Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-20
MORE ARRESTS IN
FUND SHORTAGE
EXPECTED
Detectives Trailing Others Be-
lieved To Be Involved in Con-
viCt Board Embezzlement.

MONTGOMERY, ALA, March 10
Detectives to-day are working on evil
5ence that is expected to lead to the
arrest Of other prominent men, follow
ing the serving of a warrant on James
. Oakley. Of Bibb county, president
~ the state convict board, late yes
+ardav afternoon. Oakley was arrested
vrb,Ie in conference with his attorneys,
tJ,u Hill Whiting & Stern, in an office
bu,Iding adjoining the county jail.
when the warrant was placed in Sher-
~ Hoods hands that official, knowing
he whereabouts of Mr.. Oakley, imme-
5jsta1v went t. the attorneys offices
,,d sarved it. Bond of $4,000 was al
lowed.
while President Oalcley's arrest ere
s4ad a sensation, it was not entirely
,,Dsxpected. especially by state otticials.
7, leaked out to-day that a detective
has been shadowing Oakley since his
.,bief clerk. Theo Lacy, disappeared
r.1 week with nearly 100000 OF the
.tate's funds. 1t had been intimated at
Inc cauitol that the affair was likely
- involve the head of the department,
h,,, nothing came of it until the gov
.,-ror's public investigation began yes
,erdav. Then Charles L. Harold, pres
fdept Of the Montgomery Savings BANK
t.s+ifed that when Lacy presented
,beoLs for such large amounts, running
10 more than 100000 he got into com
,,,unica+ion with President Oakley and
+ba latter told him It was all right to
cash the checks presented by Lacy.
Packed Money in Box.
This was on Tuesday afternoon OF
last week. On Wednesday the Mont
eornerv Savings bank assembled the
amount giving it's check to the Mont
vonar, Trust and Savings bank for
tsS 900 and Mr.. Harold and Lacy called
AZ the latter institution and packed the
CURRENCY in a box. Lacy had already
ohtaIned additional sums from the
Montgomery Savings bank, which,
added 10 the amount obtained from the
Montgomery Trust and Savings bank,
totaled about $4,000.
When this information was brought
sut at the hearing, the attorney gen
ersl. after a hasty conference with the
governor, had a warrant sworn out TOT
oakley and he was Immediately ar
rasted. The warrant charges embez-
element in four counts. The first
charges the embezzlement of $4,000.
The second accuses Oakley of embe2-
ling or converting to his own use, as
president Of the convict board, the sum
Of $4,000. The third count charges
Oakley with making a deposit of ST.
s1647 IN the Montgomery Savings
bank on August 80, 1912, without re-
outring Of the bank security for the
deposit, In violation OF a criminal stat
ute. Under the fourth count Oakley
"a accused Of cashing and converting
to hts own use check sent the con-
Wet board by a firm OF Cincinnati
This check was for goods bought OF
the state cotton mill at Speigner
Ala
Had Evidence on Oakley.
It is said that the examiners had
this evidence on Oakley and was IN
sha pc to be put in the warrant, but
that the time for his arrest was not
ripe until yesterday, when the investi-
cation brought out additional facts.
Governor O'Neal is strongly Of the
opinion that Lacy had confederates
here and that the bulk Of the cash
Withdrawn from the banks on last
Wednesday was net carried away ny
Lacy. but Is still in Montgomery.
Whether or not Oakley will be charged
with having cognizance Of this fact or
being interested with Lacy in the big
steal is not intimated.