New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-22
,,,hier Of Abilene State Bank,
Kansas. Is Caught on
Third Avenue.
~ $4,000 SHORTAGE
:. VINO Was Sought in World =
q n;ds Search Lived in New
York Under Various
Aliases.

.ouncement that John y. Flack'
IL If the Abilene state Bank. had
.l.sed. leaving shortage of $780,
HE accounts. Depositors, hear
~. news. stormed the bank; 1t was
s.,urday afternoon, but when they
- 70 withdraw their savings the
=. had been closed for the day.
or,or and gossip ran wild through
:. town. That Flack, one Of its most
-.,.,sd citizens. should have acted
.s,s manner was a staggering blow
,hilAne. When some persons went
n. cashiers home on the main
-, ,bev found he and his wife had
- They had evidently gone in a
-. for everything within had been
,n-oed topsy-turvy in the rush to get
sEay.
Tho dav after Flack and his wife
-. shaken the dust Of Abilene from
h., foet the state Banking Commits
DINER Of Kansas requested the Ma
sorol Surety Company to aid him in
aiming Flack to earth. At once the
No STAFF Of detectives Of the latter
: .,,tution was put on the defaulting
.,s,,er,. trail. Nothing was heard OF
atm. he seemed TO have vanished COM
,.tslv from the face Of the earth.
Finding Of Fugitive.
Yesterday afternoon Detective J. ].
Allen. of the surety company, accom-
,.ried by A. NJ. Birdsall. head Of the
,ompany's claim department, stepped
=, 10 middle aged man standing on
no corner of Third avenue and 18th
street Allen placed one hand on the
mans shoulder and half turned him
sround
Hello. there. Mr.. Flack. How are
you?" he said.
The man Strengthened up and a
,pnor ran through his frame He
srsy a handkerchief from his pocket
and mopped the perspiration from his
sorsnead. Then he faced Allen, look
ng him straight in the eye. The next
norent his face relaxed into a smile
4 relief, as he held forth an out
stretched hand TO Allen.
This is good this is fine. boys.
Really you don't know what relief
this is 10 me. Call me by name again,
bo,y: # sure is good 10 hear that name
sgaln after using an alias for the last
NO years"
Fisck appeared 10 he genuinely
nppy after his arrest. He did not ask
Allen what he was wanted for; nor ala
ts make any trouble when the de-
lsstive said he would have TO accom-
ANY him TO the offices Of the surety
:mpany. The only point upon which
Hack protested was in regard TO the
mount Of money involved in his short
sgs. He insisted this amounted only
o about $4,000; not $4,000, as had
zen stated.
After formalities had been arranged
! the Offices OF the surety company
lack was taken TO Police Headquar-
srs. where the police were asked TO
old him pending the arrival Of the
uthorities from Kansas. who charged
i'm with embezzlement and forgery.
Tries a New Start
According TO the story Flack told OF
Is fight. he left Abilene on the day his
lortage was discovered and came
rectly to this city with his wife.
ere he secured quarters and started
II TO carve a new but secret way for
mself in the world. He knew that
q photograph was being sent broad
.st throughout the land, with de-
.iled description Of himself, and de-
ded that he was safer within the con-
nes Of a great city, teeming with mill
'ns Of fellow beings. than he would
e anywhere else. and he was right.
The day after he reached this city
the fugitive cashier read in the papers
hat the president Of the Abilene state
Sank had died, overcome by shame
ard remorse at the act OF one of the
banks most trusted employees. The
accounts also said the affairs Of the
bank we're in bad shape as a result or
Flack's embezzlement and that the in
siitution would probably fail.
Although he was an outlaw TINS
news appealed 10 the better side OF
faek's nature. He determined 10
make what restitution lay within his
power. He asked his wife. who had
sded with him deyotedly, to go back
70 Abilene and do what she couid 10
make restitution for mis- transgresslons'
Mrs. Flack returned to the niue
Own in which she had passed her girl
aood, in which she counted all her
Closest friends. now forever to De
'fngers to her. and did what she
could" She turned over all her nus
Oahds property to the bank and then
"pped quietly out Of Abilene ano
mace her way back to her fugitive
husband.
" was necessary for Flack TO work
snOer new alias every week. lie
'Ooio change his name every time ne
,4ahsed his job. One week he would
70 This city, only TO be in Jersey CITY
newark the next. A few days ago
= nc surety company which was on
sks trail learned he was In this
Detectives almost got him last
p, out missed him by two hours.
=" they placed an advertisement In
"Wnlng manor nc "a roauif of which