The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-07
Practically Entire Time,
However, Spent in Room
at Empire Hotel
TRIP is WITHOUT
ANY SIGNIFICANCE
Came to See Some Friends and Rela-
tives and Threw No Light on
Mystery Which Has
Surrounded Him
BY HUGH w. ROBERTS

BY HUGH w. ROBERTS
Between the hours of 10:30 o'clock and
800 O'Clock, Theodore Lacy was a guest
of the Empire hotel yesterday.
While he came unheralded, the news of
his arrival, spreading like prairie fire. was
soon disseminated throughout the city.
Scarcely had the automobile in which
he rode been stopped at the hotel before
the curious began a marching which en-
dured all day about that place of enter
tainment.
The man who has been discussed by
every citizen of the state since that daN
of March, 1918, on which he absconded,
according to the charge against him, with
$4,000 of the states revenue, was seen
by few. According to his own state
ment, while he was lodging no man, he
did not relish the gaze of the morbid
AS soon as he reached the hotel he retired
to room occupied by relative. had his
dinner served there. and left later in a
closed automobile for the purpose of con-
sulring friends and visiting relatives
Spoke Cordially to Friends
The crowd, unaware that he was pre-
pared to return to Montgomery in the
afternoon, was not at the station when
the accommodation was announced. But
there few friends saw him. To them,
he spoke cordially. But even to them he
declined to discuss the matters in which
the general putlic is interested He did
not tell them about the money missing
frcm the vaults of the treasury. He did
not tell them the story of his hasty depar-
tttt-o f,o,
them of his absence, and of how he so
successfully lodged the minions of the
law set by the state executive on his trail
And he did not tell his friends why he
surrendered. The curiosity of those who
have speculated in this regard was not
assuaged. AS to whether or not the pris-
oner returned in hope of pardon. as to
whether or not he, in the event that he
did abscond with the money of the state,
intends to return his pelf, as to whether
or not he believes technicalty of the
law will permit him to escape unwhipped
OF justice. must still remain mysteries as
deep and unfat thomable as they have ever
been.
All of these things, Lacy was asked.
To ali of them he vouchsafed no answer.
Remained Only Between Trains
He came on an accommodation and
he left on an accommodation. His plan
was to visit Birmingham without Bir-
mlngham being aware of the stranger
within its gates. He would have been
successful but for one pair of eyes
which beheld him en- route to the city.
The owner of this pair, as soon as
he had brushed the dust of travel from
his clothes, whispered to local report
ers:
Theodore Lacy is here"
The reporters, with little effort, ac-
ouired knowledge that he was at the
Empire. Immediately they started for
that Fourth avenue and Twenty first
street hostelry. They instantly became
aware that others had heard the story
of the return of the ''prodigal." For
scores of people, whispering to each
other nodding and gesticulating. bear
ing remarkably curious expressions of
countenance, were surging in the same
direction on swiftly moving feet
And arriving they pressed their faces
to the glass walls of the hotel. Dis
appointed that their prey had escaped,
many went inside, read the register,
and finding thereon no reference to
Lacy, interrogated the clerk-some of
them critically, others sharply.
Trip Without Significance
As result of careful investi-
CATION, 1t was learned that the me-
teoric passage to and from Birming-
ham on the part of the bonded pris-
oner was without material significance.
With the exception of the trial, his
story has been told. He disappeared.
There followed ten months fruit
less search. He eappeared-uneXpect
edly as he had disappeared. He re-
manned in Jail for several days, and
then was released under a bond of
$4,000. His trial has been set for Feb
ruary "a. 1t is learned that he will
not ask for continuance. He will be
represented by Ray Rushton of Mont
gomery, Edmund w. Pettus a kins-
man of Selma, and possibly others. The
prosecution will be in the hands of
II. f.. Steiner of Montgomery, Capt.
Frank S. White of Birmingham, r. B.
Evins, special counsel of the COVER
nor, and Robert C. Brickell, attorney
general.
II is stiil a question as to whether
or not he Will appear before the Mont
gomery grand jury. presently in ses-
sion, and relate his story. He gave
no information. That the tale will be
unfolded on the date Of the trial and
that it will serve to answer all the
q,esti that have been propounded
for months by the pulic at 1arge-and
that it will prove sensational-is con-
| fide emily believed.
| Lacy is in excellent health and fine
| spirits.