The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-24
Arrested on Charge of Stealing
$173,OOO in Bills.
MONEY DISAPPEARED
Over Year Ago, and He Was
Suspected Then.
Federal Detectives Are Doubt.
full of His Guilt.

the theft of s173.000 from the United
States subtreasury year and a half
ago, one of the largest losses the gov
ernment ever has suffered in this man
ner. is believed to have been solved
by the arrest of George w. Fitz-
gerald. Others are believed to have
been implicated in the crime which
for months completely baftled govern
ment secret service men.
Fitzgerald was an asserting teller
under Assistant United States Treas
urer William Boldenwrek. Suspicion
at the time'of the theft, February 20.
1907, rested on him, but so plausible
was his story and intense his ap-
parent interest in discovering the real
culprit that interest ceased to center
on him. Much work was done on the
theory that the crime had been
perpetrated by a colored man. Mean
while Fitzgerald was discharged from
the government employ for culpable
negligence in allowing such a theft to
be consummated under his very eyes.
The money stolen had been used and
was tied in packages, some of which
had been marked for destruction at
Washington. Any of them would
readily have passed anywhere except
of the bills was under $500 and some
were of the $1,000 and $1,000 de-
nominations, the $1,000 ones pre-
dominating. The theft created a sem
sation throughout the country and
congress at the last session was asked
and refused to release Assistant Treas
urer Boldenwrek from liability. al
though it was promised that con-
gress would again consider the mat
ter at its next session.
Fitzgerald Was Poor.
Meanwhile, Herbert F. Young
former Chicago newspaper reporter.
and now head of the Young Secret
Service agency. became interested in
the case; at first without official con-
nection but later the agent of Mr..
Boldenwrek. Mr.. Youngs attention
| was redirected to Fitzgerald. The lat
ter. upon his discharge from the SUBJ
treasury, stated that his whole fortune
| consisted of $500 inycash and a stock
certificate for $1,000: His wife had a
800 interest in the estate of her
mother, which was valued at about
| $4,000. and was in litigation. Fitz-
gerald. however. according to Mr..
Young. embarked in speculation on a
scale not consistent with the size of
his reputed means There was, how
| ever, no ostentation in Fitzgerald's
| life. The lavish display which detec-
| tives invariably look for in tracing
bought eggs for speculation and
stored them. In July. 1907, he in
| augurated an egg deal which ulti-
mately. it is stated, involved an expen-
diture of $1,000, and the following
March similar deal involved him. ac-
cording to Mr.. Young, to the extent
| of $4,000. Incidentally. the former
| teller had become the possessor in his
wife's name of a neat brick residence
| in Rogers park, a suburb of Chicago,
and valued at $500. Mr.. Young de-
| clared that this purchase was made in
| rOnnd-abOnt =
| several hands and finally into those
| of Mrs. Fitzgerald for a consideration
of one dollar. Last July. the scent 10
said to have become hot when Col.
| Harry c. Gano, superintendent of A.
| Booth & Co. a business man of
prominence and public spirit. reported
to Mr.. Boldenwrek, it is said, that
Fitzgerald had approached him with
a proposition to pass several $1,000
bills.
| with your big business connec-
tions," Fitzgerald is alleged to have
argued to Colonel Gano, you can cas-
lily pass them. There's $500 in 1t for
you.''
! Had q Big. Roll.
Gano is reported to have declared
that he had a roll of similar bills,
| that would choke a horse.'' After
comforting with Mr.. Boldenwrek Col
onel Gano continued negotiations with
Fitzgerald with the result that by pre-
| arrangement, Detective Young says,
| several witnesses were secretly pres
ent when the former teller passed two
bills to Colonel Gano.
legged to have said. you can get rid
| of two just as easy as one." So far s.s
known Fitzgerald was not seen to pass
any larger bills.
From the moment of Colonel Gano's
first interview with the assistant Unit
ad ic 70
| Young or some of his men shadowed
Fitzgerald. The trail, it is intimated
| broadly, involved others, not only in
helping Fitzgerald to dispose of the
money alleged to have been stolen, but
In the very act of his having extract
ed it from the treasury vaults and In
the later covering of tracks. who
these persons were. those working on
the case state they are not yet pre-
pared to divulge. 1t had not been in
tended to arrest Fitzgerald at this
time as further evidence was not only
wanted against him. but developments
were expected which would conclu-
sively involve others. However. IL 10
stated, that those under suspicion had
obtained an inkling that untoward de-
velopments were going forward. and
IL was deemed best to lose no time in
securing the man charged with being
the principal
Federal Onicers Doubtful.
Fitzgerald will be arraigned in the
criminal court on the formal charge OF
larceny by Bailie. after which it ia
/ expected that he will be turned over
to the federal authorities. Efforts made
by Attorney Litzinger to secure his
| clients release on bonds failed and II
; was asserted that steps would be taken
to lberate him by means of writ OF
| habeas corpus. Captain I. /. Porter
| head of the United States secret ser
vice in Chicago, in an interview init
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