Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-09-15
INVESTIGATE BIG Theft
Mysterious Case About to Be
Brought Before Court
Sl73 900 VANISHED FROM SUBTREASURY
Old Government Employe Charged
With Having Stolen Great Sum

Chicago, ILL.,, Sept. S.-Chicagoans
are wondering If the veil of mystery
will be lifted from $4,000 sub
treasury theft when George w. Fitz-
gerald is tried for the alleged en-
bezzlement at the present term of
the Federal court.
Public opinion as to Fitzgera1d's
guilt or innocence is divided, as it
has been ever since the finger of sus-
picion was first pointed at him. Many
persons firmly believe the accused
man is the unfortunate victim of
great mistake. Others do not hesi-
tate 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 con-
cerning which there is not the slight
est doubt is that a fortune in cash
Fitzgerald, when questioned, laid
suspicion upon a party of workmen
who had been employed about the
subtreasury the day previous. The
money, Fitzgerald said, lay in stacks
upon his desk in a dark corner of the
reached from under the grating. He
Sdlu CudL dI lSdoI d uOZ0u u0u udu
access to the cage.
The private life of every employe
was Investigated, among them Fitz-
gerald's. His manner of life was
simple, 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 divert
ing suspicion to other quarters.
John E. Wilkie, chief of the Unit
ed States secret service, after a con-
sultation with Secretary of the Treas
ury Shaw and President Roosevelt
took personal charge of the case. A
widespread and systematic investi-
cation covering the whole country
followed, but without obtaining suffi-
cient evidence to warrant an arrest.
Fitzgerald, however, although out
of the service, was never lost sight
for a day. More than two years
later interest in the case was re-
stated to be $173, 1000
disappeared from rr.t. the steel
cage and granite walls of the SUBJ
treasury as mysteriously as if the
money had wings, literally as well as
fguratively, and for nearly five long
years its whereabouts has remained
an absolute mystery.
The first intimatiOn subtreasury
officials had of shortage was on a
Wednesday afternoon, in the sum-
mer of 1908, when Fitzgerald, who
had been a government emplOye for
seven years, 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
actual loss Further investigation,
it is said, developed that by strange
the balance retained by
the asserting teller in his custody
the night before was the exact
amount of money missing. Inquiry
at Washington showed that the mon
ey had not ben shipped there by mis-
take.
Thomas I. Porter, chief of the
United States secret service in Chica-
go, ascertained that three previous
theft had taken place, it is alleged,
in Fitzgerald's cage prior to this
time. These losses were, respec-
lively, $500, 5000 and 5000.
vived by the announcement that FitZ-
gerald had been arrested and charg-
ed with the theft. 1t was said at the
time that the secret sevice men had
found that he was spending money
very literally. He was reported to
have bought home for his family
and to be in easy circumstances fin
Moreover, report was
that a Chicago business
man had confessed that Fitzgerald
had offered him liberal commission
if he would pass some $1,000 bills
for him.
However much truth there may
have been in these stories the fact
of the matter is that the accused man
was discharged almost Immediately
after his arrest and without trial.
1t was intimated that the officers
had blundered by taking their man
into custody before the time was
ripe. Fitzgerald explained his
alleged liberal expenditures at the
time by saying that he had made
considerable money by specializing
in eggs.
Just when the public had about
concluded that the matter had been
dropped it was surprised to learn
that Fitzgerald was again under ar
rest on the old charge. 1t develop
ed that the grand jury had returned
a new Indictment upon evidence fur
nished by the secret service men. The
Indictment was returned secretly
few days before the statute of limita-
tions would have made Fitzgerald,
guilty or innocent, safe from all pro-
secutiOn.