The Washington times., 1913-06-07
RETURNS Sl,43O,OOO
i. LOOT, He IS FREED
PhiIadeIphian Not Guilty on
Plea of Robbed Banks
Officials.

PHILADELPHIA, June 7.-Walter F.
S'.~-is. a trusted employe of the Mer
Shants' Cn.Ju Trust Company, who
robbed that bank of sl,4OOOo0 in securi-
ties and $4,000 in cash. and who has
been hunted by the police. the Pinker-
tons, and the Burns detectives, CAME
into court here, confessed his crime,
and made restitution.
Judge Hall then ordered the bill of in
dictment submitted and a verdict of
not puiltv taken. The case was dropped
because the officials of the institution
which was robbed pleaded that II they
could not drop the case and get their
esslen bonds back the bank would go
70 the wall
Shourds gave back all that he took
and 5000 in addition as sop for the
injured feelings Of the bank directors.
George Burnham. tr-, one of the oftl-
Gals of the Institution, spent $4,000 In
trying to apprehend Shourds.
In September, 1911. Shourds, who was
the superintendent of the vaults of the
bank, disappeared When the OFFICIALS
could not open the vaults. Shourds
was not to be found. He was sent for.
HIS wife sent back word that he was
not in the house. Experts were en-
began the days business with money
from other institutions. An invesuga-
tion showed that $4,000 in cash was
gone, and few days later II was dis
covered that bonds to the extent of
81, 400, ,0o0, almost all of them negotiable,
had been stolen.
Eludes Detectives.
Pinkerton men were engaged and
every port On the Atlantic was guarded,
but Shourds slipped through. In jan
cause a run on the bank was feared.
About a year ago advertisements ap-
peared in the Paris, New York and
local papers which told Mrs. Shourds
where her husband might be found, and
negotiations were begun for :he return
of the securities according to plans
which shourds indicated In his adver-
usements. representative of the
Burns agency went abroad to see
Shourds, but the latter did not trust
him and the deal was called of. Later
Shourds took up the matter with for
mer District Attorney Jerome, OF New
York. Jerome then communicated with
the Philadelphia authorities.
1t was arranged that II Shourds
should make restitution he would not
be prosecuted. In all his dealings he
demanded that no stain should attach
TO his record and that the indictment
the thefts.
ShourdH was assured by Jerome that
he had put the deal through. Still the
fugitive doubted 1t and feared that he
was being doubly dealt with. He came
TO this country and landed in New
York, where he was met by his wife,
Jerome and Burns representative.
Leaves Half Loot Behind.
Still suspicious, Shourds came home
~w~t@ -, 1, II
told the lawyers who agreed u meet
him that he did not trust them and
that he had salted half the theft in
Germany. When they had convinced
him that he would not be prosecuted
Shourds went back to Germany with a
Burns man and got the balance of the
money. After his second return
Shourds still retained the half of his
loot which he had gone to Germany 70
get, and the bank failed to make him
give It up until he was freed OF the
charge against him.
District Attorney Rotan told the
court just how the officials of the BANK
xcre al the mercy of Shourds He
had each of the officers say that they
wanted to have Shourds declared aot
guilty. Shourds was told to stand up
go that the court could see that he Was
present
The court remarked that il did not
see how 1t could do otherwise. in view
OF the fact that the safety OF the bank
its depositors, and shareholders was al
stake. and the jury was ordered 10 find
a verdict Of not guilty. When the
verdict had been recorded Shourds
handed a bundle to Mr. Lewis, who
found the balance OF the missing bonds
and etccks in 1t. Shourds also gave
The extra $500 to the banks attorney.
Nhourds used the stolen money In
speculation abroad, II is said, and has
made q fortune.