The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-09-08
may CLEAR MYSTERY
OF TREASURY THEFT
C. w. Fitzgerald, Former u
S. Official, Will Be
Tried in Chicago.
National News Association

NNatiOnaI news ASsOclatlonJ
CHICAGO. Sept. s.-Ch'cagoans are
wondering IL the veil OF mystery will
be lifted from the $173,00O sub-treas-
ury theft when George w. Fitzgerald
Is tried for the alleged embezzlement
at the present term of the Federal
court
Public opinion as to Fitzgerald's
guilt or innocence is divided. as it has
been ever since the finger of suspicion
was first pointed at him. Many per-
sons firmly believe the accused man
is the unfortunate victim of great
mistake. Others do not hesitate to
declare their opinion that Fitzgerald
Is one Of the smoothest rogues with
which Uncle Sans secret service men
have ever had TO deal.
The only point in the case concern
which there is not the slightest doubt
is that a fortune In extraordinarily
state to be s173 ,0O0-disappeared
from within the steel cage and gran.
tie walls of the subtreasury as mys-
teriously as II the money had wings,
literally as well as figuratively. and
for nearly five long years it's where
abouts has remained an absolute mys.
terry.
The first intimation subtreasury Of
ficials had OF shortage was on
Wednesday afternoon in the summer
Of 1908, when Fitzgerald, who had
been government employee for sew
en- lears, walked from his cage over
to the cashiers, F. c. Russell, and told
him he was short $4,000.
An examination of Fitzgerald's
books showed that the shortage was
not matter Of bookkeeping but OF
actual loss. Further investigation, it
is said. developed that by strange CO.
incidence the balance retained by the
asserting teller in his custody the
night before was the exact amount OF
money missing. Inquiry at Washing.
ton showed that the money had no.
been shipped there by mistake.
Thomas ! Porter, chief of the I'm.
tied States secret service in Chicago,
ascertained that three previous thefts
had taken place, it is alleged, in Fitz-
gerld's cge prior to this time. These
losses were. respectively, $500, 5000
and 5000.
Fitzgerald. when questioned, laid
suspicion upon party OF workmen
who had been employed about the sub
treasury the day previous. The mon
ey. Fitzgerald said, lay in stacks upon
his desk In dark corner of the cage
and might easily have been reached
from under the grating. He said that
at least a dozen men had access to
the cage.
The private life OF every employee
was Investigated. among them Fitz-
gerald's His manner OF life was sim
pie, his manner genial and he was
popular among his associates.
He constantly asserted his inno-
cence with an air of injured dignity
which ultimately was effective in the
absence Of direct evidence in dverting
suspicion to other quarters.
John r. Wilkie, chief OF the United
States secret service. after consulta-
ton with Secretary Of the Treasury
Shaw and President Roosevelt took
personal charge of the case. A wide.
spread and systematic investigation
covering the whole country follow.
ed. but without obtaining sufficient ev-
adence to warrant an arrest.
Fitzgerald however, although out
of the service. was never lost sight
OF for a day. More than two years
later interest in the case was revived
Fly the announcement that Fitzgerald
had been arrested and charged with
1.-THE secret service men had found that
the secre service men had found that
he was spending money very literally
He was reported to have bought a
home for his family and to be in easy
circumstances financially. Moreover
q report was circulated that Chicag 20
business man had confessed that Fitz.