Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-24
SUBTREASURY'S
DARING ROBBERY
SOLVED AT LAST
S175,o00 THEFT MYSTERY IS
BELIEVED CLEARED
DISCHARGED TELLER IN PRISON,
ACCUSED
Crime of Eighteen Months Ago Traosd
to Man Who Since Made For-
tune in Investments
is Charge
Rv Associated Press.

~ HICAGO, Aug. 23.-The mystery Of the
theft of S176,0OO from the United
" States subtreasury year and a half
ago, one of the largest losses the gov
ernment has ever suffered in this manner
Is believed to have been solved by the ar
rest at an early hour today Of George w.
Fitzgerald.
Others are believed to have been imph-
Gated I'm tho crime, which for months COM
pIeteIy baffled the government secret service
men.
Fitzgerald was an asserting teller under
Assistant Treasurer Boldenweck. Suspicion
at the time Of the theft, February 20, 1901
rested on him, but SO plausible was his
story and SO intense his apparent interest
in discovering the real culprit, that he al
layed suspicion.
Much work was done On the theory
that the crime had been perpetrated
by a colored man.
Meanwhile Fitzgerald was discharged
from the government employ for cul-
pable negligence in allowing such a
theft to be committed under his very
eyes.
The money stolen had been much
used and was tied in packages, some
of which had been marked for destruc>
ton at Washington. Any of them
would readily have passed anywhere
except for their large denominations;
None of the bills was under 5000, ana
some were of $4,000 and $4,000 denomi-
nations. the $4,000 ones predomi-
mating.
Created Big Sensation
The theft created sensation
throughout the country and congress
at the last session was acked, and re-
fused, to release Assistant Treasurer
Boldenweck from liability, although It
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,
at first without official connection, put
later as the agent of Mr. Boldenweck:
Mr.. Young's attention was directed
to Fitzgerald. The latter upon his dis
charge from the subtreasury stated
that his whole fortune consisted or
$500 in cash and stock certificate for
$1,000. His wife had a $500 interest
in the estate of her mother, which was
valued at about $4,000. and was In
litigation.
Goes to Specializing
Fitzgerald, however according to
Mr.. Young, embarked in speculation on
a scale not consistent Will ltlS oiAS VI
his reputed means.
There was, however, no ostentation
in Fitzgerald's life. The lavish dis
} play which detectives invariably look
Tor in tracing stolen funds was absent.
Fitzgerald bought eggs for speculation
and stored them.
In July, 1907, he inaugurated an egg
deal which ultimately, it is stated, in
yolyed an expenditure of $1,000, and in
March a similar deal involved him, ac-
cording to Mr.. Young, to the extent of
$4,000.
incidentally the former teller had be-
come the possessor in his vife's name
of a neat brick residence in Rogers
Park, a suburb of Chicago, and valued
at $500.
Mr.. Young declared today that his
purchase was made in roundabout
ways passing through several hands,
and finally into those of Mrs. Fitz-
gerald, for stated consideration of 81.
Scent Becomes Hot
Last July the scent is said to have
become hot when Col. Harry c. Gano,
superintendent of A. Booth e. Co.,
business man Of prominence and public
spirit, rep ted to Mr.. Boldenweck, 1t
is said, that Fitzgerald had approached
him with a proposition to pass several
$1,000 bills
with your big business connection"
Fitzgerald is alleged to have argued
to Col Gano. "you can easily pass
them There is $500 in 1t for you"
Gano is reported to have declared
that he had a roll of similar bills
that would choke horse.'
After comforting with Mr.. Bolden-
week, Col. Gano continued negotiations
with Fitzgerald with the result that by
prearrangement, Detective Young
caU xxrffn flxr
present when the former teller pro-
posed to pass two $1,000 bills to Col.
Gano.
'I will bring two," Fitzgerald is al
legged to have said, "for you can get
rid of two just as well as one"
Passed No Big Ones
So far as known Fitzgerald was not
seen to pass any of tho large bills.
From the moment of Col. Gano's first
interview with the assistant United
States treasurer, Mr. Young or some
of his men shadowed Fitzgerald. The
trail, Ii is intimated, involved, others.
not only in helping Fitzgerald to dis
pose of the money alleged to have been
stolen, but in the very act of having
extracted 1t from the treasury vaults
and in later covering of tracks.
Who these persons were, those work.
ing on the case state they are not
prepared to divulge.
1t had not been intended to arrest
Fitzgerald at this time, as further evil
dence was not only wanted against
him, but developments were expected
which would conciusively involve
others.
However. it is stated that those under
suspicion had obtained an inkling that
untoward developments We're going
forward, and it was deemed best to
lose no time in securing the man
charged with being the principal wit
ness.
ArralgnmenS Today
Fitzgerald will be arraigned in the
criminal court tomorrow morning on
the formal charge of larceny as bailee,
after which 1t is expected he win be
turned over to7the federal authorities
Efforts made by Attorney Litzinger
to secure his clients release on bonds
failed. and 1t was asserted tonight that
steps would be taken tomorrow to libe-
GContinued ON Page Two,