The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-08-28
SOLVE MYSTERY
OF MONSTER THEFT
Robbery of $4,000 From Chi.
cago Subtreasury in 1907
May Be Cleared Up.
FORMER TELLER IS ARRESTED
Heavy Speculation After Discharge
Throws Suspicion on Him
Others Involved.

chicago, Aug. 5.-Ihe mystery OF
the theft of $4,000 from the United
States subtreasury a year and a half
ago, one of the largest losses the gov
eminent has ever suffered in this
manner, is believed to have been solv-
ed by the arrest at an early hour yes
terday of George w. Fitzgerald. 9th
ers are believed to have been impli-
Gated in the crime which for months
completely baff1ed government secret
service men.
Fitzgerald was an asserting teller
under Assistant United States Treas
urer William B~oldenweck. Suspicion
/ at the time of the theft, Feb. 20, 1907,
rested on him, but SO plausible was
his story and SO intense his apparent
interest in discovering the real culprit
that interest ceased to center in him.
Discharged for Negligence.
Much work was done on the theory
that the crime had been perpetrated
by a cOlored man. Meanwhile Fitz-
gerald was discharged from the gov
eminent employ for ]culpable negli-
, gence in allowing such a theft to be
tll"oA Iio NNlN SSSS.
The money stolen had been used and
was tied in packages, some of them
having beer marked for destruction
at Washington. Any of them would
readily have passed anywhere except
for their large denominations. None
of the bills was under $500 and some
we're of the 81 600 and $4,000 denomi-
nations, the LOCO one. :
ing.
Reporter Takes Ira
Meantime Herbert F. I..a.s a
former Chicago newspaper reporter
and now head of the Young Secret
Service asency. became interested in
the case, at first without official con-
nection with the case, but later as the
agent Of Mr.. Boldenweck. Mr.. Young's
attention was redirected to Fitzgerald.
The latter upon his discharge from
the subtreasury stated that his whole
fortune consisted of 5000 in cash and
a stock certificate for $1,000. His wife
had a 500 interest in the estate or
her mother, which was valued at about
$4,000 and was in litigation. FitzgS-
aid, however, according to Mr.. Young,
engaged in speculation on a scale
not consistent with the size of his re-
puted
Involved in Big Deals.
In July 1907, he inaugurated an egg
deal which ultimately. it is stated,
involved - expenditure Of S $1,000, and
the following March a similar deal in
volving him, according to Er. Young,
to the extent of $4,000. incidentally
the former teller had become the pos
SCISSOR, in his wife's name. of a brick
residence in Rogers Park, a suburb
of Chicago, valued at $500.
Last July the scent is said to have
become hot when Col. Harry c.. Gano,
superintendent of A. Booth & Co, re-
ported to Mr.. Boldenweck, it is said,
that Fitzgerald had approached him
with a proposition to pass several
81 900 bills.
Passes $1,000 Bills.
After comforting with Mr.. Bolden-
week Col. Gano continued neeotia-
lions with Fitzgerald, with the result
that by prearranGement several wit
nesses were secretly present when |
the former teller passed tive $1,000
bills to Col. Gano.
From the moment of Col. t;ano's !
first interview with the assistant
United States treasurer, it is said. Mr.. !
Young or some of his men Swallowed
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 eX-
iracted it from the treasury vaults !
and in the later covering of tracks. !
Who these persons We're, those work
ing on the case state they are not yet