Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1906-09-26

hhl l'hH' h'it was a A'uNh w VIZ
nifty in his voice as he replied;
....... As A Gentleman. -. ...
"You need not mention that again,
Mr.. OlesOn, | will 90 as a gentleman.
During the long afternoon in the
Office of the Americn counsul, Stems
land talked broken-heartedly with us.
and finally made a full confession t.
Assistant States Attorney OleSor IN
my presence.
He took much of the blame upon
himself but declared that Cashier ii,r-
ing was the forger, and that Helir-
got most of the money. He eXonor.
ated his son Theodore and the bank
directors He declared it a lie thai
he had spent any money on Lecnc
Langdon Key or any other woman. I.e
declared that he never spent More
than 5000 a year himself, aud th't
all the money he stole he pur into
realestate investments in the hope Of
"making good.
He said that he had then fully
Thursday preceding the day on which
he left Chicago. All the night before
he wreStled with the problem whether
he wrestled with the problem wheter
to blow his brains out or idE. In the
homs of darkness he deciGel to kill
himself, but postponed the act till
dawn, and with the sunlight came
the primal instinct to hold on 10
life, and flight won over death.
His preparations were hurried. He
had surrendered his life insurance pol
icy for 5000 and had received 50,
GOO as commission on the sale Of the
property of the cO--operativo sore 10
the Northwestern Life Insurance Com
pany which had held a mortgage lien
on the premises. He drew 81, 800 in
salary from the Mt Olivet Cemetary
Association This was all the money
he had taken with him.
"Why, with Sl,000,000 caSli in The
bank, did You not take more a.
II could have taken $250,00O with
out rouble," said he, "but did not
want to. have never taken one cent
in cash from the bank and put m my
own pocket. ! never took a t!ar
belonging to other people. "
Stensland's health at first was not
the best. When he boarded the train
on the start of his fight he tainted
and was unconscious for "A while. On
board ship he was again stricken, and
for four days was on his back. In his
first few days in Tangier he woS far
from well. The climate and surround
ings here were repugnant to him, and
he went to Spain knowing the riSl. he
took in moving from what he regarded
as protected soil He knew lie would
not be safe but he took the chance.
Life a He'll on Earth.
Stensland's life of exile as hell on
earth, according to Stersland. From
the moment he left Chicago is eveIv
waking thought was praena. with
fear and his every slcep''y "mcnt
filled with terrible visions.
The very act of signing a false
name was torture and once the act
put him in great danger. When he
left Tangier for Spain hetook a check
book on the Anglo-Egyptian bank at
Gibraltar. While there he needed
money. He went to the bank and filed
in check for 800 pesetas and started
to sign Paul o. Stensland with the
typical flourish at the first letter on
the last name.
"When realized what | was al
most doing | nearly tainted" said he.
81 glanced quickly at the banker, but
he did not notice the break. Then
tore up the check saying 81 want
more money than that; and made out
another check for 600 pesetas, signing
it p. 0leson. If the banker had been
sharp he would have caught me-"
Every American he met was an OBJ
iect of disquiet to the fugitive. Once
while at the Riena Christina hotel in
Algeciras two Americans arrived on
the night train. Stensland's guilty
conscience was especially active at
that time, and he felt sure the men
were after him. He watched their
every movement. All unconsciously
they confirmed his suspicious.
"Finally," said Stensland. 81.
could stand il no longer. | had to
know the worst, so ! walked up and
spoke TO them and chatted, while they
asked me where | was from. said
Norway and then had to keep on ly-
ing and lying"
"Aboard ship coming over ! suf-
fered ! was afraid to mingle with
the passengers, yet also afraid to hold
aloft, as there was danger in that.
When | changed the American money
at New York into French and English
money ! did not dare 90 to the big
bank and had to go to a small, nasty
little concern" "
Finds Freedom A Curse.
Though | hesitated two hours ye7-
terdav H. 20 with you," he added.