Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-01
ALABAMA STATE
! EMPLOYEE HELD
IN $4,000 BOND
Theo Lacy, Accused Of 100000
ENLIGHTENMENT, Refuses to Tell
of His Movements.
HEARING SET FOR MONDAY
Arrest Followed Statewide
Search by Detectives, Which
Lasted Nearly One Year.
HEARING SET FOR MONDAY

MONTGOMERY ALA, Jan. 81
Theo Lacy, former chief clerk Of the
State Convict Department, Saturday
declined to discuss his movements
gomery. carrying with him 800. 900 in
cash which belonged to the State Of
Alabama. Lacy is confined in the
Montgomery County JAIL and he will
not be permitted to make bond until
Monday, according to an announceS
ment made last night. Judge Arm
stead Brown, of the Montgomery City
Court, has declined to reduce his bond
from $4,000 to S25,000 and it Is
probable that Lacy will remain in
Jail until his bond is made
Ray Rushton, of Montgomery, and
I'd Pettus, of Selma. are attorneys
for Lacy, and It is said that they de-
sire an early trial. Both Rushton and
Pettus refused to make any statement
for publication, and Lacy himself de-
clared that he had nothing to give
out at the present time.
! Will Make Statement.
Lacy appears to be confident of the
( outcome of his case. He declared
that he might have a statement to
make after his bond is fixed.
Governor O'Neal issued a statement
Friday afternoon in which he ex-
pressed qualification at the return OF
4 Lacy.
"As far as l know, Lacy returned
of his own free WILL" said the Gov
ernor. II have had reports from de-
tectives in which it was indicated that
Lacy was ready to surrender, but
knew nothing of his arrival in Mont
! gomery until I was notified Thursday
night
Il always had a feeling that Lacy
would return. He had many friends
in Alabama, and it is but natural
that he should rather return here than
to stay away as an exile all his life,
although l have spared no expense
to bring about his apprehension"
Governor O'Neal said that he had
employed e. o. Miles, a detective, of
Atlanta, and that Miles took charge
Of the case several months ago.
In Dallas County.
Three weeks ago, Detective Miles
notified Governor O'Neal that plans
were almost perfected for the surren-
der of Lacy and that his whereabouts
is believed that Lacy has been in
Dallas County for at least ten days,
ind Detective Miles has been in in
iirect communication with him for
several weeks.
1t is understood \ that Detective
Miles will receive $500 for his work
In connection with the surrender of
Lacy. The $4,000 reward offered for
Lacy's arrest was withdrawn several
days ago.
It is Governor O'Nea1s desire to
have Lacy make a full statement of
his connection with the theft If Lacy
is not responsible for the entire theft,
the Governor wants to know the
names of all those working with him.
To date the State has spent about
$4,000 as a result of the defa1cation
of Lacy. OF this amount about
$500 was paid to a detective agency
$4,000 was paid in special counsel
fees during the investigation of the
State Convict Department, and about
$500 was paid for a stenographic re-
port of the proceedings and other Of
flee work in connection with the
shortage.
At the State Convict Department
1t was ascertained that the total
shortage during the Oakley Lacy adj
ADMINISTRATION amounted to S114,OO0. OF
this amount Lacy Is alleged to have
taken away about $4,000 and the
remainder was a shortage In connec-
ton with the payment Of about $22,-
500 to the department by Goodin, Reid
& Co., of Cincinnati, and $2,e0T paid
by Bernard Frank & Co., Of Mont
gomery.