New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-14
BLAME GRIEF SPELL
IN $4,000 THEFTS
Friends Say Aid Who
Robbed Hardness Was
Mentally Unbalanced.
MIND AFFECTED BY
DEATH OF MOTHER
Wife Asserts She Knows Moth
ing OF Money Taken Police
on White Light" Trail.

Was William 3. Thompson mentally
responsible when he stole from his en-
p'oyer, William l. lIarkucss, the Stand
ard Oh man. at H. Broadway. and what
has become Of the money he took,
which may amount 10 10000 The
authorities Investigating has case yes
tcrday turned their attention to those
two questions after arrcstiug him on a
charge of grand larceny and coriulng
him lu the Tomb prison.
thompson, who was Iarkuese'- con
ioenual secretary, admits the theits
and That his populations nave extended
over period OF several years. but ls
a. a loss TO even estimate how much
he has stolen or TO- give any idea what
he has done with 10. His only cNplane-
tlon Us that since the death of his
mother four years ago. he has not been
himself. and has often not been ac-
courtablc for the things ho has done.
"lt threw me OF my balance. be- said
yesterday
Rumors tba, he lived iuNurously i1
Jamaica were dispelled by a visit go his
home. al Union PARK a> where Ec
resides with his wife and thttc-year-
old daughter. The home is modest and
simric and shows no signs Of lavish
expenditure Of money. His wife col
lapsed when she learned that ner hus-
band had been placed under arrest,
even though she had been informed the
day previous by darkness that such a
course probably would be followed. 4
report that Thompson spent most OF
the money he stole ion several cafes ln
the white light district rs being in-
yestigated.
Nine years ago Thompson entered
the employ Of Mr.. Hardness as a clerk,
and two years ago he was promoted to
the position Of confidential secretary.
Ion that capacity !, had the power TO
draw checks on his employers account
Up 10 $500 In amount for the purpose
Of paying Mr.. HarkStss's personal bills.
The thefts were accomplished by draw
ing checks for 'arger sums than the
bills amounted 20 and approprlatIng
the difference. On January . he cashed
a chcc. for S4Sl on the New Produce
Exchange Bank and entered IL on the
books o., r payment OF 81 TO a man
named Dcane Il is on this transac-
tiou that the charge against him Is
based
Thompson. 10 is said. had recently be
come lax 100 mis- work at the Office, ana
Mr.. Hardness had planned TO discharge
him al the Grst Of the year On Janu-
airy 1. iu going over his accounts. liark-
ness discovered a discrepancy 10 the
bank balance. Thompson then con
fessed. Hardness imagined that the
thefts had amounted to very little. and
delayed taking action until he received
a mysterious telephone call from man
several days later. by which he was in.
formed of the true circumstances OF
the case. Detectives we're called m, and
after going over Ihompson's books
placed him under arrest.
when my husbands mother died,
said Mrs. Thompson. yesterday. some
thing seemed 10 80 wrong with ms
head. lie has never been the same
since. Sometimes he would be gone
for day and a night. and he never .ap,
peared to know exactly where he had
been. have never seen anything OF
the money he is said TO have taken