The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-08-27
ARRESTED FOR THEFT
OF $4,000; EXPLAINS
Fitzgerald Claims He Is Innb-
cent Of Stealing from the
Government.

.StateS attorney TO coilect furtner EVIL
.dence.
II have not nickel that does not
belong to me- exclaimed Fitzgerald.
He gave his attorneys an explanation
sof the money he used in speculation,
When he was discharged from the gov
ernmentfs employ ne declared he had
80. 500. His wife possessed about 50, 800
and later he inherited between $4,000
and $4,000. His egg speculations began
with an investment of only 5000, he as
serted. as he had only to put up suffi-
cent margins to cover the probable
fluctuations in prices. This deal netted
him 500. He Their Interested several
and togther they made up a pool of
$4,000 by the use of which they made
some profit. AS to the home purchased,
he liz it was offered for $4,000 with
"a, 1000 mortgage. He and Mrs. Fitzger-
aid secured the property by paying
down $1,000.
Government Fails to Act.
The evidence against Fitzgerald was
worked up by a private detective
agency and no move was made by the
government authorities In our today.
der Assistant United States Treasurer
Boldenweck. Suspicion at the time OF
h theft, February 20, 1907. rested on
him, but SO plausible was his story and
so intense his apparent interest in dis
covering the real culprit that interest
ceased to center In him. Much work
was done on h theory that the crime
had been perpetrated by a colored nan
Meanwhile Fitzgerald was discharged
from the government employ for Gull
lpable negligence for allowing such a
theft to be contaminated under his
very eyes. The money stolen a been
used and was tied in packages, some
of which had been marked for d%estruc-
<tion at Washington. Any of the bills
would readily have passed anywhere
.axnapt for their la rQa& denominations
None of the bills was under $500. and
;some were of the ST. 900 and $4,000 de-
nominations, the $1,000 ones predom-
mating.
Sensation in Country.
The theft created a sensation
throughout the country, and congress
AT the last-Ysession was asked and re-
fused to release Assistant Treasurer
BoldenWeck from liability. although 1t
was promised that congress would
again consider the matter at. it's next
session.
Meanwhile Herbert f. Young. a for
mer Chicago newspaper reporter, and
now head of the Young Secret Service
agency, became interested In the case,
TAT first without official connection, but
later as the agent Of Mr.. Boldenweck.
Mr.. Young's attention was redfrected
to Fitzgerald. The latter, upon his dis
charge from the subtreasury. stated
that his whole fortune consisted Of $500
5in cash n a stock certificate for 81, 900.
His wife had a 500 interest in the
estate of ler.mother, which was valued
al about $4,000 and was In litigation.
Fitzgerald, however. according to Mr..
Young, embarked in speculation on q
sscale not consistent with the size of his
reputed There al however,
no ostentation in Fitzgerald,s life. The
lavish display which detectives in
variably look for in tracing stolen
funds was absent. Fitzgerald bought
6 for speculation and stored them.
$1,000 in Egg Deal.
In July, 1907, he inaugurated al egg
deal which ultimately, 1t is stated. in
volyed an expenditure OF $1,000, and the
following March a similar deal involved
him, according to Mr.. Young. to the
extent of $50, GEO. Incidentally the for
smers teller had become the possesor in
his wife's name of a neat brick resi-
-dence in Rogers Park, a suburb of h
-cago. and valued at $500. Mr.. Young
declared that this purchase was made
in a roundabout way, passing through
several hands, and finally into those of
Mrs. Fitzgerald for a Consideration
<of 81.
Last July the scent is said to have
become hot when Colonel Harry C.
sGano, superintendent of A. Booth 6,
c.Co., a business man of prominence and
public spirit, reported to Mr.. Bolden-
Fitzgerald was an asserting teller un-
week. it was said. that Mr.. Fitzgerald
had approached him with proposition
to pass several $1,000 bills.
After conferring with Mr.. Bolden-
week, Colonel Gano continued negotia-
.tions with Fitzgerald. with the result
that by Encouragement. Detective
Young says, several witnesses We're Sc
.scretly present Whom the former teller
proposed to pass two 1000 bills to Col
.Onel Gano.
Il will bring two Fitzgerald is al
legged to q said, "for you can get rid
of two just as well as one
So far as know Fitzgerald was not
sseen to pass any of the large bills.
Arrest Is Made.
Deciding it was best to delay no
fdonger, the officers secured a warrant
from Judge Chetlain Inc raced to Fitz-
,gerald's Rogers Park home in an auto
mobile. Fitzgerald appeared at the
door In his nightgown and a pair of
trousers. Mrs. Fitzgerald stood at the
top of h stairs with white face and
strained eyes while Detective Kinder
read the warrant. Fitzgerald listened
to the reading with composure, kissed
his two young children goodby and left
his almost hysterical wife to enter the
5automobile with the officers.
They've caught him at last; they've
caught him at last" is the exclama-
ton which Detectives Kinder and
Young declare came from the lips of
Mrs. Fitzgerald in the half hysterical
sstate into which she fell when she
,comprehended the object of the officers
visit.
Fitzgerald himself merely remarked:
Il p you want me to go to Jail;
guess I'd better go along"
1t is recalled that the first intimation
that any of the ~subtreasury- officials
had of a shortage was when Fitzgerald
who had been a government employee
for seven years, walked from his cage
over to the cashier, f. G. Russell, and
told him that he was short $173, 900.
What is that? Short S173,00D? Why,
a what is the matter with you?''
81 am not fooling, MI. Russell; 1 tell
Won that I am short s1T3. 900
An examination of Fiizgerlad's books
showed that the. shortage vas not a