The Minneapolis journal., 1906-08-13
'STENSLAND DEAD
BY HIS OWN HAND?
President Of Wrecked Bank a
Suicide, His Son
Thinks.
Believes skilful Forger Was
Hired by the
Looters.

Chicago, Aug. 13.-Theodore Stems
land, son Of the fugitive Milwaukee
Avenue bank wrecker, has made full
statement of his knowledge of the cir
curnstances surrounding the fight of his
father and touching the colossal for
gerry fraud in the bank.
In frank narration Of the manner
in which the great scandal was made
known to him, young Stensland not
only fatty denies that he ever had
knowledge of the plot before Aug. 8
last, but submitted various proofs with
which he expects to substantiate his
was not only ignorant of the steals per-
petrated, but that he never profted in
any way from them.
The young man advanced the belief
that his father has not fled the coun-
try, but has committed suicide. He
also advanced the theory that his father
could not himself have committed the
forgeries of notes because of an i'm
pediment- in his control of the pen in
recent years. as 49,.
Had Expert Forger7
He thinks also that Cashier Henry
w. Herring could not have sufficiently
disguised his chirography to perform
the limitations, and that, therefore, an
outside expert was employed for the
purpose of copying signatures. on blank
checks. -.
It became known in the evening that
young Stensland late on Saturday had
given to Receiver John c. Fetzer, fol-
the benefit of the bauk depositors, a
! deed to all the Cook county real estate
held by his father, who had given him
power Of attorney.
The fugitive bankers son was found
at a downtown hotel, where he is stay
self today to the sheriff on the bench
warrant for conspiracy, in which he
was included with Paul o. Stensland
and Cashier Herring. He had not sur
rendered at a late hour this afternoon
however. s -...
sleuth Seeks Woman.
Assistant States Attorney Olser
stated today that he had received in
formation concerning a woman (whosi
identity he refused to reveaI who, he
said, would impart information re
garding Cashier Herring and President
Stensland. A detective was sent fol
the woman and, it was expected, she
would be questioned later in the day
Madison, Wis, Aug. 13.-Police went
today to Westport, seven miles from
here, to interview David Lease, {
farmer, who is reported to have seer
Paul @. Stensland, the missing presi
dent Of the Milwaukee Avenue State
bank of Chicago, out. driving last Fri
day. Lease was once in the commission
business in Chicago near Stensland !
bank and claims to- know Stensland.
Fugitive Seen in Chicago. r..
| According to the Chicago Chronicle
twice within a week. Two witnesses
one of whom, William Jennings, wa
for nine years porterein the bank, tol'
of having met the banker on the stree
and exchanged salutes with him. Eacl
time, it is asserted, he was accompanle'
by James Erickson, nephew.
State Bank Examiner G. &c. Jones
who has completed his inspection Of tn
defunct bank was reticent concernin,
the exact results Of his Investigations
1 but intimated that the total shortag
, discovered is between 100000 an
/ $1,000, 900. -1E::. ,'<&,' .#ss 81
i Thinks Son Guilty.
The local police and the state Is al
torney's office continued their inquisi
more than dozen of the institution
employees, seeking information frol
watchmen, bookkeepers, assistant tel
ers and other minor officials.
One bookkeeper was positive tha
President Stensland's son was cogni;
ant Of the shaky condition of the ban
previous to Aug. 3, the date on whic
young Stensland. claims he first SUI
pected Irregularities on the part of h
father. r
Other employees told the inspector. {
midnight trips to the bank by Preside1
formation is regarded as important b
the police. -~3:s<- ..