The San Francisco call., 1909-01-09

shoe store at 100 Van Ness ave
nue.. was discovered yesterday 10
have a shortage in his accounts. He
was arrested and admitted that he had
taken 1000 belonging TO the firm dur
ing the last IS months. The police
are holding Tetsan in detinue at the
city prison and strongly suspect that
he knows something about the attempt
made December 20 TO destroy the store
by FIRE.
Tetsau denied last night knowing
anything about the attempted arson.
but the police consider that he had
motive. owing TO his peculations, in
destroying the store 10 hide the evil
dence of his crime Captain Anderson
said last evening that he had heard
that certain books Of the firm We're
piled up and covered with the infiam-
mable. oil soaked stuff constituting the
fretrap
The shortage in TetsalTs books was
: discovered yesterday afternoon. The
assistant book keeper found that the
accounts failed 10 balance in the
amount Of 1893 and called Tetsalrs at
'tention TO she discrepancy. the belief
being at the time that simply an error
had been committed.
Admits His Thefts
Tetsau Immediately became panic
stricken. His excitement aroused the
suspicion Of the assistant book kee7er.
and J. l. RosenthaL president OF the
company. was notified.
Rosenthal put Tetsal under a severe
examination At last the book keeper
broke down and admitted his thefts. For
IS months. he said. he had been taking
money from the store. in all he had
stolen s. .000. Some Of the money went
the usual way Of stolen gains-to the
Emeryville book makers. But with a
providence rare in embezzlers Tetsall
invested part OF it in a ranch near
So from the store every Saturday
night -doctoring7 his books at the
time TO cover the peculation.
Tetsau had been working for the
company FOR two years and was paid
$50 a month he had come to the firm
well recommended and the police know
OF nothing against him in the past. He
lived in Oakland in Herzog street. be-
tween sixty-second and Sixty-third. He
has a wife and two children.
After lie had broken down and con-
fessed his guilt Tetsan threatened 10
commit suicide. But he made an ap-
pointment 10 meet Rosenthal at the
Dorchester hotel later in the evening.
He was allowed TO leave the store and
the police were then notified. Cap
tain Of Detectives Anderson dispatched
Detective Mckay to the mans home in
Oakland and arrested him just as he
was about 10 greet his wife and little
ones at the threshold Of their home.
Denies knowledge of Fire
The prisoner was brought to the
city and locked up in the city prison
at a late hour last night.
At the city prison TetsaI was faced
with the accusation that he had set fire
10 the store The police expressed their
belisf TO him that he had committed
the crime But he denied it, He denied
all knowledge of circumstances attend
ing the attempted arson When asked
concerning the allegation that import
ant books and journals Of the firm were
found on the floor Of the room where
the IRE was started, Tetsan denied any
knowledge Of such facts. He displayed
a wei sustained ignorance Of all de-
tails OF the FIRE.
The attempt TO burn RosenthaPs shoe
store was discovered On the morning Of
Sunday. December 20. last In a cloak
loom in the rear Of the big shoe store
at Van Ness avenue and Geary street
a mass Of combustibIes had been soaked
with kerosene and gasoline In the
midst Of this inhammable stun was
placed a burning candle. J. J. Gippert.
a Morse Datrolman. discovered that the
back door Of the store had been tam
pered with. He notified the members
of the firm and they entered the place
with a policeman just in time to extin-
guish the candle and prevent the fire.