Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-15
Accused of Stealing
Part Of Weekly
Pay Roll
Douglas Dawson { harges
Enemies Formed
Conspiracy
Declares That If Stolen Money Was
Found in His Coat, Some One
Put It There in a Spirit
of Malice

Douglas Dawson, former manager of
the William Ii. Hoegee company, 1873
South Main street, was arrested yes
terday afternoon at his home 626
larceny and carried to the receiving
hospital on stretcher. Dawson is
charged, according to the complaint
which was sworn out by Detective Ho-
sick, with the theft of $170O from the
office of the Hoegee company March 5.
The money which was stolen is said
by the detectives to have been found
in the pockets of Dawson's overcoat
wrapped in the former managers
handkerchiefs. The coat is said to
have been found in the check room of
the Jonathan club in the Pacific Elec-
trio building.
Dawson was arrested shortly before
o'clock. He has been i'll since the day
following the robbery and was unable
to walk to the station. Re was placed
on a stretcher and taken to the Jail
building, where he was put to bed in
the receiving hospital. His wife ac-
companied him and passed the re-
mainder Of the afternoon with her hus-
band.
The arrest was, made by Detectives
Hosick and Zeigler, who have been
operating under the orders of Capt.
F'lammer since the robbery was comS
mitted ten days ago.
Charges Conspiracy
When seen at the hospital immedi-
ately after the arrest Dawson said:
81 am unable to understand the rea-
son for my arrest. I was informed
that had to come to the Jail with the
detectives and I have been given no
information. 1 have been told that the
stolen money was found in my over
coat pocket in a check room in the
city. If that is so it seems the police
should be able to find out who left the
overcoat there. If it is true they found
my coat with the money and could find
who placed 1t in the check room that
would clear the matter up definitely.
''I do not know how the robbery oc-
Cured, but think I know why I am
suspected I was told by the Hart
mann boys they would get me and they
are keeping their word.
'The boys were provoked at me be-
cause 1 compelled them to attend to
business and placed restraint on them.
They wanted to run things themselves
and now they have chance.
Leaves by the Back Door
when l left the store that Saturday
afternoon I carried my overcoat with
me. I went to the front door, when I
remembered had left a cigar on the
safe and went back to get it, l then
laid my coat on the safe and left the
building by means of the rear door.
My reasons for doing this are simple.
When 1 went to leave the store by
means of the front door was always
stopped by from one to ten persons
who had questions to ask me. In this
way 1t generally took me about three
quarters of an hour to get out of the
store.
when I left the store I went di-
rectly to First and Los Angeles streets
to get Pasadena car. l boarded the
car and on 1t met two men, Mr.. Will
l1ins and Mr.. Rossito. both Shriners
We talked about California and Los
Angeles and exchanged cards. have
misplaced their cards and do not re-
member where they lived. They told
me they were tourists visiting Los An
geles.
"At Pasadena I passed several hours
visiting the site of the proposed horse
show. / am charter member of the
Horse Show association and had prom
ised l would see If the site was satis-
factory. l then returned to the store
and nothing was said to me about the
robbery and 1 knew nothing about it
until the next morning
''I will endeavor to find Mr.. Wilkins
and Mr. Rossito, and IL succeed will
be able to clear myself to some extent
of the charges"
Confident of Conviction
According to the detectives further
developments are expected in the case
today, but they would make no state
ment in regard to what these develop
ments were. They claim they have
proof that Dawson was the one who
stole the money and are confident they
can convict him of the theft.
The money which was taken was a
portion of the weekly payroll of the
Arm. It was stolen from the office of
the company during the noon hour
March 5, and II was said that some
person familiar with the workings OF
the office was guilty Later II was
announced that Dawson was suspected
OF the theft. 1t was claimed the
former manager was In the habit Of
taking midnight automobile rides and
attending wine suppers, and also had
many other expensive habits. This
Dawson denies. claiming he has never
been In an automobile after dark and
that the last wine supper he attended
was given by Fred Hartmann, one OF