The morning journal-courier., 1908-08-24
HOLD TELLER FOR S17S,000 ROBBERY Mysterious Theft of Greenbacks from Sub Treasury at Chi cago Apparently Near
 Solution. SEARCHERS LONG BAFFLED Teller Fitzgerald, Now Under Arrest, Turned Suspicion Aside Year and n Half Ago, When Loss
 Was Discovered.
SEARCHERS LONG BAFFLED

Chicago, Aug. 23.--The mystery of the theft of S173,O0O from the United States sub-treasury year and half ago, one of the largest losses the gov ernment has ever suffered In this manner. is believed to have been solv- ed by the arrest, to-day, of George w. Fitzgerald. Others are believed to have been implicated in the crime which for months completely bafiied government secret service men.
 Fitzgerald was an asserting teller under Assistant United States Treas urer William Boldenwreck. Suspicion at the time of the theft, February 20, 1907, rested on him, but so plausible was his story and so intense his ap- parent interest in discovering the real culprit that interest ceased to center in him. Meanwhile Fitzgerald was discharged from the government em- ploy for culpable negligence in allow ing such theft to be consummated under his very eyes None of the bills were under $500 and some were of, the sl,000 and s5,000 denomina- tions. the slOo0 ones predominating The theft created sensation throughout the country and congress fused, to release Assistant Treasurer Boldenwreck from liability. although 1t was promised that congress would again consider the matter at its next session.
 Meanwhile George F Young. for mer New York newspaper reporter and head of the Young Secret Service | agency. became interested in the case at first without official connection with the case, but later as the agent of MT Boldenwreck Mir Youngs attention was redirected to Fitzgerald The latter upon his discharge from the sub | treasury stated that his whole fortune consisted of $500 in cash and stock certificate for sl.n00. His wife had 2 si0O interest In the estate of her moth. CT. which was valued at about $4,00' | and was in litigation
 Fitzgerald however according tt Mir. Young, embarked in speculation or a scale not consistent with the size o' his reputed means. There was, how. ever. no ostentation in Fitzgerald: life. The lavish display which detec. lives Invariably look for in tracing stolen funds, was absent. Fitzgerald bought eggs for speculation and stored them.
 Last July the scent Is said to have become hot when Col. Harry C. Gano superintendent of A. Booth X Co.,, z business man of prominence and public spirit, reported to Mir Boldenwreck, fl Is said, that Fitzgerald had approach ed him with proposition to pass sev, eral si,000 bills.
 With your big business connec ions, Fitzgerald is alleged to have argued tC Col Gano, you can easily pass them There's $500 in 1t for you.''
 Gano Is reported to have declared that he had a roll of similar bills "tha would choke a horse" It had no been intended to arrest Fitzgerald a this time, as further evidence was no only wanted against him but develop ments were expected which would conclusvely involve others. However 1t Is stated, that those under suspi cion had obtained an inkling that un toward developments were going for ----------------------