The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-17
t5.YEAR. GIRL CASSIES BANK.
GETS CASH on FORGED CHECKS,
DOESN'T KNOW HOW MANY.
Belle e. Therese. NiIllners. Say She Drew
ssO0-Ncssenge I'm short skirts
was Never Suspected At Aston Ma.


! ilonai-Bousht Presents. She Says.
! pretty. blue eyed little girl with dresses
! to her knees and two braids of black hair
| hanging down her back nearly to the hem OF
her skirt walked into the Tenderloin police
station late yesterday afternoon in front OF
! Policeman Brosman Behind them came
Miss Isabelle Mccain. who. with her sister
Theress, runs millinery store at 343 Fifth
avenue. The child was crying.
Prisoner, sergeant" said Brosman to
Sergt Robinson, pointing to the girl.
What charger" asked the sergeant.
Forgery"
The sergeant was startled He looked in
credulous, Then Miss McCann spoke up.
She said that she was the complainant and
that the charge was true. 50 the sergeant
took the girls pedigree. She said that she
was Margaret Connolly, is years old. Her
parents were dead. she said, and she lived
with her aunt Mrs. Gilligan, at 1913 Eighth
avenue. She was detained in the station
house until she was sent 10 the Gerry society.
Miss Mccain and her sister have large
mil linery store at 343 Fifth avenue under
the firm name Of Belle & Therese. Ac-
cording to Miss Mccain, Margaret Con-
molly, who, although she says she is Is
years old. looks scarcely IL, went TO work
for her nearly year ago She was en-
pioyed as an errand girl. She was pretty,
quick and attentive Although she wore
her hair in plaits and her dresses didn't
reach much below her knees she was 40
trusted and liked by her employers that in
"A few months' time she was sent on errands
to the bank. The Mccain sisters banked
with the Aston National Bank. near by.
Belle q Therese didn't keep close tabs
on their bank account. Late in January.
however they decided that 1t would be
well to have their books gone over and
balanced. They called in an expert ac-
countant.
The books showed the FIRMS funds to
be short $500 10 $500. The balance in the
bank didn't agree with their cash book.
There wasn't enough money to the firms
credit
Several days were spent in watching the
various employees. No one thought Of
s,lspectlng little Maggie Connolly. Almost
daily she was sent 70 the bank 10 deposit
checks or cash.
Yesterday morning. however. Miss Nc
Cam had talk with the bank people.
They reminded her that many checks had
been drawn OF late to Belle & Therese, made
out to cash.
why, we have never drawn any such
checks exclaimed Miss Mccain. Who
had them cashed?'
The little girl answered the bank
cloyk.
Miss McCann said that there must be
mistake, The clerf was' sure there wRsn't
s1..tr alaa u,Na,
in and drew s4o.' he said THE check
was made out to cash and signed Belle
d Therese' She got the money
Miss MoCann went back to the store,
picking up Policeman Brosman. When
Maggie was questioned she began 10 cry.
So did the Misses Mccain and the other
employees Maggie didn't deny her guilt
-Oh. give me another chance, she pleaded,
falling down on her knees. I'm sorry.
Give me another trial. III be good
In the Tenderloin police station Mar
garet had a talk with Mrs, Rose DAILY. the
matron. and later with Detective Morton.
According to Merton, the young prisoner
made a clean breast Of her forgeries.
she had been at it since October she said,
and hadn't tho remotest idea how many
checks she had drawn or how much money
she had obtained. She spent the money
TO buy gifts for her friends and children
who lived in her neighborhood, she said.
Maggie's employers paid her 50 a week.
She turned that over to her aunt, the police
said, but never gave the aunt any OF the pro-
ceeds Of her forgeries. Tho police believe
that she has not spent the money, but has
it hidden away.
Maggia will Ia arraipned this morning
in the Children's Court. The police believe
that by morning the Misses Mccain will
not be over anxious to prosecute the case
Miss Belle Mccain was weakening some
when she appeared in the police station.
The Misses Mccain, the police and the
bank clerks declare that the girls signature
10 the checks was an exceedingly good fac
snile of the genuine signature.
Mrs. Giligan. the child's aunt and guard
ian. said last night that Margaret had lived
with her for six years. Her mother died
some twelve years ago and her father three
years ago, Mrs. Gilligan was unable to
throw any light on her niece's conduct.
The girl she said had always been very
good. She hadn't bought any new clothes
recently and if she had stolen money the
aunt was unable TO account for 1t.
Margaret, so her aunt said. had always
come home promptly in the evening. She
regularly attended Night School IT and had
received ring as a prize for proficiency
in spelling Quite often she had been in
trusted with money to deposit in one OF
the branches of the Corn Exchange Bank
by Mrs. Gilligan's married daughter and had
never stolen anything.