The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-22
BANK MISSES CASH;
TWO CLERKS HELD
Union Trust Company Accuses
Receiving Teller and
BOOkkeeper.
LOSS MAY BE $4,000
Charges Prisoners With False
Entries at Plaza Branch
Of Big Concern.
LOSS MAY BE $4,000

w us
Two men employed In the Plaza branch
OF the Union Trust Company. at Six
tieth street and Fifth averue. were ar
rested yesterday afternoon on y charge Of
forgery in the third degree.
The two men. who are locked up in the
East Sixty-seventh street station pend
Ing arraignment In the Yorkvile court this
morning. are Alonzo NJ. Woolsey, 40 years
old, married. OF 1868 Morrir avenue, 4 lie
Bronx. and Joseph T. White. IS years old
single. OF 7H Prospect avenue. The
Bronx.
Woolsey was the receiving teller OF the
branch and White the general bookkeeper
From the information which could be OBJ
tained neutrality-suspicious. OF the trust
company are reticent--it seems that the
two men took from the bank through a
system OF false entries. at least $4,000
and perhaps much more.
The books Indicate that more than
$4,000 has been taken. but woolsey,
who Is said to have made a partial con-
fession. insists that less than $4,000 was
taken. II Is likely to be some days. how
ever, before the truth is known for
though the clerks have been working all
week on the books. the whole stan was
busy in the branch up to o'clock last
evening and later.
Mystery Surrounds Arrests.
Much mystery surrounds the arrest OF
the two men and the information given
out yesterday only tends TO increase II.
Woolsey, as the receiving teller. took
in the money and made false entries. 1t
Is charged. but he denies that he received
dollar. He says he did It for White.
and White has no statement TO make
The question was not answered yester-
day as to why woolsey was willing TO do
as White directed.
Both men were under bonds. and officials
OF the trust company say the loss t. the
institution will be little, II anything
The prisoners have been under suspicion
for several months. Their accounts did
not balance about two months ago, when II
was discovered that Sl5 was missing
The men we're reprimanded and a watch
kept on them.
The accounts OF Woolsey and the book,
OF White caused more trouble on Satur-
day week ako. A report was made
to f. G. Merrill. president OF the com
pany. by Ernest II. Cook. manager o: the
Plaza branch.
/ on last Thursday Mr.. Cook engaged an
apartment at II Eas; SiStleth street. a
few doors east of the branch Office. and
another apartment in the same building
, as the branch itself.
Both Questioned About Books.
Woolsey was taken to the apartment In
/ East Sixtieth street and White to the
/ apartment directly over the bank. There
/ they were subjected to examination by
trust company officials and lawyers. They
were apart and one did not know what
had become OF the other.
! Books over which the two men had
worked were taken to each OF them and
each was questioned about them
Meantime. other accountants were going
over the bank books and also some pass
books
| The examination OF the two men was
not finished on Thursday. and at the close
OF the day both were told they could 20
home. II they desired. but that they would
|
men decided to remain In their respective
apartments. Detectives were always close
at hand and kept guard over them. The
two men were virtually prisoners for two
days before they were put under arrest
Woolsey was first asked TO explain why
$3.50 In his accounts did not correspond
with Il depositor's pass book. He is said
to have admitted he changed the figures.
1t is said on authority that In practl-
cally every instance Woolsey or White
did not take from the bank the full
amount that BY their manipulation Of the
books they could have taken. Woolsey.
questioned by President Merrill, asserted
that he did not get any OF the money
for himself.
Teller's Wife In Tears.
Officials would not say whether he gave
any reason for making such a sacrifice
for White.
After the bank officials had got all the
information possible from the two, Mr..
Cook went to the Yorkville Court yester-
day morning and got warrants.
shortly after 2 O'Clock Mrs. Woolsey.
a handsomely dressed. attractive woman,
called at the East Sixty-seventh street
police station and got permission to see
her husband. She broke down at the
sight OF him. but seemed comforted after
a talk with him.
President Merrill OF the trust company
issued a statement through the offices OF
Spooner 4 Cotton. attorneys for the insti-
| tuition. That statement says:
The officers OF the Plaza branch have
decided to institute criminal proceedings
against two clerks at the branch on ac-
count OF a false entry made by them
which has been discovered.
Both Clerks Under B0nd.
1.-THE business Of the Plaza branch IL
kept entirely separate from that of the
other Offices Of the company and no trust
business is carried on there.
Both the clerks In question are under
surety bonds and the amount involved IL
not large, but Justice TO the other EN-.
pioyees OF the Plaza branch and the main
tenance Of discipline have made q public
prosecution necessary"
Both men have long been employed
by the trust company. White for thir-
teen years Both were highly respected
WOolsey and his wife and daughter have
lived for two years in an attractive apart
ment In The Bronx. No ono was at home
last night.
White was of a sociable turn ana went
out u great deal, He went to the thea
tres frequently and often afterward. At