Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-09-05
FULL CONFESSION.
Stensland Talks Freely About His De.
falcations.

Chicago. Sept. A cable dispatch to
the Tribune from Tangier says:
Paul Stensland's confession made to AS
S!stant States Attorney Olsen yesterday
clears up much of the mystery surround
ing the events leading up to the crash
which involved the ruin of the Milwaukee
Avenue Bank.
He took much of the blame upon HIM
self but declared Cashier Herring was the
forgcr and that Herring got most of the
money. He eXonerated his son Theodore
and the bank directors. He declared it n
lie that he had spent any money on
Leone Langdon Key or any other woman.
He declared that h never spent moro
than 5000 year himself, and that all
the money he stole he put into real es-
tate or investments in the hope of max
ing good
In his heart he was glad he was no
longer a wanderer on the face of the
earth.
'W n.y." said he. think of using n name
not your own. 1t is worse than stealing.
I did not know it would be so hard to be
fugitive
Stensland did not delude himself either
with the idea OF escaping punishment.
You have not been found guilty yet:
you have n chance to make fight in
court" was suggested.
Stcnsland laughed and said: az know
what a Chicago jury will do to me.
know Chicago juries.'
He said he had made up his mini to
fee On the Thursday preceding the Sum
day in which he lett Chicago. All
Wednesday night he wrcstied with the
problem whether to blow his brains out
or to run. In the hours of darkness no
decided to kill himself but postponed the
act until dawn and with the sunlight
came the primal instinct to hold onto
life and fight won over death.
HES preparations were hurried. He had
surrendered HIS life insurance policy for
5000 and had received $500 as commission
on the sale OF property of the Co-opera-
tive store to the Northwestern Life r.
surarcc Co.. which haG held IA mortgage
lien on the premises. He drew $3.50 as
salary from the Mount Olive Cemetery
Association. This was all the money he
had taken with him.
Why with 4 million of dollars cash in
the bank did you not take more?"
II could have taken 4 quarter of mill
lion dollars without trouble" said he.
cent of cash from the bank and put II in
my own pocket. I never took 4 dollar
belonging to other people"
Stenslands health at first was not the
best. When he boarded the train on tho
start Of his flight he tainted and was I'M
conscious for while. On board ship
he was again stricken and for four days
was on his back. In his first few days
ir Tangier he was far from well and no
went to Spain. knowing the risk he took
in moving from what ne regarded as pro-
! tcctcd soil.
Stensland made no attempt to deny his
guilt and only tried to minimize. His
, confession began with n statement that
he was surprised to learn that the total
, loss involved in the banks failur, would
reach s2OGO.000. He sai1
II cannot understand how the shortage
can he s2NO.Oo0 TO my certain knowl-
edge my liability to the bank does not
exceed sJoO,n0O Anything over that must
have been stolen by Herring.
MY Indebtedness began long while
ago, in 1896. 1t was small affair, 4
small amount, and God knows / never
intended to steal. I was in a tight hole
and needed money. l put my own note.
genuine not a forgery. in the box. Then
it was suggested to me that the bank
CONTINUED on Page Four.)