New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-01
CALLS SUICIDE CC0MP[|C
Bookkeeper Confesses to Theft
of Nassau County Funds.
AMOUNT MAY BE $4,000
Letter of Man Who Took His
Life, Addressed to Wife, Pro
vides for Restitution.

Hampstead. Long Island. Sept. so
fSpecfaD William w. Rapelyea, head
bookkeeper in the office of Charles F.
Lewis. treasL rer Of Nassau County, con-
fessed to-day that he and J. Frank
Bauckney. his immediate superior in the
office who killed himself on Tuesday
night. had stoleu more than $1,000 Of
the county funds District Attorney
Coles. however. said that the thefts
would amount to more than $4,000. in
his opinion.
Mr.. Coles made public tonight letter
from Bauckney to his wife, which was
found beside his body when he shot him
self. The letter directs her to assign
certain property to Mr.. Lewis, saying
that il will more than pay for his
CRauckney'sl share in what he calls the
contemplate deal" The letter said In
one place: Il cannot bear to meet my
friends since the discovery of treachery
hv one whom I supposed was my closest
friend. and since his confession TO me of
about ten DAYS ago: it has almost set me
crazy. There is nothing left but going
beyond the vale.
The money was secured by taking the
stubs from back tax bills. keeping the
stubs and marking the bills paid in the
hook In this manner there was no
means of knowing that there was dis
crenancv. as the book could not be
checked by the slips The men kept the
slips. and this afternoon when Rapelyea'
who was fast becoming nervous wreck.
made his confession. he turned them in.
Wanted to Clear Lewis.
RapeIvea in his confession said that
he made it more TO clear Charles +.
Lewis. the county treasurer, from any
cIoud that might hover over him as
result of Rauckney's death than with
anv idea of making it easier for him
self. Rapelyea said that Mr.. Lewis was
entirely innocent Of any knowledge in
the affair.
In the presence of County Treasurer
Lewis Sheriff Joseph Foster, District
Attorney Coles. Edward Downing and l..
Eaber two lawyers. Rapelyea. who is
member of an old Long Island family,
uade his confession, and was at once
taken to Hampstead before Charles +.
Citizens 2 Justice of the peace. where he
waived examination and was commit
ted to the county jail. He said he want
cd his trial over as soon as possible
Rapelyea said that he was going to
+rv 70 make what restitution he could
md euffer whatever punishment was
coming to him. He has been going
.hout I'm p fine automobile for the last
few months and has been seen at differ
ant times at the Hotel Nassau, at Long
paach where he spent money with
.raat Iiberality. on the other hand,
Mr. Rauckney was very quiet in his
habits. He had a motor boat on the
Great South Bay and devoted himself to
that ia the exclusion of everything else
In the summer time. Rapelyea was
freouenter of the racetracks when bet
ting was allowed. and frequently made
large bets, some of which he won, but ne
lost a good deal of money in that fash
ion.
RapeIyea Near Collapse.
When Rapelyea appeared before Jus
tice Citizens he was as weak as a cat.
and could hardly answer Questions. He
seemed glad when ne was taken in the
cberiff's automobile back to the county