The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-09-21
CAUGHT AT LAST
Detectives Arrest a Man for Stealing
After Watching Him
FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS

Men Taken in Charge for Robbine
the United States Sub Treasury ut
Chicago Several Years Ago. After
Being Swallowed by Detectives for
Years.
George w. Fitzgerald, a former as
sorting teller in the Chicago SUBJ
treasury, was arrested at Chicago on
Wednesday by Deputy United State
marshall, charged with the myster-
ious theft of $4,000 from the treas
ury on February 19,1907.
Fitzgerald was arrested on a bench
warrant based on an Indictment re-
turned secretly by a federal grand
jury on February II, 1910. Three
days after the indictment was secret
ly returned ard suppressed on Feb
ruary 20, it was announced that the
statute of limitations had operated
10 stop possible criminal prosecution
in the peculiar case.
.Coincident with this ruse by the
authorities secret service men were
detailed to watch Fitzgerald con-
stantly and make a most rigid
investigation of the former teller's
financial interests and affairs. Dis
coveries made by these secret SER
vice operatives resulted in the or
der for Fitzgerald's arrest.
Marshal Eberstein, chief of special
agents of the department Of justice.
and Deputy United States marshals
Walter Wainwright and ]. T. Buck
ner arrested Fitzgerald at his insur-
ance brokerage offices just as the
former sub-treasury teller was leav-
ing for his home. Fitzgerald was
first taken to United States Marshal
Hays Office in the federal building,
where he was searched, handcuffed.
and placed in a cell. After an hours
Imprisonment, Fitzgerald was taken
before Judge Kennesaw M. Lands,
formally arraigned and his bail fixed
at $4,000. Being unable to giee
bond in this sum-, he was taken to
the county jail.
The indictment against Fitzgerald
read in court specifies four counts.
Three charge embezzlement and the
'ourth charges larceny.
Attaches of the district attorneys
,fice declare that, since the disap-
oearance of the $4,000 from the
s~ub-treasury. Fitzgerald had done
he following things:
Organized the Illinois Car Manu-
featuring company with a $4,000
olant at Hammond, Ind; organized
The Illinois Bolt, Nut and Forgin
'ompany with a large plant in Chi
.ago; dealt extensively in stocks and
bonds; moved from a modest fiat to
| $4,000 residence in Rodgers park,
4 suburb Of Chicago; paid for this
new home and furnished 1t extern
sivelv: lived in expensive style and
entertained friends lavishly.
From the time Of the returning
If the suppressed indictment on Feb
ruary II, the greatest secrecy was
used by government officials in hal;l-
ing the investigation. The indict-
ment was locked in a vault in the
offices of the United States district
court clerk to await such time as the
federal lawyers felt that they had
sufficient evidence TO warrant the
arrest of Fitzgerald.
All this time Fitzgerald was lever
out of sight of secret service men
when awake, and while he slept OPP
aratiyes were on guard at his home
or hotel. The former teller was fol-
lowed to his Offices down town and
watched throughout the day. Mean
while all of his financial transactions
we're checked up closely and certain
investments traced to him.
The sub-treasury robbery, which
has baffled secret service officers for
three years occurred Wednesday,
February 20, 1907.
The money was all in $1,000 and
$4,000 bills. Federal officers all
over the country were brought into
the hunt for the missing money.
The $4,000 disappeared from
Fi%tzgerald's cage In the s~ub-treasury.
where he was employed as sorting
teller. When questioned regarding
the disappearance Of the money Fitz-
gerald said he went out to lunch and
when he returned the money was
gone. He was closely questioned at
the time and was Swallowed for sew
eral months.
A year after the robbery Fitzger-
aid was arrested by a private detec-
tive agent acting for William Boil
denver, the s~ub-treasurer. The
charge was not pressed at that time,
however, and Fitzgerald proceeded
to institute damage suits against
Boldenweir and the detective agency
for alleged false arrest.