money. f

Roberts Gives Up Large Amount Of
Missing Money.
Taking his own figures as repre-,
senting the exact amount, Frank Rob-
erts embezzled a total of $5,148 of the
money that was entrusted to his care
while employed as messenger by the
Northern Pacific Express company on
the Billings-Red Lodge run. OF this
amount the sum OF $4,155 is now in
the custody of Sheriff Hubbard, pend
ing final disposition of the case.
Last Saturday evening Roberts re-
turned from Red Lodge and remained
about the city until toward midnight,
when he accompanied a detective in
the employ of the express company to
the police station and surrendered
himself. He was placed in Jail and
still emalns there. Last evening
Sheriff Potter of Carbon county and
several others, friends of Roberts,
came down from Red Lodge and had
a conference with him. AS a result
a party composed of the prisoner,
Nj. Potter, Mr.. Hughes, route agent
of the company, Roberts, a detective
and Judge Mann hired a team and
drove around the point of rocks below
the city, where the I,avina road turns.
There Roberts piloted the party to a
place up among the rocks and I'm.
earthed $4,000 in gold that he had
concealed there. He also told of the
sum of $1,780 that he had stored in
the safe of Vale & Potter, placed
there the night before he made his
confession at Red Lodge. Both OF
these sums, together with SIS he had
on his person when he surrendered,
were secured and given into the Gus
tody of Mr.. Hubbard. Taking Rob-
erts' own figures as correct. a short
age of 1898 remains. This amount
friends are prepared to make good,
provided the express company gives
the required assurance that it will nos
prosecute Roberts. Unless such as
surance, is given no effort will be
made. to refund, as the prisoners
friends declare they will not supply
the deficiency and see him go to-
prison besides.
Roberts has been drinking hard
V e since he realized the position
into which he has got himself and
his mind in consequence is badly be-
logged. He has declared that he
will now "straighten up," something
he will probably have to do, as he
cannot secure liquor where he now
is, and if given the chance will see
that the company loses nothing. AS
already stated, this can be easily &C.
complished if the company consents
to enter into the agreement proposed
by the mans friends. But whether
it will consent, is another question.
Corporations, as a rule, do not usually
do such things.
Those who claim to be in a position
to know whereof they speak, say that
Notwithstanding his assertions to the
contrary, Roberts did not come to his
ruin because of a weakness for gamb-
ling. While he played at times, it is
claimed that he never played large
sums, being known in gambling par
lance as a "chubber," one who plays
all might on a stack of white chips.
The cause of his downfall is said by
them to have been a weakness in
another direction, fondness for a wo-j
man, who proved to be too great al
drain on his income. But no matter
what the cause, he has many stanch
friends who will see him out of his
present trouble if the express com
pany will permit them to do so.