The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-14
Held job Nine Years.

Thompson has been employed by Mr..
Hardness, who is a capitalist connected
with the Standard OIL Company. for about
nine years ana for several years has
acted as confidential secretary. In this
capacity he was authorized TO sign checks
for Mr. Hardness up to $500. Il being
one Of his duties 10 attend 20 the small
personal debts OF his employer.
on January Mr.. Hardness happened
20 glance at his check book and noticed
a stub for 81, showing that Q payment
for that amount had been made TO
FIFTH avenue caterer lie knew he had
contracted no such debt and began to
Investigate What he learned led him 10
employ Mr.. O'Br!en. While the latter
was making an investigation man teie-
rhoned Mr.. Hardness and told him he
would better keep an eye on MS conn
dental secretary, as the latter was spend
ing more money than man in his po-
Sltlon usually does. Investigation OF the
3. stub showed that check for S4sl
had been drawn on the New Produce tx
change Bank on January against the
account OF Ir. Hardness.
Mr. Hardness said Yesterday that he
had noticed for some time that Thompson
was not performing his duties well and
ano,ber man when he made this dis
covery. lie had a talk with Thompson
and SAYS the latter finally broke down
and confessed that for two years he had
been robbing his employer, sometimes by
signing large checks for small payments
and keeping the balance lately by signing
checks and getting them casaed for himself.
Thompson maintained that he could not
saw what he had done with the money
and a talk with Mrs. Thompson convinced
Mr.. Hardness that his secretary had not
been spending it on his family
Held In $4,000 Bail.
Yesterday Mr.. Hardness called w
Police Headquarters and Detectives Dolar
and Moriarty Of CAPT. Cray's staff wen
20 his Office and arrested Thompson He
was arraigned in the Tombs police cour'
and held in $4,000 bail for a further hear
Ing on Friday. lie was represented by
James j. Mayer of III West Tenth street
Mr.. Mayer said he did not care to say
how he came to be retained by Mr.
Thompson. Thompson was locked up II
the Tombs.
Mrs. Thompson was overcome wher
word OF her husbands arrest was tele
phoned 10 her. Their home at Unioi
Park avenue, Jamaica, Is said to o'
worth $1,000, but is heavily mortgaged.
IT had known since last night" sale
Mrs. Thompson, that his arrest nigh
be ordered, but Mr.. Hardness who haC
sent word to me Of the situation, salt
he was considering what to do. and l toll
him I hoped he would be lenient, es
pecally as this offence was the frs
and more particularly in view OF III
fact that Mr.. Thompson has been suffer
ing from aphasa for four years.
When his mother died four year
ago something seemed to go wrong wit
his head. He has never been the sam
since. although his loving attitude Z
baby and me has never changed for an In
slant. But he seemed to lose interest I
things which formerly held his attention
Sometimes he would be gone a day an
a night, and he never appeared TO kno'
Just where he had been.
Last night after hearing from Nj
Hardness, | talked the matter over wit
my husband. and he didn't seem to knoV
whore any OF the money had gone
believe he has fallen into bad compan
and has been fieeced. Whatever may hav
led him into error ] feel sure It was nc
a woman"
When arrested Thompson was wearin
n large diamond ring. He said he ha
found 1t. and no amount of questonin
could make him admit he had bougf
II with stolen money lie said he ha
only a small account Of his own in III
bank and that he had no idea of n
amount he had taken from his employe
Mr. Hardness came to New York frol
Cleveland several years ago He live
at ~ East Fifty-thrd street and III
summer home at Glen Cove, l.. l. II
Ia well known az a yachtsman and
a member of the New York Yacht Club.