Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-24
Local Police Advised.

u. Ward Sturgis, arrested here by AS
sistant Chief of Detectives Daniel F.
Mouney. confesses to being wanted in
your city for embezzlement and forgeries.
is held for Chicago authorities
Maj. Sylvester, superintendent OF po-
lice, last night received the foregoing
message from w. J. O'Connor, inspector
OF police of New Orleans. Sturgls is
wanted here to answer a charge of hav-
Trust Company. New York avenue and
10Th street, during the early part Of last
summer, and he Is wanted In Chicago to
answer for similar conduct while en-
pioyed this month in the Peoples -tock
Yards State Bank, the amount obtained
! there, it is charged, being $l,29O.5O
1t is thought that the arrest of the
young man was brought about by the
sending out OF circular by the Bankers
Association Of Illinois, which contained a
| there In November and obtained a posi-
| ton Thanksgiving day with the Michelen
Hardware Company, 1850 State street.
Gave Accurate Description.
Later he answered an advertisement
| and obtained position in the Stock Yards
| Bank. He entered upon his duties in the
bank the 4th Of this month and disap.
peared eleven days later. In the circular
sent to the police departments throughout
the country the young man. who was
known In Chicago as Frank NJ. Stevens
was accurately described, the description
| tallying with that sent out by Mai. Syl.
vester shortly after he disappeared from
here in August.
| The description sent from Chicago told
of a scar across the left hand, and the
| local police believe the scar resulted from
an injury he received while hunting In
Canada. 1t is stated in a message re-
ceived from New Orleans that the young
! man was found in resort, where he had
sought employment as a piano player.
| having been forced to accept the employ.
ment when confronted with the prospect
of poverty.
| Stursis' alleged misconduct came as a
great surprise to his many friends. He
| was regarded at the bank as being q
capable and honest employe, and not until
after his disappearance was anything
| ever said which suggested in the remotesi
| way that he was guilty of any wrong.
! doing. He was known as church
worker, total abstaner and a man who
| never sought bad company, and when II
was learned he was accused of crime his
| friends insisted there had been a mis-
| take.
Elaborate Hunting Outfit.
1t was early in September when the
| charge was made that Sturgis had forged
the names of depositors and obtained
more than 5000. Detective Patrick
O'Brien was detailed to make an in
vesttgatton. and he succeeded in tracing
the alleged defaulter to New York and
Canada, Sturgis having gone to Canada
on a cunning expedition. While in New
York he spent about 1000 on a hunting
| outfit, engaged his guides and made other
necessary preparations for his Canadian
| trip.
Detective O'Brien went to the Masti-
gouche Cunning and Fishing Club of st.
Gabriel de Brandon, where Sturgis had
shooting big game. He had been at the
club and gone before the arrival
Of the detective, however, and the
latter traced him as far as Mont
time after he had left the hunting
grounds 1t was learned by Detective
O'Brien that Sturgis injured his left
hand while in Canada, and that injury.
1t is believed. left the scar mentioned
in the Chicago circular.
| Father Received Letter.
John r. Sturgis. father of the young
man. received a letter from him after
he left here, in which the writer stated
| that he had obtained a position on the
surveying and engineering staff of the
Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Com
| pany, which. he wrote, would be far
preferable to bank clerking The state
ments contained in the letter gave the
police the impression that Sturgis might
| be found in Chicago, but they were never
able to locate him.
| Sturgis was bonded by the United
States Fidelity and Guaranty Company of
Baltimore and the National Security
Company of New York. The two COM
panics offered rewards aggregating $500
] for information leading to the arrest of