The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-24
MYSTERY OF BIG
THEFT IS SOLVED
DETECTIVES ARREST A MAN
THEY CLAIM STOLE st7s,ooo
FROM UNCLE SAM.
ROBBERY OF SUB. TREASURY
Al Chicago In February, 1907, is Re.
called by the Arrest Of Man For
merly Employed as a Teller
In the Office.

the theft of $4,000 from the United
States sub-treasury a year and a half
ago one of the largest losses the gov.
eTnment has ever suffered in this man.
ner. is believed to have been solved
by the arrest Sunday of George W.
Fitzgerald. and others are believed to
have been implicated in the crime
which for months baffled government
secret service men.
Fitzgerald was an asserting teller
under Assistant United States Treas
urer William Boldenweck 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. Much work was done on the
theory that the crime had been per-
petrated by colored man. Mean
while Fitzgerald was discharged from
the government employ for culpable
negligence in allowing such a THEFT
TO be consummated under his very
ewes.
The money stolen had been used
and was tied in packages, some hav.
ing been marked for destruction at
Washington. Any Of the bills would
readily have passed anywhere except
for their large denominations. None
Of the bills was under $500 and some
were of the $1,000 and $4,000 denom-
nations, the $1,000 ones predominant.
ing.
The theft created sensation
throughout the country and congress
at the last session was asked and re-
fused to release Assistant Treasurer
Boldenweck from liability.
Meanwhile Herbert F. Young, a
former Chicago newspaper reporter
and now head OF the Young secret
service agency, became interested in
the case as the agent of Mr.. Bolden-
week. Mr.. Young's attention was di-
rected toward Fitzgerald. The latter,
upon his discharge from the sub-treas-
ury, stated that his whole fortune con-
sisted OF $600,in cash and a stock GER
tificate for $1,000 His wife had a
S700 interest in the estate Of her
mother, which was valued at about
$4,000 and was in litigation. Fitz
gerald, however, according to Mr..
Young, embarked in speculation on a
scale not consistent with the size of
his reputed means. There was, how
ever, no ostentation in Fitzgerald's
life. The lavish display which detec.
tives invariably look for in tracing
stolen funds was absent.
Fitzgerald bought eggs for specula-
tion and stored them. In July, 1907,
he inaugurated an egg deal which nj.
timately. IL is stated, involved an eY.
pendlture Of $1,000 and the following
March a similar deal involved him,
according TO Mr.. Young, to the extent
OF $4,000. Incidentally the former
teller had become the possessor, In
his wife's name, of brick residence
in Rogers Park, 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 G. Co.. a
business man Of prominence, reported
to MIR. Boldenweck that Fitzgerald had
approached him with proposition to
pass several $1,000 bills.
Mllu lbuI blb NbhuNN'
tions." Fitzgerald is alleged to have
argued to Col. Gano, you can easily
pass them. There's $500 in 1t for
you"
Gano continued negotiations with
Fitzgerald with the result that sew
eral witnesses were secretly present
when the former teller passed two
$1,000 bills TO Col. Gano.
The trail 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
tracted IL from the treasury vaults
and In the later covering of tracks
Sunday morning Judge Chetlain IS
sued bench warrant for the arrest
OF Fitzgerald charging him with the
larceny OF $173,O00 from the govern
mont vaults.
Detective Young with Detective
Joseph Kinder of the states attor
>Hey's office climbed into an automo
bile and rushed to Rogers Park.
Fitzgerald appeared at the door II
his nightgown and pair OF trousers
Mrs. Fitzgerald standing at the top o
the stairs with white face and straine,
eyes while Kinder read the warrant
Fitzkerald listened TO the readinl
with composure and left his almos
hysterical wife TO enter the automo
bile with the officers.
Behind the bars he refused to SCI
newspaper men, but held conference
with his attorneys John NJ. Duffy
attorney for MIR. Boldenweck, state,
that today Fitzgerald would be re
moved from state to federal iurlsdic
tion.
The detectives, It is said were I'm
able TO satisfy Boldenwecks curios
ity as 10 how much OF the $173,00'
It would be possible to recover.
Thomas L. Porter, chief Of tn
Tinted States secret service in Chi
oago. aseertained that three previous
thefts had taken pace In Fitzgerald
cage These losses were, roapecthr
~. $500, 5000 and $500.