The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-31
STOLE $4,000 FROM BANK.
JILLER ADMITS GUILT-HIS
WOMEN FRIENDS SOUGHT.
TurncS's Thefts May Have Covered Several
Nears-Asslstant's Suspicious Lead to
His ~Arrest-The Gas Dill for "Edna's"
Hat Came In Ills Mail Vest erday.

Years ASSISTANTS suspicious Lead TO
His Arrest-The Gas bill for "Edna's"
Ilat Came In Ills Mail Vest erday.
Joseph A. Turney, for thirty-three years
an employee of the National Bank OF North
America and for the last six years the note
teller Of the bank, is in the Tombs, where
he vas committed yesterday morning by
Magistrate Moss In the Tombs police court
a confessed thief of the banks money to
the extent of $34 900.
He stole by a very simple method. He
failed to enter checks he had received from
out Of town banks and put them in the
drawer as cash, abstracting enough actual
cash to cover their face.
So far as the books OF the bank show
Turrey stole the money all in one day
but he could have carried his thefts over
several days or months or even years.
A search of his effects at the Twenty
had been an officer for several years, and
from which he resigned this week, dis
closed memoranda which indicated that he
Rad been juggling checks for nearly ten
years to cover up peoulations.
Turney would not tell what he had done
with the stolen money, but the bank Off
Gals have reason to believe that he has
heen leading a double life, and last night
the Pinkerton Detective Agency was look
ing for a woman uptown whose first name
is Edna and whose gas bill was mailed yes
terday to Turney at the bank. 1t is known
that he had had complications Of one sort
or another with at least three m
IfTurney did steal all the S34 900 on Thurs
day he must nave taken 1t out Of the bank
when he went to luncheon and have given
it to a confederate or have disposed Of it
in some brokers' Office or bank, for when
he was arrested he had only some small
change on him, amounting to about 81.
There is reason to believe that Turney
did meet some one at luncheon, for in his
pocket in an envelope were six illustrated
postal cards, printed in France, Of a low
character with inscriptions on them in a
woman's handwriting in keeping with
the nature of the cards. This fact, to-
gether with the other fact that the gas bill
for s13 for a woman's fat was mailed to
Turney at the bank yesterday, makes the
officials believe that possibly Turney took
the money out with him, that he met the
woman, gave her the money and received
from her the cards found on him. He told
he detective who arrested him that a friend
gave the cards to him at luncheon.
Turney made one serious mistake In his
stealings. He had put four checks from
out of town, ~aggregating in all $aS 600, in his
drawer without entering them on his books,
and had taken only $34, 900. He had 81 900
yet to steal to maxi his books even.
Turney's assistant, whose name the bank
officials decline to tell. was the means Of ex-
posing the thefts. He has watched Turney
for a long time. On Thursday he noticed
that Turney looked about the bank hastily
TO see il he was watched, and he seemed to
slip something in his pocket. The assistant
also noticed that a check for $3.50 which
had come in on Wednesday had not been
entered on the books that day.
At a convenient opportunity he sought
President Alfred II. Curtis Of the bank and
told him Of his suspicious.
'Ill see what there is in that right away,
said the president.
linen MI, SuTlib "dlhCd W iuIhCJ y NCSh
and asked bluntly about the entry Of the
check for 50, $40.
why, it's all right, i" said Turney with a
start. Here it is on the books"
The entry was there, out it was one day
late. Mr.. Curtis asked for an explanation
and Turney said:
"Mr. Curtis, do you think am short?"
YES, 1 do" was the answer, and l think
you are short for a good deal. 1 want you
to explain to me about that date
Turney said he could give no explanation.
He was then taken to the presidents room
and questioned from $50 o'clock until
after by MI. Curtis and by Walter w. Lee,
the first vioe-president, and Edward b.
Wire, the cashier.
Meantime an examination of Turney's
books was being made, and then it was dis
covered that there was 81, 900 too much in
the drawer He was confronted with the
situation and confessed that he had
stolen the Ss4, 900. When asked what he
had done with it he refused to tell.
Was it speculation" asked Mr.. Curtis.
We'll, maybe" was the answer.
The bank officials had semitic the Old
Slip station for a policeman, and Detective
Frank Conner was waiting outside the
presidents Office. When Turney was
pressed about the four checks he took a
pad and wrote out their exact amounts,
the place from which they were received
and added $1,000 to the $4,000 he
had taken to make the balance. He de-
clared that that was all there Was to the
transaction. While he was writing Conner
was called in, and as Turney looked up he
saw the policeman.
Il did not think Mr.. Curtis would have
me arrested" was all he said, and away he
went Will Connor.
On the way TO the station house Conner
said to him; What did you do With it,
play the races?'
i never bet on a horserace in my life,
and never gambled, said Turney.
'Stocks?" inquired Conner.
i never touched the market was the
answer.
What them" asked Connor.
Turney would not answer, but said in q
moment or two: mo one can imagine how
| feel"
At the police station Turney gave his
address as the Arlington apartment house,
a Montague street, and said that he was
SOyears old, had a wife and one son, Robert,