Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-30
Nab Man WANTED
. FOR EMBEzzLINC
BIC sum MONEY
Birmingham Tourist Bound for
Denver on Honeymoon Is
Taken by Local Police.
CLAIM S19,5OO Is GONE
Officers Arrest Chauffeur and Then J.
q. Searcey and Woman for AP-
propriatins Huge Sum.

! wanted In Blrmln Rnarn. Alabama, on
charge of embezzling $4,000 in $50
bank notes. and for appropriating for
his own use three cashiers checks.
each to the value of $1,000, J. d.
Searcey. alias Charles Murphy. was
arrested by Rock Island police at the
Campbell hotel in Moline at 10 o'clock
/ last night.
With Searcey was a woman who pur-
ported to be his wife and who claimed
they were on their honeymoon. The
arrest of the man followed that OF his
chauffeur. Daniel NJ. eating. in front
of the Harms hotel. The police had
been tipped off that the trio were
headed this way.
Details of the circumstances sur
rounding the embeZzlement of the
money in Birmingham are scarce, and
the entire story of the affair in that
city will likely not be learned by the
police until an officer arrives from the
Alabama metropolis to return with the
people.
Yesterday morning the police de-
partment received word from the Bo-
decker National Detective agency of
Birmingham that Searcey, the woman
and a chauffeur were headed in this
direction in a six-cylinder, seven-pas-
senger Hudson car, bearing a Wash
ington, ID. c.. number on the rear,
216S7. Other information as to the
number of the engine, body and trans
mission corresponds with that of the
car. so the police feel sure that they
have made a good catch.
Prepared a Ruse.
The local police prepared a ruse in
an effort TO secure Searcey and took a
description of the car to all of the gar
ages in the city stating that the auto
was stolen one. In this manner they
guarded against Searcey giving them
the slip, should he arrive in the city
and put up at any garage.
Officer William Fitzsimmons, traffic
officer on Second avenue. and Detec-
tive Herman Sehnert noticed a car
bearing the Washington, d. c., mark
and number. draw up in front of the
Harms hotel about $50 last night.
They arrested the chauffeur and he
seemed quite willing to tell where his
employer was. He stated that Searcey
and the woman were at the Campbell
hotel and the two officers Immediately !
went to Moline and secured the two. |
They were brought to the local police |
station and this morning their grips /
and personal belongings were brought !
from there. They had paid in ad- |
vance at the hotel for one night and |
had planned to get out of Moline early |
this morning, being bound for Denver, !
Colo.
Chief of Police James Brinn, as soon
as he learned of the arrest last night |
wired an official of the detective
agency. and it is expected that as soon
as extradition papers are secured he
will leave for Rock Island.
Searcey Tells Little.
Chief Brinn had a talk with Searcey
this morning, but the man did not offer
much Information. Unless Searcey
tells more than he has to the chief
the details of the embezzle-
ment and the concern owning the
money will not be learned until the
officer arrives from Birmingham.
According to information received
from the Bodecker agency the $4,000
in cash embezzled was in $50 bills on
the First National bank of Fayette
county. Alabama. The cashiers checks,
each for $4,000, were on the First Ma
tional bank of Jefferson county, Ala
bama
Searcey, another man thought to be
pal of his, and Tony Brown. an Ital-
ian chauffeur, left Birmingham at 4
o'clock on the afternoon of June Is.
The woman has admitted to the
police that she was formerly a wait
ress in New York City hotel. She
said that she has known Searcey for
two months and that she was welded
to him two weeks ago in New York
and that they were on their honey
moon.
Had s2.743 On Him.
The woman. the police believe, is
not implicated in the affair for she
has told them that she had her sus- |
picions aroused the past few days
knowing that Searcey carried several
big checks on his person. When ar
rested Searcey was in possession of
s2.743
The woman is 20 years old and
stated that she is a daughter OF for
mer New York City police officer. The
two travelled in the greatest OF luxury.
both being provided with large sup
ply of the latest clothes.
The car, IL is thought by the police,
was purchased by Searcey after he
secured the money. The value of the
is $3.50 and il is the latest /
model.
Married in New York.
After leaving Birmingham Searcey,
his friend and the chauffeur proceed
ed TO New York City where the mar
rage. the girl claims. took place. The
chauffeur was dropped on at Brook
yn, having resided there. and a colored
driver was secured. The couple then
proceeded west. the pal of Searcey.
who is also wanted in connection with
the embezzlement. il is thought. hav-
ing dropped OF in New York and now
being somewhere in the east.
On July 10 the couple stopped in
Buffalo. Daniel NJ. eating, the chauf-
,enr travelling with them at present