Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-10-06
SAYS HE DID
IT ON WAGER
Young Man Who Secured $360,000 in
on Worthless Check Arrested.
HIS PECULIAR EXPLANATION
Wanted to Show How Easy It Was
to Outwit the Safeguards at
Any Bank.

StelglltZ, brokers OF 80 Broad street, /
confessed today that he is the man
who robbed the National City Bank of
1858, 900 in securities on Wednesday
night. Hhe was arrested yesterday
and kept in close confinement until to-
day. Leonard lives at 1856 East One
Hundred and Thirty-siXth street. He
looks younger than he really is and
from his general appearance never
would be suspected of such a crime as
that which he confessed today.
The strangest part of the young
mans story as told to the police, was
his assertion that he carried through
the forgery and theft just to show
how easy it would be to outwit the
safeguards of any bank. After the
theft, Leonard mailed 100000 of the
securities to Dyer Pearl, senior mem
Der of the firm Pearl & Co., the own
ers of the securities. He had adj
dressed the package to Mr. Pearls
home, where it was found yesterday.
The other securities to the value of
$4,000 have not been recovered.
Leonard was arraigned in the Tombs
police court and held in $4,000 bail
for further examination. He was not
represented by counsel. AS he left
the court room, he said to question
er:
Il did it on bet"
Planned for Months.
Leonard told the police today that
he conceived the idea of the theft some
three or four months ago and had
been planning during that time to eX-
ecute it and show how easy such a
scheme could be practiced on the
banks of New York. On Sept 26, he
said, he found four blank checks on
the Hanover National bank. That
was in the forenoon. Later in the
same day he SAID he was in the cor
ridor of the National bank and among
the men waiting in line he saw q
man holding in his hand an envelope
marked 100000, four and one-hall
per cent on the envelope. He sale
he heard the loan clerk tell the mes
Senger that the interest was four an(
Cne-half not four and one-quarter thel
he said the messenger departed. Leon
ard then had his cue and went to the
Bowery and there ordered a rubbe
certificaton stamp, but before SO do
ing he cut out the certitication of al
old check from which the stamp wa
to be copied. When he secured thu
stamp he filled out the body of thu
check drawn on the Hanover Nation
al Bank. Then he said he went t
Wall street and hailed a passing boz
and asked him if he knew where tn
how col,
he id not.
Leonard said he told him: TAX
this check to No. so Wall street an,
hand it to the loan clerk
Mailed Them to owner.
Leonard then stood opposite the Gus
tom house and saw the boy take tn
package and come out with the secul
tiles eonard said he took the Sc
curities to his house at 500 East On
Hundred and Thirty sixth street an
with 40 delay put them in wraI
per, affixed the necessary stamp an
took it to a mail box in the neighbol
hood of West Ninety-Second stree
and mailed them to Dyer Pearl, of 3
West Seventy-third street, who is
member of the firm that owned tn
securities. There were, however, OF
ly 100000 worth of securities in tn
package which was received safely tn
next day by Mr.. Pearl. There wer
$4,000 worth of securities missin
and Leonard explained that by sayin
that to have enclosed them all in
package by mail would have mad
the package too bulky and he Their
fore kept them out and only MALE
100000 worth. In this connection
was not noted by the police that onl
about $4,000 worth of the securitie
was negotiable.
August Steiglitz. of the brokeras
firm that employed Leonard made I'll
following statement concerning hin
Not Done Dishonesty.
Henry Leonard, or Harry LeOnar
as he was known in our office ht
been in our employ three or four year
He is 20 or % years old. He has a
ways behaved we'll and we always +
garded him as thoroughly honest an
trustworthy. | believe it will be foun
that this thing was not done dishones
ly, but rather the young man wante
to show how easy it is to perfor
such trick.
Mr.. Stiegitz declined to say mo-
than this In another quarter hoy
ever, it was learned that the your
man was in the stock exchange lOa
department Of Halle & Steiglitz, WI
are big operators on the stock e
change Leonard is said to have bee
at the office as late as Saturday las
Halle & SteiglitZ are depostors in Il
National City bank.
Mrs. Leonard. mother OF the yOul
man arrested i'll connection with Il
theft of the securities from the \
tonal City bank, said today that h
son placed the unrestored portion
the securities in Il safe deposit vat
and gave the key to a young woma
It was reported today that LeOna
was engaged to Miss l.. Schradt
DAUGHTER of Park Commissioner Sc
ra.ler. of the Bronx borough. Coz
missioner Schrader said that Leona
had called at his home frequent
but that there was no engageme
between the young people so far
he knew. He declared that he belle
ed Leonard was honest. and that
would aid him in any way he cOu
Makes Homely Women Pretty.
No woman no matter how regul
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