The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
D|SGRACED MAN
CLOSELY GUARDED
BY LOVING wife
Mrs. j. E. Birmingham Indig-
nantIy Denies RumOr That
Husband Is a Fugitive
JeweIry Firm VIII Prosecute
Trusted EmpIOye to Full
Extent of the Law

Extent OF the Law
wearing liglh colored soft hat stood
at the cold street corner watching the
house. There was a strong belief ex-
pressed by Birmingham's former en-
ployers that he would slip from justice,
a belief which the police would not
consider unfounded. and the young man
in the serge suit kept TO his post with
eager eyes watching those who en-
tered the house and more eagerly fol-
lowing with his glances those who left
the hotel The Birmingham suite is
located on the eighth fioor Of the hotel.
Had Birmingham made any move 20
leave the city he would have been
promptly nabbed.
Screened by His Wife
The presence OF the shadow and the
alternate views Of the hotel employees
suggested that Birmingham was in
the hotel II he was, his wife. spend
ing hertlong looked for Christmas re-
union in misery. Loyalty screened him.
Her position was taken in spite of the
rumors which long have circulated
that there was rupture in the fam
lily and that the trivial charms Of a
woman Of the tenderloin had allured
the trusted employe of the jewelry
store to his ruin.
I villa lay down my life in proof
ss-
cent of the charges that are made
against him." declared Mrs. Birming-
ham with pathetic earnestness yester-
day 1T is not true that he has taken
anything from the firm of shreve &
Co The facts are as he says. He has
stated that he simply withheld the
money. temporarily, with the intention
OF paying it back. Those are the facts.
It is terrible to make the accusations
that are made against my husband
There is no truth in any assertion that
has been made. He is not a fugitive
from justice He viii be ready when
the police want him and that is GER
tain.
I have TO show my faith in Mr.. Br-
,ningham. but if. could 1 would. Could
there be anything stronger that might
say than that would lay down my life
10 prove that he is innocent
Firm Calls Him Thief
George Lewis, manager of Shreve &
Co. the complaining witness against
Birmingham, was more than positive
that the former employs Of the firm was
dishonest
I'VE trapped him squarely.7 said
Lewis yesterday. For some time we
have suspected that he was not straight
IT was not so much on account Of the
money he spent that led US 70 think
that as il was OF the places in which
he spent his money. He had a good in
come. We paid him $500 a month sal
sry and he held block of stock in the
firm and received dividends. In addi-
tion 70 that he owned a house in Pierce
street which he had rented. II can not
be said that the salary which Shreve g.
CO. paid Birmingham was so low that
he could not live within the limits OF it.
Around the TenderIoin
But he became a popular figure
around the tenderIoin. He was often
seen in the Reception saloon. I would
not say if he associated with any
women or not / 90 not care TO dis
cuss that phase of the case. But bis
general associations did not look right
and we decided to put a watch on him.
We engaged the Pinkertons and they
sent a dummy buyer into the store with
marked money. The dummy made a
purchase of Birmingham and then
other dummies made other purchases.
until there was about S175 or $3.50 spent
with him. Then we caught him and he
had the marked money in his pocket
Mrs Birmingham has been en-
deavoring all day TO reach me in an
effort TO secure leniency with her hus-
band But we will not relent In this
prosecution. We can not say positively
that he has taken other money. but ii
is not probable that ne would start in
at one time and lake $3.50. A jewelry
store is at the mercy of its employees
more than is a bank. The business is
conducted almost entirely by the trust
which we have in our employees.
Birmingham had opportunities
other than those during the holiday
seasons to pilfer from the firm. He
frequently acted as a salesman. AS
long as I remember his sales number
was No. o. Then he was the buyer for
his department and had considerable
authority. He was one of the best men
we had.
RidicuIes Conspiracy
His story that we entered into a
conspiracy TO degrade him is the most
ridiculous thing / ever heard. He
claimed that we wanted to hurt his
business reputation so that he could
not embark in a competing enterprise
That is foolish A long established
6rm like Shreve's not only would not
plan conspiracy against a business
which had not been established, but
would we want to lose our best man
by such tactics as these? 1t is ridicu-
lous. We caught him stealing. and
that is all there is 10 il"
Want the Bail Increased
Birmingham was charged with grand
larceny and was liberated by order OF
Judge Weller on $3.50 bail. Lewis made
inquiries TO see il the bail could not be
raised, as he feared that Birmingham
might fee from justice 1t is thought
possible that in the circumstances OF
r-.,T,..