The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-10-28
YOUNG DEFAULTER WILL
NOT LET MOTHER SAVE HIM
Cant Make Her Penniless,"
Says G. K. Leonard, Who Took
$4,000 From Bank.

Although the estate left by his
father to his widowed mother is suf-
flciert to cover his defalcation Of
$4,000 from the Peoples State Bank
of Detroit, Charles X. Leonard, who
was arrested, Friday evening, declar-
Ell to Detective Parker, who took him
into custody, that he will not permit
her to come to his assistance.
1T is enough that this thing will
break her heart" he said TO the Of
ficer. IL do not want to make her PEN
niless beside"
Leonard, who Is 20 years old, and
who has been living with his wife and
mother at No. 156 Ash-st., declares
TO the police that If he is given time
and opportunity, he will be able to
make good the entire amount OF his
speculatons. His father, who died
last May, left quite an estate, a por-
ton of which was wilied to Mrs.
Leonard and the remainder to Charles
the only child.
The father was in the coal business
at Twelfth and Ash-sts. Since Leon
ard was discharged, after the dis
crepancies in his accounts were un-
covered, he has been conducting the
business, and 1t was in the coal Of
fee that he was arrested, late Friday
afternoon.
Leonard's peculations began about
two years ago, when he first became
receiving teller of the bank. Had
vised social extravagances led him
deeper and deeper into the mire. Time
after time, he dipped into funds
which he used to cover up previous
shortages. He had no really bad
habits, but he entertained lavishly in
a social way, his young wife sharing
in all his pleasures.
The police declare that she was
blind TO the fact that her husbands 8
salary was only $1,000 a year. She
was given to understand, it is said,
that he received a much larger re-
muneration, and she little dreamed
that all the gay evenings, the theater
parties. the automobile tours, the So
cial calls, the fine clothing with which
her husband so generously provided
her, were being paid for with money
that was not his.
Robert w. Smylie, auditor OF the
Peoples State bank, came to Prosecu-
toI Hugh Shepherd in person. 10
make formal complaint. 500 after
ward Leonard was arrested and was
taken before Assistant Prosecutor
Charles Jasnowski, to whom he freely
made statement.
He said that shortly after he was
made receiving teller. there occurred
a shortage of about $500. This was
through no fault of his own, he de-
olared. The money was either lost
or disappeared through some agency
not known to him. He feared to tell
the bank officials of the loss. He
feared the loss of his position more
than anything else. He resolved TO
cover up this shortage by taking the
cash from some other larger deposit.
lie did this and this was only the
first of series of peculations, each
one larger than it's predecessor.
Bank officials declare they believe
that Leonard's peculations did not
begin so long ago. They say they are
OF recent date. officials declare they
took keen interest In the young
fellow and he was promoted rapidly.
The warrant. charging him with
embeZzlement, was drawn up, Friday.
and awaits only the signature of Po-
lice Justice Stein. Leonard probably
will be arranged in police court,
some time Saturday. He is held in
police headquarters. He emphatically
refused to talk with newspaper
man, Saturday morning.