Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-22
MAKES A WRITTEN CONFESSION
Took Bonds Of Rock Island Road. He
Asserts, and Pledged Them,
but Hopes to Return Them
Soon.

Douglas, assistant loan clerk OF the
Trust Company of North America
who was arrested yesterday on a
charge of stealing $4,000 in bonds
from the institution, may reach a
quarter of a million dollars. Doug
las is said to have confessed to Oak
leigh Thorne, president of the trust
company, at the time of his arrest,
that he had made away with $4,000
in bonds, and today it was reported
that he had made a confession to
Mr.. Thorne in which he admitted
that the total value of bonds taken
by him would reach $4,000.
NEW YORK, April 22.-Organizing his
bank staff into detective force with him
self as the directing head. Oakleigh Thorne.
president Of the Trust Company Of Amer
lea, brought about the arrest yesterday Of
W. o. Douglass, an employe, on charge of
stealing gilt-edged railroad bonds valued at
$50. 900 from the trust company's vaults.
To remarkable chase, which combined
all the elements of detective story Of
fiction, was added a sensational incident
at 2:30 o'clock in the morning, for the ar
rest was made in the Hotel Portland, in
West 18th street, where Douglass, with his
wife, was lodger for the night.
Mr.. Thorne personally watched outgoing
trains in the Grand Central station from
noon until midnight. Meanwhile clerks of
various sorts watched all the ferries and
other railway stations in the city
In signed confession made soon after
his arrest Douglass injected mystery into
the case by saying he had, In the last few
weeks. taken s250,0OO, instead of $4,000
and that he had lost a large part of it in
stock speculation and on races. Mr.. Thorne
denied this. He declared thorough ex-
animation of all the securities to which
Douglass had access showed that he had
got away with only 1000 in bonds of the
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad.
Bonds Left as Security.
In his confession Douglass said the $50, 900
In bonds which he took on Friday. had been
left as security for credit with o. NJ. Den
nett & Co. Of 40 Wall street. He declared
he had bought stock through that firm and
that he expected to get back the bonds this
morning and restore them to the vaults
from which he took them. Mr.. Thorne said
he felt sure the securities would be returned
early this morning and that the trust COM
pany would suffer no loss.
Mr. bennett, who is the sole member OF
the firm of bennett & Co, could not be seen
last night. At his home in East orange II
was said he would not be home until to-
night Mr. Thorne asserted that he had not
seen him, but knew where he was.
Douglass had always borne splendid
reputation. He lived modestly on the sec
ond floor Of two-story cottage, NO. leo
Elton street, Brooklyn, and always spent his
evenings at home with his wife, the daugh-
ter Of James Lewis, wealthy retired mer-
chant, in Brooklyn, whom he married three
wears ago. She is wealthy in her own
name Their sole diversion was to come
to Manhattan to theater every Saturday
night. So far as his friends knew, Douglass
never speculated or played the races, and
his arrest caused astonishment among his
His wife was prostrated at
what was disclosed to her.
In his flight Douglass was aided by man
of mystery, whose identity the police have
not established. He appeared with Mrs.
douglass before midnight on Saturday,
drove hurriedly with her and her husband
to the Portland, registered Tor Them under
an assumed name, and disappeared IN a
cab. His activity led the police to believe
Douglass had an accomphce. In fact, Mr..
'rhorne said certain person was being kept
under surveillance yesterday, and That he
would be intercepted if he attempted to
leave the city.
Wished to Leave Office.
Discovery that the Rock Island bonds
were missing followed closely upon the un-
usual request from Douglass that he be
permitted to go to luncheon at IL O'Clock
forenoon. He had gone to work
at 8 clock and had conducted himself as
usual until he found examination of the
securities was being made. He knew they
were to have been examined today, but he
had not been informed that, because of the
of the Colonial Trust Com
pany with the Trust Company OF America,
the work was to be done anead OF time
AS soon as Douglass had left the Office
A. M. Ostrom, loan clerk, suggested to Col
Heman Dowd, vice president, that the In
cident peculiar, but Col. Dowd, with
implicit confidence in Douglass, said he
After three-Quarters Of an hour had passed
the attention of Mr.. Thorne was called to
the incident and he Immediately put all
hands to work to examine the securities
to which Douglass had access. Only few
minutes passed before it was found that
$50, 600 in Rock Island per cents, maturing
in 1913, were gone.
Mr.. Thorne thereupon got all the clerks
together and in haif an hour organized
them into a detective force. He systemat-
ically covered the city thoroughly as
the regular police could have done it. To
every railway station he sent one or two
clerks and to every ferry station he sent
one. He sent men to the Brooklyn bridge
and others to places where 1t was thought
Douglass might go. In little more than an
hour after Douglass had left the bank
thirty amateur detectives, every one of
whom had known him for years, was on
the lookout for him.
Watches Grand Central.
This done, Mr.. Thorne sent for the Pin
kertons and left with them the matter Of
watching Douglass home in Brooklyn, and
of using other methods Of locating him.
Then, without communicating with the city
police, he went to the Grand Central sta
ton to watch outgoing trains. 1t was his
belief that Douglass would go north and
that he would start by way OF the New
York Central.
All day this impromptu detective squad