The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-02-28
ROBBED
s173, 900 Missing From U. S. Vaults
in Chicago.
CLERKS ARE UNDER SUSPICION

officials Admit Big Theft, But Decline
to Tell From What Department
Money Was Taken--DetectiVes at
Work.
Chicago. Feb. 2G.-One Of the iarg-
psf. If not the largest, thefts from the
limited states treasury has been I'M
earthed in Chicago Somewhere be-
tween sl7O. 900 and $4,000 was stolen
from the local sub-treasury last week.
The money has disappeared as com
pletely as II it had vanished from the
face Of the earth.
When interviewed In regard 10 the
robbery. Sub-Treasurer Boldenweck
admitted that theft OF $l73OOO had
been perpetrated. but refused to go
into details.
Mr.. Boldenweck declared later that
II had been definitely determined Just
where the shortage occurred. but ne
declined TO say where 1t had been
traced. lie declared himself positive
however. that the money had never
reached the vaults. He said that the
only reason FOR believing that the
stolen money had been in bills OF
large denomination was that 1t would
have been impossible for anybody 10
take $4,000 from the office in small
bills and escaped detection but that
a package OF $4,000 in $1,000 bills
could have been carried about the
person easily without exciting sus'
picion.
1T is true that what | and other
government officials believe to be
gigantic steal has been perpetrated IN
the sub-treasury" he said Ine
amount. believe. will be $4,000 NJ
present cannot go into details as TO
what work we have done in the case
or what method of procedure Chlef
WHkie. Captain Porter and their men
will pursue.
we discovered the shortage last
Wednesday when the books OF the sub
treasury were balanced for the day.
There is a possibility that the shortage
Is due to an error Of bOokkeeper,
but am inclined to believe that
robbery has been committed. The
money was in large denominations as
far as / have learned. currency bills
OF $1,000. $4,000 and $4,000 each"
Just who discovered the loss the
sub-reasury officials would not admit.
Neither would they tell from what de-
partment the money was taken nor
how the loss was discovered At first
it was believed there must be some
error In the bookkeeping IL was
thought 10 be impossible that such n
large sum Of money could have been
distracted in face Of all the safe
guards thrown around Uncle Sans
strong box. The ledger men involved
strenuously denied any error, and an
investigation showed there was no
possible clerical mistake TO account
for the disappearance OF the cash
Every man who could have had any
into Treasurer Boldenweck's Office and
put through an exhaustive examination
and a still more rigid cross-examina-
ton
They stood the ordeal. every one OF
the. All denied any knowledge OF the
theft and protested their innocence
with unanimity and righteousness
But II was perfectly obvious that some
one was lying The chances were 1000
to that one or more Of the employees
actually had purloined the cash or had
connived at the theft by some out
slider
Every employee Of the office is under
surveillance day and night. and should
one or more OF them prove to be the
thief or thieves escape will be impos-
sible. All have reported for work
daily since the discovery was made
Every man, too Is under bond. but not
to any amount near the loot secured.