The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-29
AT $25
 A WEEK LIVES
 MIDST RICHES
COnfeSSeS He Had to Steal to Keep Up His Three
 Automobiles.

New York, Nov. 29-AdOlph J Loeffler, a young clerk in the employ of Francis H. Leggett & Co.,, whole sale grocers, explained yesterday how he managed to buy $35,00O worth ot furniture, keep three automobiles and one liveried chauffeur, pay $2,OOO a year rent for his seven room apart ment, run cigar business and spend $5,000 a month keeping up appear ances-all on his salary of $25 week.
 District Attorney Edward Swann and Assistant District Attorney Moses R. Rittenberg were interested audi tors of his adventures in high finance, and after they had questioned him they sent him up to the Jefferson Market police court, where he plead ed guilty to grand larceny and forg- cry. He said he had embedded be- tween $10O,O0O and $125, ,000 from the grocery concern that paid him the twenty-five per.
 George w. Morgan, attorney for Leggett & Co.,, said that $75,000 might cover the firms losses, but auditors are still at work on Loeffler's private books and on the office accounts, and the amount of the thefts will not be ascertained until today or tomorrow.
 An Eve for Economy
 Until a few months ago Loeffler kept the money he had stolen from the firm in a safe in the Leget offices. He had head for business and didn't want to pay out anything for private safety deposit box when he could use the safe without charge. He also bought from Leggett & Go. the cigars he used in his business and obtained favorable prices from his employers.
 Not only did the cigar stands make money for him, but they proved to be convenient when any one be- gan to wonder where all his money was coming from. His friends knew that he wasn't paying his chauffeur $25 a week out of his salary as a clerk, and they figured that the tiger skin rugs and other luxuries in his apartment represented the profits on the cigar business.
 His good looking wife of 25, who was stenographer in the Leggett or fees until he married her two years ago, likewise attributed their prosper ity to the tobacco venture. She also had been surprised when they moved from their $35 month apartment at 916 Southern Bulevalrd, The Bronx, to their pretentious home in West Seth street, but accepted his explanation.
 Loeffler is a Bohemian, 30 years Of age. The executives of the Leggett firm and the freight brokers who had dealings with him regarded him as a steady young man without any great possibilities as g. financier.. He dressed without ostentation even when he was making $1 1,00O a week by means of his fOrgeries.
 LOSES AN INHERITANCE.
 When Loeffler left his native land at an early age he went to Chicago and lived with one of. his uncles. He later engaged in business with this but upon inheriting $4,O0O sailed to Brazil and put every cent into coffee speculations. He was cleaned out in a brief time and was forced to come back to this country. He got a job in Chicago with a gro- cery concern, and six years ago came to this city to work for Leggett & Go. Loeffler handled the bills of lading and freight bills.
 Soon after the great war began, when the financial district and State street, the habitat of the shipping brokers, were filled with stories of sudden and vast, profits in foreign trade, Loeffler thought of a way of turning a little of this gold in his di- rection. He confessed yesterday that when he received a freight bill from 8 broker would make out a dupH- cate in his own handwriting, have it approved by the auditor, and after ward add an item of few hundred dollars.
 As the addition was in Loeffler's handwriting the forged bill passed the cashier, who gave him a check for the larger amount made out to the broker who handled the goods. Loeffler said that he took the check down to the broker and received another check lrawn to bearer for the difference be- tween the original genuine claim and the raised bill. Loeffler said he gave the broker to understand that the bearer check would go to an out sider as a commission for swinging foreign orders in the direction of Leg gett & Go.
 Broker Is In Europe.
 The district attorneys office prompt y inquired for this broker, but found hat he is in Europe on business. The chief clerk left in charge of the ship ping office said last night that he had been told to draw checks for the diff ference between the firms bills and he Leggett check, but had not been old why this practice had been insti- uted.
 After telling his story to MT. Swann md his assistants. Loeffler surren- tered $1, ,140 in cash a check for $700 iraWn on the Broadway Trust com ,any, one automobile worth $1, 900, fur liture for which he said he paid $35,- 0O, 8 $15,00O life insurance policy, the tock and fixtures in his cigar stands, which he appraised at $10,000, and ewelry which he valued at $5,000.
 When arraigned before Magistrate Marsh in the Jefferson Market police 1 ourt he pleaded guilty and was held l