The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1908-08-24

Detective Young, with Detective
Joseph Kinder of the states attorneys
office went Immediately to Rogers
Park.
The Arrest.
Fitzgerald appeared at the door in
his night gown and pair of trous-
ers, Mrs. Fitzgerald standing at the
top Of the 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 goodbye and
left his almost hysterical wife to en-
ter the automobile with the officers.
The Discovery.
The first intimation that any Of the
sub-treasury ofncials had of a short
age was on Wednesday afternoon
when Fitzgerald, who had been a
government employe for seven years,
walked from his cage over to thu
cashier F. c.. Russell and told him
that he was short $4,000.
What is that? short $4,000? Why
man what is the matter with you?'
l. am not fooling Mr.. Russell. I
tell you that / am short $4,000"
An examination Of Fitzgerald,s
books showed that the shortage was
not q matter Of bookkeeping hut of
actual loss. Further investigation, 1t
lis said, developed that by strange
coincidence the balance retained by
the assisting teller, in his custody the
night before was the exact amount Of
the money missing.
Inquiry at Washington showed that
the money had not been, shipped there
BY mistakas Ft
nd1mas /. Porter, chief ,of the
Unite ge1tRs secret service ii Chi
scago ascsrtained that three previous
thefts had taken place, 1t Is alleged,
In Fftzgerald's cage prior to this time.
These losses were respectively $500,
$500 and $500. Fitzgerald when ques-
toned laid suspicion upon party Of
workmen who had been employed
about the sub-treasury the day previ-
GUS. The money, Fitzgerald said, lay
In stacks upon his desk In a dark
corner of the cage and might easily
have been reached from under the
grating. He said that at least dozen
men had access to the cage. Fftz-
gerald handled about $1,00O,O00 each
day. It was his custom each night
to lock the money in his own private
steel box.
There is absolutely no way of
telling the denomination of the money
lost" said Fitzgerald at that time, and
later TO Colonel Gano.
The private life of every employe
was investigated, among them Fitz-
gerald's. His manner Of life was sim
pie, his personality genial and he was
popular amongst his companions.
He constantly asserted his inno-
cense, with an air Of injured dignity
which ultimately was effective in the
absence. of direct evidence in divertv
ing suspicion to other quarters. John
p. Wilkie, chief Of the United States
secret service, after conversation
with Secretary Shaw, of the treasury
department, and President Roosevelt,
took personal charge Of the case.
A widespread and systematic investi-
CATION, covering the whole country
followed, but without obtaining suf-
hcient evidence to warrant an arrest.
No reward, however, was offered.
E1tzgerald, however, although out OF
the service was not entirely lost sight
Of. It was reported that his actions
indicated nervousness, and that he
drank more than had been his custom.
On one occasion, a reporter who had
known him in the sub-treasury met
him at popular restaurant. The
newspaperman said that when Fitz-
gerald noticed the writer looking at
him, the former abruptly left the
table with his meal unfinished. These
Developments. however. were not felt
to indicate In any conclusive way that
Fitzgerald. In the light of previous
knowledge Of him, had guilty knowi-
edge Of the theft. When Mr.. Young
entered the case, he reviewed all the
evidence that had been obtained and
concluded that while the clues lead
Ing In the direction Of Fitzgerald were
anything but satisfactory, there was
nothing to implicate any other per-
ron, and that as q foundation Of the
new investigation, Fitzgerald was the
one TO watch.